Maple Syrup in a Brew

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

as read on a few threads on maple syrup the flavor is hard to detect as the sugar in the syrup ferments out, so I'm thinking about using some real maple syrup and a zero sugar such as this one
www.amazon.co.uk/Zero-Calorie-Syrups-Maple-400

worried it may taste a bit artificial though, thoughts?

MickDundee · Apr 11, 2019

I added some leftover from pancake day once. Unfortunately it was “maple flavoured syrup with added colour” and I hadn’t realised. It didnt have any preservatives so it was fine and didn’t leave any taste behind, but I did end up with an unintentional red IPA

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

MickDundee said:
I added some leftover from pancake day once. Unfortunately it was “maple flavoured syrup with added colour” and I hadn’t realised. It didnt have any preservatives so it was fine and didn’t leave any taste behind, but I did end up with an unintentional red IPA

thank you for the reply

how much did you add?

are you saying it didn't add any taste only some color?

MickDundee · Apr 11, 2019

Robbo851 said:
thank you for the reply

how much did you add?

are you saying it didn't add any taste only some color?

It wasn’t real maple syrup so I’m not really sure how different the real stuff would be. I think it left a bit of flavour (because it was artificial flavour that was added) that complimented the citra and Simcoe nicely.

I think I had a 500g bottle so probably added about 450g worth.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

MickDundee said:
It wasn’t real maple syrup so I’m not really sure how different the real stuff would be. I think it left a bit of flavour (because it was artificial flavour that was added) that complimented the citra and Simcoe nicely.

I think I had a 500g bottle so probably added about 450g worth.

thanks again,
I'm looking to add the maple flavored syrup too as the real stuff will just ferment out (though I will also put some real in to ferment with).

gonna give it a go with in a wee heavy.

phildo79 · Apr 11, 2019

Wouldn't it be better to add it to the secondary, after fermentaion is complete?

JonBrew · Apr 11, 2019

Agree 100% with @phildo79 - think you'd be best adding it as primary fermentation begins to slow down and therefore hopefully retain as much of the maple character as possible. Doing this will also help with the health of your fermentation too, particularly with a style as big as a wee heavy.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

JonBrew said:
Agree 100% with @phildo79 - think you'd be best adding it as primary fermentation begins to slow down and therefore hopefully retain as much of the maple character as possible. Doing this will also help with the health of your fermentation too, particularly with a style as big as a wee heavy.

thanks for the advice , I plan to add half of the real maple syrup in the wort and add the other half plus the sugar free after 10 days ferment. I will also add a little when mixing in the priming sugar. Good plan?

JonBrew · Apr 11, 2019

@Robbo851 How much are you using in total? I might be inclined to add it all at the end of fermentation.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

I was going to add 180ml maple to the wart (20L) with 500g light spray malt 10 days in primary then add 180ml maple and 400ml of the sugar free maple.
Plus 50ml real maple with the priming sugar before bottling after adjusting the sugar amount to accommodate.

JonBrew · Apr 11, 2019

https://beerandbrewing.com/tip-of-the-week-brewing-adjunct-beers-with-maple-syrup/

https://blog.eckraus.com/scotch-ale-recipe

The video above has some useful info in it. The above recipe calls for 700ml in a 21L batch.

If it were me I'd by the best 100% pure maple syrup I could reasonably afford and add 350-500ml at flameout and the same again at the end of fermentation.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

JonBrew said:
https://beerandbrewing.com/tip-of-the-week-brewing-adjunct-beers-with-maple-syrup/

https://blog.eckraus.com/scotch-ale-recipe

The video above has some useful info in it. The above recipe calls for 700ml in a 21L batch.

If it were me I'd by the best 100% pure maple syrup I could reasonably afford and add 350-500ml at flameout and the same again at the end of fermentation.

That's the exact recipe I'm using as inspiration

, that's pretty much what I'm going to do but with the changing some of the pure maple for sugar free in the hope that this will add flavor without it being all fermented out.

JonBrew · Apr 11, 2019

The sugar free syrup you referenced earlier contains the following:

Water, Thickeners (Sodium Carboxy Methyl Cellulose, Xanthan Gum), Natural Flavouring, Salt, Acid (Lactic Acid), Colour (Caramel E150d), Sweetener (Sucralose), Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate)

I'd be a little wary of adding anything with the ingredients in bold present.

If you want to go down that route you could try the Clarks reduced sugar maple syrup or, alternatively, buy a flavour extract and use some of that in addition to the natural maple syrup.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

thanks, I was concerned with that but wasn't sure what affect it would have.

I couldn't find any low sugar or no sugar maple syrup in the supermarket when I looked which I why I was looking on amazon.

there is this

maple essence

how much would you have to put in though?

JonBrew · Apr 11, 2019

You'd need to add it to a sample of the finished beer right before bottling and then scale up to dose the rest of the batch accordingly.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

JonBrew said:
You'd need to add it to a sample of the finished beer right before bottling and then scale up to dose the rest of the batch accordingly.

thanks for all the answers.

phildo79 · Apr 11, 2019

Someone once told me that if you use maple syrup to carbonate the beer, that beer takes on a maple syrup taste. If true, that could save effort and money.

Robbo851 · Apr 11, 2019

phildo79 said:
Someone once told me that if you use maple syrup to carbonate the beer, that beer takes on a maple syrup taste. If true, that could save effort and money.

Thanks I did say earlier I would use some maple syrup and some sugar to prime so def will do that now cheers.

Back to the extract- looking at other recipes with other extracts I’d probably be putting a whole 50ml bottle in.

Madhouse · Apr 12, 2019

I made a maple stout a couple of months back, while a lovely beer the maple flavour did get lost. It was both a boil and flameout addition.

If I make it again I’d probably also use it for priming too.

MrRook · Apr 12, 2019

Fenugreek gives a maple flavor that won't ferment out like maple syrup.

Maple Syrup in a Brew

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