What is a sugar kicker?

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I am brewing a Belgian that will end up with a 13% abv. It calls for a sugar kicker of 2 lbs. What is a sugar kicker??

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Never heard the term “sugar kicker”. My only guess would be adding two lbs of sugar to the boil to “kick” up the abv? Depending on volume and the rest of the recipe it could be a very dry beer.

Hope you’re not planning to drink that before next winter. A big beer like that needs time to age or it’s just hooch.

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Christmas brew

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I agree with Danny that this is what a kicker would be, additional sugar. There are some that would suggest that you do not add all this straight sugar to the boil but add additional sugar to the fermenter itself after all of the malt that can be fermented as been worked on. The reason for this is that many of the more interesting Belgian strain get “lazy” when presented with straight sugar. It is easier for them to process supposedly and they yeast has a tendency to stall when given the sugar early. I have done this a few times and its no big deal.
I would read up on your yeast strain to see if people have experienced stalling with it. Most yeast labs do not advertise that their yeast have a tendency to stall so some more in-depth research might be needed. What yeast are you going to use @roddy ?

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That’s what I was thinking, adding it to femrentation. I am using harvested Safeale be256

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I advocate for tail end of the brew… All of it… The grains will give the yeast alot of nutrient… My Duvel clone uses 2 lbs and it’s not stalled… If in doubt… Let it start fermenting… When it’s going crazy, remove the air locker… Use tin foil.
Sneezles61

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about 15 hour into fermentation and it very active. Temp was up to 68. I put in a swamp cooler and added some fermcap. probably going to have a blowout. I’m using a 15 gallon fermenter and ended up with 11 gallons of wort.

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The belgians call it candysugar. Think what they do mean liquid. Candy sugar

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Candy sugar is a bit different than straight cane sugar. Cane sugar adds nothing to the beer except dryness and ABV. Candy sugar or at least dark candy sugar will add a little flavor to the beer. If I was making a light Belgian beer I might use cane sugar late in the boil doubt I’d add it to the fermenter. Dark Belgian I’d add dark candy sugar or in a pinch cane sugar early in the boil or maybe boil some down before adding it in

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I’ve only made a few beers over 10%. One of them was specifically like what is being suggested

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I only made one BW couldn’t drink it. Ended up blending it. I did save a couple bottles not bad after a couple of years but not a style I care for. Most beers I do are in the 5.5% - 7.5%

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I’m considering Brewing up a batch of the Troeg’s Mad Elf Clone I found in BYO a few issues back. It uses cane sugar and honey at knockout. I’m just trying to decide on timing for brewing it, as I’d want it for December and I’d probably bottle it because an 11% beer on tap would be a very bad idea. :joy:

:beers:
Rad

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I had a glass of that this winter on tap. I’ve only had one once before. It’s strong it’s nice for about a ten oz pour. The waitress poured me a 16oz glass couldn’t finish it

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I’ve got an 8.7% on tap now… I’m waiting for it to clear more then I can bottle… Many of those little Duvel bottles that I’d like fill…
Sneezles61