Late sugar additions

Beer Recipe Design
1

I haven’t been able to find information on why late additions of sugar are added to the fermentation after the initial fermentation has slowed. I’ve heard that this is done routinely by brewers in Belgium and supposedly to produce additional flavors. Does anyone know anything about this process and what the reasoning is behind it? I’ve also heard that this is done to make sure the yeast ferment the sugars produced by mashing before the “easier” refined sugars, but that some don’t feel there’s any validity to that.

Thanks!

2

My own experience is that it just doesn’t matter. You’re correct that the thinking is that it’s easier on the yeast, but I find that if you pitch the correct amount of healthy yeast the sugars will ferment fine no matter when you add them.