Between Hard Ball and Soft Crack

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When I came home from work, Robb was in Mad Scientist Mode. He's been reading up on the brewing of Belgian Style Strong Ales, which apparently relies on caramelized sugar for part of the fermentation process. Robb had excavated our candy-thermometer from our soap making supplies, and was baby-sitting the boiling sugar on the stove.

Unlike other styles of beer-making, which involve a lot of sitting around and waiting, this recipe required a lot of constant participation on Robb's part. I think he was really hurting after caramelizing the sugar. But, hey....when he's done, we'll have two or three gallons of Belgian style strong ale! That's almost worth it, right?




We won't discuss the apparently world-wide shortage of hops, or the fact that Robb has not assembled all the ingredients for this brew.

He tells me that if he can't find the correct hops, he'll make a Finnish beer out of spruce twigs. I informed him that in some cultures, serving something like that was grounds for divorce.

Comments

Jimmy said…
Hmmm....I've not heard of that. I know they use candy sugar in some brews but I've not heard of carmelized sugar.

Have you ever thought about mead?
alright, the title put my mind straight in the gutter :P
Lisa said…
Shiloh -- it seems that teh definition of "candy sugar" got lost in translation, and for quite some time Americans were trying to make Belgian style ales using "rock candy."

When the Belgian brewmasters finally came over to the US, and saw this going on, they were (apparently) totally mystified.
Knit Wit said…
Dang, and I thought you were gonna say Robb made you a batch of peanut brittle...

Unlike Erica I understood the title. LOL

Knit Wit
Gina said…
That title has a totally different meaning in the neighborhood near Campden Yards, here in Balmore, hon!
Jimmy said…
Thanks for clearing that up. All this time I thought candy sugar was a particular 'type' of sugar like turbinado or something. Little did I know it was simply hardened caramel.
Anonymous said…
Lisa & Robb
Great pic of the bubbling sugar pan, only you two would see the beauty of the combo of the lights and colors reflecting from each of the bubbles, wow !!!
Love, Dad B.

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