When home brewing beer, why do you have to use corn sugar instead of cane sugar? What happens ifyou use cane?

Question

Everywhere I read it strongly recommeneds that you dont cane sugar, but use corn sugar instead but never really explains why, why cant you use cane sugar and how significant is the change in flavor or other consequences if you just use regular store bought cane sugar?

Answer 1

Cane sugar can be used in limited quantities. It has different components then corn sugar (which is basically 100% fermentable). At least buy organic or non-processed cane sugar. It'll have a little color to it. Check the site below, it's a better place to post questions like this.

To the dude above: any sugar in excess will lend a cidery flavor over time. Corn sugar might be a bit cleaner. Look at Westvleteren. They use only caramellized sugar to color their beers, and by the strength of the 12, they use a lot of it.

Answer 2

Cane sugar lends a taste to the beer described as "cidery".

Corn sugar will not do that, however, it does not add flavor either, so using too much leads to thin-tasting beer. It is best to only use corn sugar to prime while bottling, and substitute dried malt extract instead.

Answer 3

Although cane sugar is typically frowned upon by the brewing community, it can be a great adjunct for belgian/trappist style beers when used in moderation in specific styles.

Most often a candied sugar is used which can add a caramel color and keep the beer from getting too heavy while maintaining a higher abv found in many dubbels and triples.

Answer 4

Corn sugar has a "cleaner" taste.

Cane sugar can create "off" flavors during fermentation.