invert sugar question

[keena]

I've noticed some recipes that I find call for boiling the sugar and what not to make invert sugar, like SP. My question is why? What does this change? Would recipes be fine if you didn't do this? Does it change the taste?

I dont know what im doin when im doing this. Lol

 

[WildBill]

Hot water makes sugar dissolve in the water more completely as it melts it. It is not necessary in primary just makes it a better solution to measure your SG. Back sweetening would use inverted sugar so you get a more even mix of sweetening in your wine and less solids to clear out. Hope this helps.

 

[keena]

Every recipe I do even if it don't call for invert sugar I put the sugar in a 1 gal jug and mix with hot water until its a crystal clear yellow tint. will that do almost as well as boiling? Also I read somewhere (not this forum) not to use invert sugar in back Sweetening due to restarting fermentation easier... Is that Bologna?

 

[tonyandkory]

Inverted Sugar
Sugar is composed of sucrose and inverting the sugar breaks the bonds turning it into Glucose and Fructose.

yeast breaks down the Sucrose into Glucose and Fructose. to digest it.... [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] [/SIZE][/FONT]
Inverting helps the yeast skip a step and be able to consume the Buffet at a greater rate.

You do however need a small amount of an acid to act as a catalyst to breakdown the bonds between the Glucose and Fructose. rings.

I usually mix my sugar with just enough water to moisten the sugar and 1/4 tsp acid blend. medium to medium high heat and bring to a low rolling boil for about 20 min.

 

[WildBill]

I don't ever boil the water. I just get it steaming and stir until clear. As far as making it referment quicker, maybe but if it is stabilized with sorbate it shouldn't. I would rather see signs of referment sooner than later anyway, the last thing you would want is a surprise ferment after bottling.

 

[dangerdave]

I've made a bunch of skeeter pee and backsweetened all of them usuing nothing but granulated white sugar, never inverted. I find it to be an unnecessary step---which I'm sure some folks will disagree with. Just stir real good!

 

[tonyandkory]

I've made a bunch of skeeter pee and backsweetened all of them usuing nothing but granulated white sugar, never inverted. I find it to be an unnecessary step---which I'm sure some folks will disagree with. Just stir real good!

Yes! .... I only use it on the front end... and not always even then

 

[Minnesotamaker]

For those who invert their sugar for sweetening the finished product: I believe I read somewhere that the human tongue perceives invert sugar (fructose & glucose) as slightly sweeter than dissolved table sugar (sucrose). Since Skeeter Pee is quite high in acid already, it's possible that table sugar that is dissolved into it may break down into fructose and glucose over time without the addition of heat.

 

[tonyandkory]

Lon makes very good point... Do we have any chemists that could answer this in greater detail?

 

[Randoo]

One of the major appeals of recipes like those for SP and DB is that they get you a decent tasting 'social wine' very quickly. This is due largely to the use of invert sugar at the beginning of the recipes. This , combined with keeping the must warm, allows the yeast to consume the available sugars at an incredible rate, causing them to ferment out dry very quickly. This I believe it's the primary benefit of using invert sugar, it accelerates the primary fermentation time. Also, since the tongue perceives invert sugar as being sweeter that table sugar, back sweetening with invert sugar should help ensure that your wine doesn't end up sweeter than you intended as it ages (if, as suggested, sucrose breaks down into glucose and fructose in high acid wines over time).

I'm a newbie here, so I may be off base, but that seems to make sense to me.