Malt
Invert sugar No. 3
A dark British invert syrup, historically central to porter, mild and old ale.
Brewers' invert is not the same as ordinary sugar. The inversion and cooking produce genuine flavour — treacle, dried fruit and rum — and the darker grades were a defining component of British dark beer.
It largely disappeared from commercial brewing and is being reintroduced by brewers reconstructing historical recipes.
What it does
Sugar or syrup. Fermentable sugar added to the kettle or fermenter to raise strength or dry the beer without adding body.
Cane sugar inverted and cooked to develop colour and flavour, graded by depth from No. 1 to No. 4.
Specification
| Colour | 30–50 EBC |
|---|---|
| Grain | other |
| Enzyme activity | none — needs a base malt to convert it. |
| Fermentability | high |
| Flavour | treacle, dark fruit |