First ohn/using light brown sugar
I am making my 1st batch of OHN. I am using light brown cane sugar, is there any problems using light brown sugar vs dark and what should I be using in the future. Thanks for the help!
Top answer
I was taught to use the highest grade sugar you can afford or what’s available to you. The best is muscavato / Demerara the worst is white sugar. “Dark” brown sugar has more molasses put back in than light brown. Follow the stirring and extraction steps diligently!
From the KNF library
From the KNF library
Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books
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Sep 2026
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5 sources
The OHN recipes in the library call for brown sugar. (Office Hours Ep. 60, 29:24) (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 25)
- After the herbs rehydrate, add enough brown sugar to bring each jar to two-thirds full. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 25)
- For ginger and garlic, the Student's Manual adds an equal weight of brown sugar. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 25) Another answer says that is too much and uses one-third sugar to material. (Office Hours Ep. 24, 45:23) The two sources disagree.
- Use organic sugar. Roundup before harvest is a microbicide. Crush granular sugar first so it saturates properly. (Office Hours Ep. 6, 10:43)
- For FPJ, the library warns off molasses. It activates fermentation rather than preserving it, and the batch turns to vinegar. (Office Hours Ep. 57, 29:50)
The library does not say whether light brown sugar changes an OHN batch.
Sources
- 29:24 Office Hours Ep. 60 (Dec 2022) — Master Cho's OHN Recipe, Herb Ratios, and Pig Deep Litter · “brown sugar brings it to two-thirds, then ferment five to seven days”
- 29:50 Office Hours Ep. 57 (Nov 2022) — Sea Salt Minerals, FPJ Alcohol Smell, IMO3 to IMO4 · “molasses activates fermentation rather than preserving it, so the batch turns into vinegar.”
- 10:43 Office Hours Ep. 6 (Nov 2021) — IMO4 Degreaser, Pig Pen Biochar, Maltose Growth Stimulant · “use organic sugar — Roundup before harvest is a microbicide; crush granular sugar first so it saturates properly”
- 45:23 Office Hours Ep. 24 (Mar 2022) — Disgustingly Cheap Food, OHN Ginger Ratio, and IMO Smell Check · “use one-third sugar to material, ferment three days, then add alcohol separately”
- p. 25 Student's Manual, Basic Course · “After two days add enough brown sugar to the 4 jars to bring them each to 2/3 full.”
