Extracting Sugar

*Extracting Sugar

If desired, students can extract sugar for the fermentation process from sweet potatoes or sugar beets. This is an optional exploration that can be demonstrated with a regular beet or sweet potato.

Materials Needed

    • Slices of sugar beets or sweet potatoes

    • Grater

    • Water

    • Stove and pan

1) Sugar beets are natural tubers that store a great deal of sucrose or what we know as table sugar. Much of our sugar comes from these plants.  However, sugar beets are tough plants that require considerable hard work to remove sugar.

2) Take a sugar beet and shred two cups in a bowl.  

3) Place the shredded pieces in a clean heating pan and add enough water to cover the material.

4) Heat vigorously for several minutes while stirring the mixture.  Sugar is stored in the cells of the beet.  As the cells are broken down and as hot water comes in contact with the sugar, it goes into solution. 

5) After cooking, strain the water to remove the beet pieces. The water will be sugar water. It can be cooled and added to a mash to provide additional food for yeasts to digest in fermentation.