Dextrose, table sugar, Belgian light candi sugar and blonde syrup, corn syrup, rice syrup: Lighten body and boost alcohol with minimal flavor, can be used in virtually any beer. Golden strong ale, Belgian blonde, tripel, cream ale, light adjunct lager are best.
Honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, golden syrup, brown rice syrup: Some subtle character, may be overwhelmed in very dark beer. Varietal honeys can be soft- (sourwood, clover), medium- or strong-flavored (buckwheat, avocado). Best in light- to brown-colored beers of modest strength, but can flavor any beer. Wheat beers, lighter Belgian ales, pale, amber and brown ale.
Turbinado, demarara, light brown sugar, Belgian amber candi syrup: Light “molasses,” buttery or caramelized notes, though fairly subtle. Quite versatile. Belgian dubbel and quadruple, pale and amber American ales, barleywine, IPA or Imperial IPA.
Palm sugar, jaggery, piloncillo, date sugar, date syrup: Unusual character, flavorful and “raw.” More robust, but similar, to those immediately above (turbinado, et al). Toffee, candy flavor, hints of dark fruit, vanilla and rum. Old ale, dubbel or quadruple, brown ale, Belgian black ale, doppelbock, Baltic porter.
Muscovado, dark brown sugar, Belgian dark candi sugar and syrup: Fairly aggressive flavor. Muscovado and dark brown sugar bring dark fruit, molasses and rummy flavors and aromas. Hints of anise and licorice. The Belgian sugars have clean, toffee highlights and dark fruit. Dark Belgian ales, old ale, Imperial brown ale, porter, stout, doppelbock, barleywine and Baltic porter.
Molasses, treacle, sorghum syrup: Big effect even in small amounts. Cloying flavor if overdone. A perfect measure offers complex flavors that few other ingredients can. Sorghum syrup is the least bitter. Married with dark caramel malts, molasses, sorghum syrup and treacle seem to enhance the rummy and dark fruit character of those grains, as well as lend a black licorice and spicy anise hint. Start with about 1 ¼ cups (15 oz) in a 5-gallon batch in robust porter or strong/Imperial stout and a little less in Baltic porter or old ale.
