How many pounds of sugar can you dissolve in a 5 gal pot?

[spiff]

Well, you guys called it.. and saved me a ton of work. So thanks for that. Got my first results from my Brute trashcan fermenters and I did it in the fastest possible way and it came out at exactly the same 12% it did when I boiled. Just hot water and a couple minutes with a big paint mixer on a drill.

Doubt I'll taste any difference but will let you know if I do.

[fruitfreak]

Its simple to determine how much sugar will dissolve in water. 100 grams of room temp water will dissolve roughly 200g of sugar (2 to 1), boiling water will do roughly 5 to 1, that's 100g of boiling water and 500g of sugar. A gallon of water is 3,785.41g x 5= 18927.05g. 18927.05g is 41.7lbs

So if 41.7lbs of sugar will dissolve in 1 gallon of water, 50lbs of sugar will easily dissolve in 5 gallons of water. It becomes a problem of how large of a vessel do you have to work with.

Side note.
Lastly, I didn't read about fermentable sugar in this post. Normal table sugar isn't fully fermentable. If you invert it, low boil (with a little acid) citric works fine) for 20 mins of so, the table sugar becomes fully fermentable. Table Sugar (TS) is Sucrose which is Fructose & Glucose bonded together. Invert sugar is where the bond is broken and happens with heat and a little acid. Invert sugar is fully fermentable and will result in a slightly higher ABV.

[Captain Pappy]

I don't think has been mentioned, but what you are making is described as simple syrup. You have to be careful with this. If you do not use it right away, it will start to grow black mold almost immediately. I.e. don't make it for future use.

Sugar water will eventually get infected and ferment, simple syrup or anything too sugary for yeast and bacteria will grow black mold.

[Sunshineer]

Why not just use corn sugar it melts as you add it to water stir once and done. And no need to invert.