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Pelikan · 04-05-2009, 10:21 AM

I've gotten into the habit of cooling my priming solution each and every time. But last night's bottling session was a nightmare for more reasons than one; suffice it to say, I couldn't cool the sugar down to "normal" temps. As such, it was added to the bottling bucket hot.

Can anyone see potential problems as a result?

**Pappers_** · 04-05-2009, 12:09 PM

I always cool the solution. I suppose the problem with using hot solution is you would kill the yeast in the first portion of beer that you rack into the hot priming solution.

Jim

Brewer_Steve · 04-05-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelikan

I couldn't cool the sugar down to "normal" temps.

Strange.
I've never heard of a priming solution that defies physics and won't cool to ambient

**Hammy71** · 04-05-2009, 12:13 PM

I let my priming sugar/water solution cool on the stove while I'm getting everything else ready. I stopped checking the temp on it long ago... so while I'm racking to the bottling bucket I pour some in after the first gallon..and the rest after about 1/2 full. I've never had a problem. My logic is that the small volume of the priming sugar solution really isn't going to impact 5 gallons of beer that much. May not be the 'right' way...but one less thing to worry about IMHO.

**rico567** · 04-05-2009, 12:16 PM

I turn the solution off when it boils, but it goes into the bottling bucket as soon as I start racking the beer. Does it kill any yeast? Probably. Enough out of the 5 gallons to matter? Doesn't taste like it to me......

**Coastarine** · 04-05-2009, 12:46 PM

It might hurt the yeast in a half gallon of beer at worst before it gets cooled by the rest of the beer. There were enough yeast in that half gallon alone to carbonate the bottles.

menschmaschine · 04-05-2009, 02:36 PM

Pouring beer onto a hot priming solution won't make a big difference in yeast count for carbonation purposes on the average beer. However, if I were priming a lager that I lagered for 6 weeks (and not adding new yeast), I'd be sure to cool the priming solution since I would want every bit of viable yeast I could get.

The other thing not mentioned yet is that dead yeast cells can result in a "dustiness" in the beer. However, again since the amount would be so miniscule from hot priming solution, I don't think it's much of an issue.

**Coastarine** · 04-05-2009, 02:42 PM

Just curious, what do you mean by dustiness? Appearance or taste? I know that when rinsing yeast for repitching, dead cells fall out of suspension before the viable ones, along with the break/hop mat'l. I've just never heard of the dustiness.

SumnerH · 04-05-2009, 02:58 PM

Heat the water to 170F, turn off heat, add sugar and mix (and take it off the burner if it's electric). 161F for 15 seconds is enough to pasteurize.

Sanitize the bottling bucket _first_, then pour in the priming sugar, and then do the rest of your prep. Sitting in the bucket (bigger exposed surface area) will cool it down faster, and coming from 170 instead of 212 will help tremendously.

menschmaschine · 04-05-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coastarine

Just curious, what do you mean by dustiness? Appearance or taste? I know that when rinsing yeast for repitching, dead cells fall out of suspension before the viable ones, along with the break/hop mat'l. I've just never heard of the dustiness.

Dead/decaying yeast cells don't fall out of suspension as readily as viable ones. So if a bottle of beer has a significant amount of dead yeast, they get "kicked up" easier (put back into suspension). This can result in a yeast "dustiness" (appearance) in your glass despite leaving a little beer and the sediment in the bottle.

It's no big deal and again, with hot priming solution, it shouldn't be noticeable. But it's worth mentioning, perhaps for competition beers and such.