priming sugar

Im going to bottle today and i have 5 gallons of an all cascade pale ale

i have been reading that you should not use the whole 5oz package of priming sugar that i bought....

I guess i have 2 questions... Whats the best online calculator to use?

And does the current temp of the beer matter that mich?

Yes, enter the current temp of the beer and follow the calculations. NorthernBrewer.com/priming is the one I use and it has never failed me

Curious - why does the "current" temperature of the beer matter? Wouldn't the temperature you plan to condition at matter more? I am not seeing how current temperature of beer affects the amount of available sugar you are delivering for the yeast to eat during conditioning period. What am I missing?

you're missing a cheeseburger, Braufessor.

Braufessor said:

Curious - why does the "current" temperature of the beer matter? Wouldn't the temperature you plan to condition at matter more? I am not seeing how current temperature of beer affects the amount of available sugar you are delivering for the yeast to eat during conditioning period. What am I missing?

Click to expand...

You're right, partially!

Conditioning temperature and current temperature do not matter. The only way temperature matters is the fermentation temperature at or after fermentaion.

Here's why- the calculators (which I HATE by the way!) try to guestimate the probably amount of dissolved co2 in the beer. Since warmer temperatures cause more co2 to exit the airlock, a beer fermented and kept at 62 would have more dissolved co2 in it than a beer fermented at 65 and then raised to 72. That's why you should use the highest temperature the beer ever reached with an airlock on it.

Now, as to why I hate those calculators- first, because of the temperature issue as mentioned. Secondly, the whole priming "to style" thing. Sure, it's true that traditionally English cask ales are almost flat while geuze is highly carbed- but most people are accustomed to bottled beer commercially always being in the 2.4-2.6 volumes of co2 range. If you prime "to style" using those calculators, you could have a flat English bitter or a bottle bomb of gueze.

That's a long way of saying that in general, use .75 ounce- 1 ounce corn sugar per finished gallon of beer. If you want a slightly lower carb, use the .75 ounces. If you want a decent carb like a commercial beer, use 1 ounce corn sugar per gallon. In other words, 4-5 ounces of corn sugar by weight per batch. It always works!

Typing in the temp in which fermentation 'completed' at, is just a tool to "estimate" how saturated the beer is with co2, from the fermentation.
There are many other factors contributing to residual co2, so no, it doesn't matter that much.
I've found that just about every online calculator gives the exact same priming sugar suggestion.

Yooper said:

You're right, partially!



Here's why- the calculators (which I HATE by the way!) try to guestimate the probably amount of dissolved co2 in the beer. Since warmer temperatures cause more co2 to exit the airlock, a beer fermented and kept at 62 would have more dissolved co2 in it than a beer fermented at 65 and then raised to 72.

Click to expand...

oh - that makes sense. Did not think about the CO2 the beer was already holding.

I have never really measured priming sugar that specifically -Just always went 2/3 - 3/4 cup to 5 gallons when I was bottle conditioning.

I use a digital scale I got at Walmart for $20. It goes to 10lbs. Pounds,kilograms,grams & ounces.

Yooper said:

You're right, partially!

Conditioning temperature and current temperature do not matter. The only way temperature matters is the fermentation temperature at or after fermentaion.

Here's why- the calculators (which I HATE by the way!) try to guestimate the probably amount of dissolved co2 in the beer. Since warmer temperatures cause more co2 to exit the airlock, a beer fermented and kept at 62 would have more dissolved co2 in it than a beer fermented at 65 and then raised to 72. That's why you should use the highest temperature the beer ever reached with an airlock on it.

Now, as to why I hate those calculators- first, because of the temperature issue as mentioned. Secondly, the whole priming "to style" thing. Sure, it's true that traditionally English cask ales are almost flat while geuze is highly carbed- but most people are accustomed to bottled beer commercially always being in the 2.4-2.6 volumes of co2 range. If you prime "to style" using those calculators, you could have a flat English bitter or a bottle bomb of gueze.

That's a long way of saying that in general, use .75 ounce- 1 ounce corn sugar per finished gallon of beer. If you want a slightly lower carb, use the .75 ounces. If you want a decent carb like a commercial beer, use 1 ounce corn sugar per gallon. In other words, 4-5 ounces of corn sugar by weight per batch. It always works!

Click to expand...

Thank you.... This was very helpful and informative... I went with 4.5 to see if i can tell a difference

Another common problem I see is that people measure priming sugar assuming they have say, 5 gallons of beer. I always calculate and measure priming sugar based on the amount of beer that makes it into the bottling bucket after racking off the fermenter.

drawdy10 said:

Another common problem I see is that people measure priming sugar assuming they have say, 5 gallons of beer. I always calculate and measure priming sugar based on the amount of beer that makes it into the bottling bucket after racking off the fermenter.

Click to expand...

I second that motion, especially after a super carbed Brown IPA I made early on turned out to have a HUGE yeast cake, it was too late by the time I realized I only had 4 gallons to bottle

I'll just chime in here... I have never been pleased with my carb levels using the calculators. Once I started following Yooper's .75-1.0oz/gallon guideline my beer has been carbing perfectly to my expectations. Yes, it is not to style, but it is to my "taste."

I guesstimate my volume and go off of that. I always do 5 gallon batches and ensure roughly 5.5 gallons in the fermenter. This accounts for trub and allows me to just go with 5 ounces of Dextrose on every batch without calculating. It has been a win every time since I started this.

.75 - 1 ounce per gallon is a superb rule of thumb.

That being said, if you want to carb to a specific style of number of CO2 volumes, there's no reason that you shouldn't.

Incidentally - calculators do not "guesstimate" - the math used is pretty precise. Go Google Henry's Law. Gravity of the beer might have a minor impact, but not much of one.

Remember to use the highest temperature that a beer has achieved post fermentation. Why not the highest temperature, period?

As a beer warms, it degasses (i.e. CO2 bubbles out of the airlock). As it cools, more CO2 can theoretically go into solution. If fermentation is complete, however, no additional CO2 is available. If, on the other hand, fermentation is still going on and the beer cools, then a new equilibrium will be achieved (the newly produced CO2 will stay in solution until saturation is reached, whereupon the excess will bubble out of the airlock).

I wrote a priming sugar calculator, link is in my sig. I personally feel like it's as good of one as you can find.

and don't forget your cheeseburger!

Yeah,5 guys with onion rings!