Priming Sugar Calculator

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onipar

onipar

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After reading a couple threads about the amount of priming sugar to use, I decided to take a look at one of those calculators.

I am currently brewing a Nut Brown Ale, which I think is a Northern English Brown Ale. It's an extract brew and came with the standard 5 oz of corn sugar, which I planned to use.

In the calculator I used the upper level of desired volumes CO2 for the style, which is 2.3. I also used the upper level of fermentation temperature (70 degrees) even though I think my fermentation temps were closer to 65-68 degrees during the majority of the time so far.

Using these upper levels, the calculator said I should only use 3.93 oz. of corn sugar. And if I use the median levels, it says something more like 2.5 oz.

My question is should I listen to the calculator, or should I just use entire 5 oz package?

Personally, I thought my first brew (Belgian White) could have used even more carbonation, and I used 5 oz of corn sugar for that one. So I'm afraid to use any less. I know they're different styles, but I like a well-carbonated beer.

Suggestions?
 
onipar said:
After reading a couple threads about the amount of priming sugar to use, I decided to take a look at one of those calculators.

I am currently brewing a Nut Brown Ale, which I think is a Northern English Brown Ale. It's an extract brew and came with the standard 5 oz of corn sugar, which I planned to use.

In the calculator I used the upper level of desired volumes CO2 for the style, which is 2.3. I also used the upper level of fermentation temperature (70 degrees) even though I think my fermentation temps were closer to 65-68 degrees during the majority of the time so far.

Using these upper levels, the calculator said I should only use 3.93 oz. of corn sugar. And if I use the median levels, it says something more like 2.5 oz.

My question is should I listen to the calculator, or should I just use entire 5 oz package?

Personally, I thought my first brew (Belgian White) could have used even more carbonation, and I used 5 oz of corn sugar for that one. So I'm afraid to use any less. I know they're different styles, but I like a well-carbonated beer.

Suggestions?
Click to expand...

From what I understand the temperature you should use is the beer temperature at the time of bottling not the fermentation temperature. This could impact the calculations.
 
I take it this a kit brew? If so, I'd go with what they gave you. Everyone has their preferences, but I wouldn't undershoot it without knowing the outcome. Also, be sure to use the CARBING temperature, ie. temperature of the bottled beer while carbing, not the fermentation temperature.
What calculator are you using? Some of them seem a bit off to me... Again, it's personal preference.
 
You need to use the highest temperature after fermentation completed.

There is more residual CO2 dissolved at colder temps. When the beer is warmed up (either for a diacetyl rest, at bottling or by accident, etc) CO2 is lost and will not be reproduced because primary fermentation is completed and there is no more CO2 production until priming sugar is added.
 
I thought they meant ferment temps myself,since the calculator I used was at brewheads.com,& they didn't specify. But in my,case both temps were about the same,so no harm,no foul there. But when I plugged in my #'s,it said 4.55oz of the granulated sugar I specified. I'll know in 3 weeks...
 
Ohhhh, thanks for the clarification. Yeah, the site just said "fermentation temp" so I thought it meant the primary ferm temps. Even so, when I bottle condition, it is usually in a 70 degree room, so that upper 70 degree level i put in should be right.

I tried two different sites: http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html and http://kotmf.com/tools/prime.php.

Yeah, this is a kit from my LHBS with hops and specialty grains. It seems they always give a 5 oz package of corn sugar with the kits.

I'm leaning towards just using the whole package anyway since I like higher carbonation. Though, are Nut Brown Ales usually noticeably less carbonated than other styles?

Thanks for the suggestions! :mug:
 
I don't remember them have a ton of carbonation. & the 4.55oz it specified in my case was for 2.3A (A=atmospheres),which I also had to specify. But it did also ask for what style,per BJCP guidelines. You pick from a drop down list. I picked APA,since that's virtually what I put together. The lower limit for the style is 2.26A,so my 2.3 is right in there,producing just above minimum carbonation for the style.
 
unionrdr said:
I don't remember them have a ton of carbonation. & the 4.55oz it specified in my case was for 2.3A (A=atmospheres),which I also had to specify. But it did also ask for what style,per BJCP guidelines. You pick from a drop down list. I picked APA,since that's virtually what I put together. The lower limit for the style is 2.26A,so my 2.3 is right in there,producing just above minimum carbonation for the style.
Click to expand...

I have only done one kit. But yes my recollection is that they always give you 5 oz. If you want to do a specific level of carbonation, always use a calculator, the highest temp after fermentation and a scale to weigh the sugar.

If you don't care, just follow the directions. Both ways will make beer.
 
My wife's Brewer's Best summer ale kit got the same 5oz bag of dextrose. But when I went to get some for my batch (23L,or 6.072G),it was 6oz. But,I still measured it out. I've been curious about "carbing to style",since I got a bottling/secondary bucket rigged up.
 
This is only my second brew, and it's a kit, so maybe trying to carb to style at this point doesn't really even matter, but yeah, it was just something I was interested in checking out ever since I heard there were calculators.

The thing is, I don't ever think I've had a beer and thought, "Gee, I wish this was *less* carbonated." But I have had beer that I wish was *more* carbonated.

I'm by no means a beer snob, and I wouldn't even know what the correct carbonation level of a particular beer should be if I drank it. :eek:

Even so, I assume the different levels for style is like that for a reason (probably tastes better?), so I figured I'd look into it.

I tried the calculation at 80 degrees (with the same upper level 2.3 co2 volume) and got 4.2 ounces. Close enough for me, I'll dump it all in.
 
I carb to style and use priming calculators, I like the TastyBrew.com one. I do tend to shoot for the high end of the style. One note of caution: make sure you have a accurate way of measuring your beer volume. There is a difference between priming 4.75gal vs 5.25 gal. And use the highest temperature your beer got post fermentation.

But it's your beer. There is no rule that you HAVE to carb to BJCP guidelines. If you like a more effervescent beer then plug in a higher number for "vol of CO2". However, I think you will have more consistent results using a calculator and measuring your priming sugar by weight than if you just always use the 5oz as provided in the kit.
 
braceful said:
One note of caution: make sure you have a accurate way of measuring your beer volume. There is a difference between priming 4.75gal vs 5.25 gal.
Click to expand...

That's a really good point. I didn't think about it, bu by time I bottle, it's definitely less than 5 gallons. I lose some to hydrometer tests, lose some during racking to the bottling bucket, and lose even more by the end of bottling.

Not sure how to accurately measure it though. I guess if I know I'll fill 48 bottles, I can do it that way... 48 bottles is what, 4.5 gallons.
 
That's what I'm shooting for as well. Since I now have a bottling bucket,I want to give this a try. Gives me another facet of brewing to experiment with. Dividing 48 bottles by 12oz = 4G.? IDK,I'm sure there was not a whole gallon lost in the bottling bucket to bottles?
 
unionrdr said:
That's what I'm shooting for as well. Since I now have a bottling bucket,I want to give this a try. Gives me another facet of brewing to experiment with.
Click to expand...

Yup yup. I'm not able to brew all grain yet, so I'm trying to experiment with different aspects of brewing too. Washing yeast, carb to style, adding fruit (haven't done any of these yet though).
 
Yup,same here. I've been studying the steeping grain vs mini-mash bit to try one of those when I start trying to duplicate my summer pale ale I got with some old LME. It turned out so good,even Gary at home brewer tv gave it the full three thumbs up. Besides,I want to add a little sumpin sumpin to a wheat bier idea I just got recently.
 
onipar said:
That's a really good point. I didn't think about it, bu by time I bottle, it's definitely less than 5 gallons. I lose some to hydrometer tests, lose some during racking to the bottling bucket, and lose even more by the end of bottling.

Not sure how to accurately measure it though. I guess if I know I'll fill 48 bottles, I can do it that way... 48 bottles is what, 4.5 gallons.
Click to expand...

I have my buckets marked with quart increments. I then estimate my trub loss to come up with the volume of beer going into my bottling bucket. For instance if my beer level is at the 5.25 gal marking and I think I'll lose between a quarter to half gallon due to the trub I might enter 4.9 in the carbonation calculator.

Measuring backwards - i.e. I'm going to fill 48 bottles, defeats the purpose. You need to know what volume you are priming, not how much actually goes into bottles.

If you're not sure, guess. It won't be too far off. But, in general, accurate volume measurements on your primary (and secondaries if you use them) are very helpful.
 
unionrdr said:
That's what I'm shooting for as well. Since I now have a bottling bucket,I want to give this a try. Gives me another facet of brewing to experiment with. Dividing 48 bottles by 12oz = 4G.? IDK,I'm sure there was not a whole gallon lost in the bottling bucket to bottles?
Click to expand...

Check your math. 48 bottles x 12oz/bottle = 576oz

576oz / 128oz/gal = 4.5 gallons
 
Hmm? I used the calculator in the comp to do it. Better look at that again. Thought it seemed a bit too far off for the volume,according to the graduations I have on both FV's & the bottling bucket.
Yup,you're right,I messed that one up. I divided 48 by 12,& thought a gallon was 64oz. Oops. 4.5G makes more sense,due to trub volume & hydrometer losses,etc.
 
unionrdr said:
Besides,I want to add a little sumpin sumpin to a wheat bier idea I just got recently.
Click to expand...

I got a cool idea from another thread on here (forget which one) that mentioned you can buy 1 gallon glass jugs of wine at the liquor store for pretty cheap, then reuse them for sample batches.

I'm planning on buying maybe three over the course of a month or so (enough time to drink the wine), and then brew a nice wheat ale. Something that will take to fruit additions.

Then I'll do a different fruit addition in each 1 gallon jug (I'm thinking blueberry, strawberry, and kiwi. I'll put the rest into bottles so I'll have some regular wheat beer too. Just in the idea phase at the moment though.

Braceful, thanks. I realized after posting my mistake. I think I had about 2-3 bottles worth left in the bottling bucket after bottling, so probably a total volume of 4.75 gallons.
 

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