priming sugar?

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Hess414

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Is there a certain sugar I should use other than your basic cane table sugar? What will give me the best carbonation??

Thanks for your help!!
 
Lots of people advocate the corn sugar used in most of the brewing kits. However, table sugar is fine (I have had great luck with it).

You can use just about any fermentable sugar, by the way - malt extract, candi sugar, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar... you name it.

There are online calculators that will help you figure just how much you need to hit your desired carb levels. My favorite is Northern Brewer's excellent tool.
 
You can use any fermentable to carb with. Corn Sugar is what most kits and many homebrewers use, but table sugar, malt extract, anything can be used. You just have to figure out the right ratio for whatever you're using.

There's no BEST in homebrewing. There's whats best for you. I use different things depending on the beers. For example I prefer to use table sugar over corn sugar or anything else, for Belgian Beers and Certain Historical styles. I think it give a rockier head with tighter white bubbles.

You can use any fermentable for priming. I give detailed info on priming with alternative primers including fruit juice (including the link to the podcast,) and other sugars in my bottling stickey- Scroll to the lower half of this post.
 
I've never used anything other than table sugar. It's cheap and convenient and the wife buys tons of it at a time when she has coupons or it's on sale. Never had any problems with carbonation.:mug:
 
i like the dextrose. anyone know if using dme would add malt flavor/a little body while carbing?
 
I use dextrose most of the time. But I like using demerara sugar in EB,ESB's,etc. It gives a bit more col9or & flavor complexity...just a bit. It's basically raw cane sugar that tastes like light brown sugar laced with honey. Use the plain one,not the organic. The plain one smells better. Use it in the brew or for priming.
 
I use molasses when appropriate (olde English ales and barley wines), honey in lighter beers, dark brown sugar in darker beers. I've tried to use raw sugar cane but that requires a lot of boiling and guessing to get the right amount. I recommend that you use an accurate scale to weigh the sugar do nut use measuring cups, a scale is best.
 
Yeah,I always use a digital scale I got from Walmart for $20 in the kitchn gadgets isle. Strainers,measuring cups & spoons,etc. Lots of useful items in that isle for brewing.
I have also noticed that demerara (raw cane) sugar takes a bit more stiring to dissolve. But it works great for priming & adding to the brew. But it wasn't terribly hard to mix into boiling water. Just keep the bag twisted & tied tightly,or tightly sealed container. You have to keep that tiny bit of moisture in the raw cane,or brown sugars to help it dissolve easily.
 
I used dextrose in 2 batches. I find it gives off a fuuny, almost bland taste. I would never use it again. Now I use DME and I find the taste great.
 
I think it's because dextrose comes out more neutral in rflavor. So any flavors in the beer will stand out on there own. My 2c from experiences...
 
The raw cane I tried was dried out pretty bad, had a terrible time getting it to dissolve, was old as well. Maybe I will try again with some fresh raw cane.
 
I used dextrose in 2 batches. I find it gives off a fuuny, almost bland taste. I would never use it again. Now I use DME and I find the taste great.

I noticed the same thing in my lighter beers. After getting my kegging setup, I noticed that those lighter beers didn't have that 'taste/feel' to them if I legged, but still did in the bottle. That was the whole reason I began playing around with different priming sugars. I settled on DME because it seems to be a good choice for most beers that I brew. For my hoppier beers, I account for the slightly lower attenuation of DME and add just a touch more bittering and finishing hops so they're not overshadowed by the slightly maltier beer produced by priming with DME.
 
That's why I keep my demrara sugar sealed tightly. The moister stuff dissolves esier. Interesting about the difference between dextrose & kegging. I always figured it was the recipe somehow?...
 
That's why I keep my demrara sugar sealed tightly. The moister stuff dissolves esier. Interesting about the difference between dextrose & kegging. I always figured it was the recipe somehow?...

Well, not that the same recipe doesn't turn out slightly different each time I brew it, but this was a real difference in flavor. I think I told you before, I even tried splitting a batch, half carbed with Munton's Extra Light DME and half with corn sugar. The flavor difference was notable, and whereas neither half was bad or off flavored, the flavor I suspected was from corn sugar was only in the half bottled with corn sugar.
I'm really interested in trying some of the other sugars, like the demerara (sp?) sugar you always talk about and differing types of brown sugar. My wife even suggested trying the agave sugar, stevia or whatever it is. That might be nice in a light, fruit or fruit-y brew. :mug:
 
I thought about the agave sugar myself. Maybe for a wheat beer? I like the demerara (plain) for English ales. It adds a slight bit of color,but the flavor of light brown sugar & honey is nice. Adds a bit of flavor complexity. moreso if it's part of the brew.
 
Yes, it will, but only a touch. It may show up more in lighter, or hoppy beers. I personally really like what a quality extra light DME does for bottle conditioning.

thanks a bunch. i have a hop bursted ipa in the fermenter right now, i have some extra light dme on hand for my starters. i think ill give it a try.
 
NordeastBrewer77 said:
Just make sure you use a quality brand of DME with good fermentability. I like Munton's a lot for this purpose. :mug:

I think its briess... Good enough?
 
NordeastBrewer77 said:
My wife even suggested trying the agave sugar, stevia or whatever it is. That might be nice in a light, fruit or fruit-y brew. :mug:

Agave sugar will work but stevia has no sugar to ferment.
 
Also I read a blog (the mad fermentorist or something like that) a while ago where a guy added 3.5oz of 11 different sugars to 1 gallon batches. I don't remember all the details but I do remember that date sugar produced some pretty Belgian results.

I also saw a YouTube video (Craigtube?) where he used dates in his mead instead of yeast nutrient. I had totally forgotten about that until just now but I think I need to find some date sugar for my next Saison!!!
 
Also do you put your sugar right into the fermenter before bottling or put sugar directly into each bottle??
 
Hess414 said:
Also do you put your sugar right into the fermenter before bottling or put sugar directly into each bottle??

This is just me, but I've always racked my beer to another container that has the primer already in it. I then bottle from there while stirring occasionally. Better distribution of sugar while aerating at the same time.
 
Also do you put your sugar right into the fermenter before bottling or put sugar directly into each bottle??

you put it into the bottling bucket at the bottom and rack your beer on top of it (stirring gently to mix the sugar in so you don't get off primed bottle).
 
When a made a Belgian wit earlier this year I tasted it and wanted a more pronounced orange flavor so I primed with orange juice. It's whatever you want as these guys have said before.
 
Also do you put your sugar right into the fermenter before bottling or put sugar directly into each bottle??

I put half of the priming sugar solution in the empty bottling bucket before racking, then put in the rest when the racking is half done. Then I stir well. This gives me good consistent carbonation.
 
This is just me, but I've always racked my beer to another container that has the primer already in it. I then bottle from there while stirring occasionally. Better distribution of sugar while aerating at the same time.

Good idea to rack the beer into a bucket already containing the priming solution, but you don't want to aerate at all when mixing it in. o2 after fermentation leads to fast staling (cardboard flavors).
I put my solution in the bottling bucket, and rack the beer on top, which gently swirls the beer and sugar. I figure after 5 gallons of doing this, it's pretty well mixed in. My bottled beers tend to agree.
Mix the sugar, good. Aerate the beer, bad.
 
By priming solution they mean boil like 2C of water,then add the measured amount of priming sugar,& stir till dissolved. I cover it & let it cool dfown to 80 or so. then rack a few inches of beer into the bottling bucketThen pour the priming solution slowly into the swirling surface of the beer.
 
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