Not happy with table suar for priming

Did everything as I have always done with the exception of the amount of sugar used. Inrewmaster's calc. Told me to use 2.83 oz of table sugar for an ipa. I boiled 2 cups of water with the sugar poured in sanitized bottling bucket and then racked on top of it to mix solution well ( as I do with corn sugar.) Well the first 6 I opened were flat. I went to put more in the fridge this morning and to my surprise BOTTLE BOMB. What a mess. Anyone else had problems with table sugar?

No, it works just as well as corn sugar for me. The amount you used was very low- I use more like 4-4.5 ounces of table sugar for a 5 gallon batch of IPA. It must not have been mixed in well.

are you mixing your priming sugar into your wort with a santized spoon? everyone states that it mixed well enough when racking on top of the priming sugar but i still mix it everytime to be sure and consistent

also if you have many flat and only 1 or 2 bottle bombs. The exploding bottles may have had infections

What are your sanatizing methods?

Theres a whole load of reasons you ended up with the result you did. If you constantly have this problem i would look into your steps of sanitizing and bottling.

I once racked onto my sugar without stirring and didn't realize it until I went to clean my bottling bucket ad found a nice layer of sugar on the bottom.That may have been when I started collecting kegging gear!

I soak bottles in oxyclean for a day rinse and then sanitize everything with a no rinse sanitizer anything that comes into contact with the beer I sanitize. I am convinced that it was not mixed well. Only one bomb though and like I said the first 6 I opened were flat. One thing I do not slack on is my sanitizing. Bottling bucket bottles hose racking cane bottle wand everything gets sanitized. I don't like stirring in the bucket which is why I just rack on top of priming solution. I have always had great results with this up until using table sugar

Yeah, I'd definitely say it sounds like uneven mixing of the sugar soln. Try stirring next time.

I use table sugar all the time and make sure its totally dissolved and boil 10 min put in bottling bucket and put racking hose so it creates a swirl have never had an issue yet

Dougie63 said:

I use table sugar all the time and make sure its totally dissolved and boil 10 min put in bottling bucket and put racking hose so it creates a swirl have never had an issue yet

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This is what I normally do and exactly what I did with the table sugar

I used table sugar for a long time. It works fine.

johnheather125 said:

This is what I normally do and exactly what I did with the table sugar

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I use in between 1/2 and 3/4 cup not sure of the ounces but the amount you used seems kinda light as far as the bottle bombs infection? low head space I dont know

If you have some flat and some overcarbed that says uneven priming sugar, not infection.

Although you say you boiled the sugar long enough and racked in to create a good mixture obviously something went wrong with it because you didn't get even carbonation. Table sugar won't create that problem by itself because it's just as fermentable as corn sugar.

Hello johnheather125, I rack on top of my (corn) sugar solution too, I know you used table sugar, I don't think that is the reason for the inconsistency of carbonation in your bottles, I have noticed when racking on top of my solution that, the solution seems to stay more in the middle of the swirl for quite some time, and the wort stays to the outside, I don't stir mine, I do move my siphon hose to the middle for a bit to force the solution more into the mix, and have been having very contestant results with this method.

Just something I noticed on my brews, and thought saying something might help.

Hope this helps someone!

Cheers

I am convinced that it was an uneven mixture as well. But I have to be honest I don't think ibrewmasters calc was accurate. 2.83 oz just seems like way to little. But it was the calculation it gave me so I did just that. So I think it was a combo of not quite enough sugar and the priming solution was not mixed properly. This is my first batch that I am truly disappointed with. Thanks for all of the replies and new info everyone

I will begin kegging in the near future

Really 14 replies? If you mix the sugar well, it's going to be fine. Or spend $400 for kegs, tanks, controllers, keezers (or whatever they are called) and you will have a new set of challenges.

Well I Now have a controller, fridge, 2 kegs a a regulator and a co2 tank so really at this point it would run me less than 50 to start kegging, my friend has a faucet he doesn't use that I can get at a decent price. So all I really all I need is the pin-lock connectors. It does not cost 400 if you shop Craigslist in fact, I only have around $120 in all of the stuff I just listed. I am a very thrifty homebrewer and don't need to spend 4 or 500 for draft homebrew. In fact I found 6 gal glass carboys for 20 each on CL the other day and these are new in the box the guy has 20 of them

I don't believe in 'decent price'. I believe you get what you pay for in this economy, with the internet pricing, etc. But hey if you can do it yourself, more power to ya

i use only table sugar i rarely use over 3 ounces. i haven't noticed uneven carbonation.is it possible the bottle bomb is from an infection?

are you aging for 3 weeks?

I find my bottles carb more evenly and with less stirring when I pour my table sugar priming solution into the bottling bucket after it's at least half full with beer. I also had good results once when I poured 1/3 in before racking, 1/3 half way through and 1/3 at the end. That's probably more fussy than necessary but I was desperate because I had just made a batch that was unevenly carbed.

It really is more irritating than any thing the bottles are slightly carbonated so it is drinkable. I think from here on out I will try some different things such as adding half then the other half. Maybe even a light stir. In my opinion kegging seems like the way to go. I am getting to where I just dislike bottling all together anyway

you arent confusing "carbonation" with the presence of a "head" are you?

johnheather125 said:

It really is more irritating than any thing the bottles are slightly carbonated so it is drinkable. I think from here on out I will try some different things such as adding half then the other half. Maybe even a light stir. In my opinion kegging seems like the way to go. I am getting to where I just dislike bottling all together anyway

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I was there, too. mostly because I didn't want to wait 3 weeks to drink my beer and my wife didn't like me spending hours in the basement cleaning, sanitizing, bottling, de-labeling new bottles, etc.

I have 70+ bottles right now that I'll only use if I am taking beer somewhere or entering it in a competition...or if my 3 kegs are all full and a beer is ready...although the rate my kegs empty is about 2 weeks each so I could technically have it ready to drink quicker by waiting and kegging it :cross: