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kborndale

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hay guys, first time posting here but have been lurking for a while and learned much. My question has to do with bottling a 5 gallon batch. I have done 2 kits before, and my first one I added the 5oz of sugar that came with the kit. This did not give enough carbonation for my liking. I talked to a guy at my LHB and he urged me not to put in any more than 5oz or my bottles could explode. So on my second batch I added about 6oz and while a little better it was still under carbed for my liking. How much would be too much priming sugar? I know there are many parameters in the answer but I was just looking for a ballpark number....thanks in advance
 
Welcome to HBT!
Five ounces is about max on priming sugar. My question is how long are you waiting to try your beer and at what temperature are you conditioning them?
 
Ive had them conditioning at about 75. I have tried some at 2 weeks and 5 weeks and they have been the same. At 5 weeks I put a few in the fridge and let them sit over a week and still about the same carb level
 
Time and temperature seem right on. Are you weighing your priming sugar or using a measuring cup?

Sorry to ask but it's the only one other thing I can think of. Are you comparing the carbonation of homebrew to the carbonation level in thin, mass produced swill? I find mass produced swill overly carbonated.
 
the kits came with 5 oz packs of corn sugar. I am comparing to commercial beer but mjy brews are much less carbed. I get very little head when I pour them
 
Is 5 oz really max? I used the calculator on TastyBrew and it's telling me to use 9 oz. for my Hefe
 
They list the carbonation for Hefes at 4 volumes, which is HUGE. A saison is "effervescent" according to style (like a Hefe) and I usually carb around 3-3.2 volumes on those, and TastyBrew shows the recommended volumes for Saison much lower, like 2.4.

I use TastyBrew's calculator, but for some styles I just plain don't trust their recommendations and use my own instead.
 
Five ounces is not the "max," it is the "average" for normal gravity beers, if you are priming them when the beer is around 70 degrees. It produces roughly 2-2.5 "volumes of co2." If people carb to style and use brewing software, they are often priming with larger amounts of sugar. For example many Belgian beers are primed higher than 2.5 volumes oc co2, and therefore require more sugar; but also usually are bottled in thicker bottles.

Some styles are carbed as much as 4 volumes of co2.


I can't remember where, but when I was bottling my saison this year I was concerned about the max co2 capacity of 12 ounce beer bottles, since I planned to bottle six standard 12 ounce bottles for contest entries. And I was well within the saftey range of the bottles. IIRC standard beer bottles can handle 6 volumes of co2, but beyond the range of most levels of carbonation for most styles.

But my suspicion, since you are a new brewer AND you are priming with what is the correct amount sugar for the majority of beers, is that if the carbonation is not to your liking, more than likely you are not waiting the minimum 3 weeks @ 70 degrees, that the average beer needs to carb and condition. Usually when someone says their beer isn't carbed enough, it is becasue they're openning their beer too soon.

I wrote extensively about carbonation here; Revvy's Blog, Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning.

Before you add more sugar, I suggest you take a read of that blog and follow the suggestions in there.
 
Thanks Revvy, my beers are carbed fine and I don't drink them earlier than 3 weeks.
The only reason I want to add more it to match the style. Tastybrew's calculator is telling me my hefe should have 4 volumes of co2, that seems high and scares me. I will probably drop this down some.

Any suggestions on my Hefe? and thanks again, I'll read the blog.
 
Thanks Revvy, my beers are carbed fine and I don't drink them earlier than 3 weeks.
The only reason I want to add more it to match the style. Tastybrew's calculator is telling me my hefe should have 4 volumes of co2, that seems high and scares me. I will probably drop this down some.

Any suggestions on my Hefe? and thanks again, I'll read the blog.

Hefe's aren't really my thing. But one thing. Sort through your bottles and use the thickest feeling bottles you have. I noticed their are varying grades of 12 ounce bottles out there...The 2 cases I initally bought from the lhbs when I started brewing are really thin walled glass, while I have accumulated some commercial bottles that feel as thick and sturdy as the specialty bottles they use for Belgians.

I have a special box where I save all belgian or stubby or thicker walled bottles for higher carbed, mostly Belgian beers I brew. Surprisingly Red Stripe and Sierra Nevada stubby bottles are very thick walled bottles. Also some odd imported ones from Poland and other Eastern countries, that I occasionaly may try one beer feel thicker as well. So those go in with any of the Belgian bottles I come across. And I save all those for anything "spritzy."
 
Thanks, good idea on the bottles. I save my commercial bottles and have several Sam Smith, Fullers, Sierra Nevada and some Belgian trappist bottles, my buddy gives me all his Red Stripe bottles too. Now I will just need to try and seperate them.
 
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