Priming Sugar Before or After Filling Bottles?

Hi,

What's the best technique for putting priming sugar in bottles?

Do YOU put sugar in before filling the bottle or after putting your brew in? Why do you do it in that order? Is it different for what you're brewing?

Wondered what people think as I'm fairly new to brewing at home!

Thank you!

Ed

You'll want to boil your priming sugar in about 1/2 cup of water for a few min to keep your beer from becoming infected. Let the mixture cool till less than 80 degrees. Gently add it to your beer and gently mix the sugar water and beer. Let it settle for a minute. Then fill your bottles.

I never sugar up the bottles individually.
A small measuring error in a bottle has large effects and some could be disastrous (bottle bombs).

To get uniform carbonation, always mix the boiled corn sugar solution (dextrose) with the beer in your bottling bucket. And give it a thorough but gentle stir, to prevent "sugar hot spots."

I have to admit, I have only made 2 batches of lager and 1 of pear cider, all from kits.. They all say add sugar to the bottles but don't say in which order..

Doesn't sediment get disturbed by adding sugar to the FV and mixing?

edgee said:

Do YOU put sugar in before filling the bottle or after putting your brew in?

Click to expand...

Neither.

1. Put a pre-measured amount of priming sugar in the bottling bucket.
2. Siphon beer from fermenter to bottling bucket with sugar. This ensures an even mix.
3. Bottle normally.

It's called batch priming, and it's WAY easier than trying to prime each bottle individually. It also ensures that you get exactly the same amount of priming sugar in each bottle. Faster, less mess, more consistent results, super easy.

edgee said:

I have to admit, I have only made 2 batches of lager and 1 of pear cider, all from kits.. They all say add sugar to the bottles but don't say in which order..

Doesn't sediment get disturbed by adding sugar to the FV and mixing?

Click to expand...

That's what bottling buckets are for. If you don't have a bottling bucket, you need to use carbonating tablets.

Here's what most do: boil a small amount of water and dissolve priming sugar. No need to cool since it's such a small amount, so pour directly into the bottling bucket, and rack beer into the bucket. Stir slightly to ensure uniform distribution, and bottle.

If you don't have a bottling bucket, get one. I've never seen a legitimate argument against using them, and they're cheap.

I have been mixing boiled corn sugar solution (dextrose) with the beer in my bottling bucket.
Prepare corn sugar solution, when cool add to bottling bucket, rack beer into bucket.. it mixes quite well as the beer fills the bucket.