Priming Sugar Help

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PCharles

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Hi all,

I have 6 gallons of Muntons Premium Bitter which is nearing completion of fermentation. I will be bottling this in a mix of 12 oz and 22 oz bottles.

Volume

6 Gallons = 768 oz = 48 pints

I have several packs of priming sugar (Dextrose) and would appreciate confirmation on the correct volume of sugar to add.

The instructions state to add .5 tsp per pint bottle or max of 3 ozs per 5 UK gallon pressure barrel.

As 5 UK gallons equals 6 US gallons, am I correct that I should add 3 ounces of priming sugar?

The beer is still in the fermenter. Would it be best to rack the beer off the yeast into another container, add sugar, then transfur to bottles?

I figure I will disolve the sugar in water first (say 50-100 cc), then add to the beer before bottling.

Thanks
 
I always rack to a bottling bucket and batch prime. Avoids uneven carbing and the chance for bottle bombs. I do 5 OZ. corn sugar for a 5 gallon batch. If you're interested I can give more details.
 
PCharles said:
Hi all,

I have 6 gallons of Muntons Premium Bitter which is nearing completion of fermentation. I will be bottling this in a mix of 12 oz and 22 oz bottles.

Volume

6 Gallons = 768 oz = 48 pints

I have several packs of priming sugar (Dextrose) and would appreciate confirmation on the correct volume of sugar to add.

The instructions state to add .5 tsp per pint bottle or max of 3 ozs per 5 UK gallon pressure barrel.

As 5 UK gallons equals 6 US gallons, am I correct that I should add 3 ounces of priming sugar?

The beer is still in the fermenter. Would it be best to rack the beer off the yeast into another container, add sugar, then transfur to bottles?

I figure I will disolve the sugar in water first (say 50-100 cc), then add to the beer before bottling.

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you are carbonating at 70F and have 6 gallons, I would think that is too much sugar. Style guidelines for Bitters recommend ~1 volume of CO2. My calculator says somewhere in the 0.6 oz range. I would boil that in a small volume of water (~1 cup), add it to your bottling bucket, and rack the beer on top of it. Then bottle. 3 weeks at 70 degrees and you're probably set!
 
Thanks William and Pablo,

William, you indicate you use 5 oz of sugar with 5 gallon. Paplo, it appears you have taken your volume from the calculator if I'm not mistaken. I belive you used the bitter syle with the calculator.

Is this the site you used?
TastyBrew.com | Homebrewing Calculators | Botting Priming Calculator

I'm thinking the thing to do is not to exceed 3 oz per 5 UK gallons (6 US).

Thanks guys.
 
I use 5 oz because thats what I always do. If there's a style guideline that states contrary, feel free to ignore my incoherent ramblings
 
William, 5 may be too much, but the 0.6 seems to be too little. That's what the style calculator says to do. The instruction sheet that comes with the kit is closer to your suggestion, 3 oz per 6 gallons. I feel comfortable that I will not be adding too much or too little.

Thanks
 
I rely on BeerSmith to calculate my exact amount of sugar but no matter what amount I always weigh the sugar based on my volume/gallons of beer. A measuring cup is just not accurate enough for me! I like my beers about 2.5 which tends to run about 4.75oz of sugar but that varies according to how many gallons of beer!

I add the sugar (corn sugar) to about 2 cups of boiling water, dissolve, then simmer for about 8-10 minutes. I then add the sugar/water (I do not cool it) mixture to my bottling bucket where I have previously racked my beer from the primary. Stir gently for 4-5 minutes to thoroughly mix the sugar and beer then bottle.

I have done this with all of my beers and had no problems at all!!

Good luck!
 
PCharles said:
Thanks William and Pablo,

William, you indicate you use 5 oz of sugar with 5 gallon. Paplo, it appears you have taken your volume from the calculator if I'm not mistaken. I belive you used the bitter syle with the calculator.

Is this the site you used?
TastyBrew.com | Homebrewing Calculators | Botting Priming Calculator

I'm thinking the thing to do is not to exceed 3 oz per 5 UK gallons (6 US).

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

I actually used the one in Promash, but they give the same numbers. The reality is that it is totally personal preference. You're not going to hurt anything using 3 oz.. It will just be more carbed than style guidelines, but in the end guidelines aren't always followed. 3 oz. will give you somewhere in the ballpark of 1.8 volumes of CO2.
 
I like my draught bitters at about 0.75 volumes CO2 which means I don't need any priming sugar.
For bottled versions, I like about 2 volumes which would need about 3.7 oz dextrose for 6 US gallons. (The guidelines mention that bottled versions have higher carbonation than draught.)
FWIW, a UK pressure barrel is a plastic bulk container used in much the same way as a cornelius keg is used in the US. Therefore the max of 3 oz for the batch would be for draught versions.

-a.
 
Yea, the style guidelines really are better for draught beers especially in the english bitters area. I primed an ESB for 1.3 volumes and was very disappointed. Bottled bitters are almost always above 2 volumes. I prefer very high carbonation, so I now prime all of my beers at 2.5 volumes unless I have a good reason not to.
 
I also primed my English bitter (ordinary bitter) to 1.3 volumes,& it was virtually flat with maybe 1 finger head. I was going to prime to at least 1.8 volumes next time. I use the tasty brew calculator myself. You have to look at the min-max on the list for that style when you click on it. Then you can go to the co2 volume box & set the number where you want it within range. I primed my Burton ale to 2.0 volumes.
 
I'm bottling a English Old Ale and it says ot use 3.5 oz of sugar for that style. Seems low to. Why do they give you 5 oz bag of sugar with kits if yo're nly supposed to use 3.5 oz? I did not make this from a kit, so I need to buy priming sugar so if I buy a 5 oz bag I'll have some left over. Have I been over carbing my beers all along?
 
PCharles said:
William, 5 may be too much, but the 0.6 seems to be too little. That's what the style calculator says to do. The instruction sheet that comes with the kit is closer to your suggestion, 3 oz per 6 gallons. I feel comfortable that I will not be adding too much or too little.

Thanks
Click to expand...

.6 oz for a 5 gal batch sounded so small..
I just had to look
but from one of the more popular priming calculators,http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html selecting a English Bitter, 5 gal batch size and carbing at 70 deg..
Sure enough the result calculated was just .5 oz

bitter priming .jpg
 
abbysdad2006 said:
I'm bottling a English Old Ale and it says ot use 3.5 oz of sugar for that style. Seems low to. Why do they give you 5 oz bag of sugar with kits if yo're nly supposed to use 3.5 oz? I did not make this from a kit, so I need to buy priming sugar so if I buy a 5 oz bag I'll have some left over. Have I been over carbing my beers all along?
Click to expand...

I hate those "priming calculators", as they have you prime to style. Well, that's fine if you're accustomed to flat English bitters, or to effervescent wits, but most people who buy bottled beer don't drink beer carbed "to style". Most commercial beers purchased in bottles are carbonated about the same.

I carb my beers with .75-1 ounce (by weight) of priming sugar per US gallon. I use the .75 ounce amount for beers that I want less carbed (but still carbed up!) and 1 ounce for more highly carbed beers. It works great for me, and I've never had an over-carbed or under-carbed batch!
 
E_Marquez said:
.6 oz for a 5 gal batch sounded so small..
I just had to look
but from one of the more popular priming calculators, selecting a English Bitter, 5 gal batch size and carbing at 70 deg..
Sure enough the result calculated was just .5 oz
Click to expand...

Well, yes. That "to style" calculator means the beer is flat. That may be desired in cask ale, but not in bottled beer.
 
abbysdad2006 said:
Why do they give you 5 oz bag of sugar with kits
Click to expand...

Why, to sell you a 5oz bag of course..:D
And as that size package fits all of there kits... it's a economy of storage, logistics deal for them id bet.

As well as,, just because BJCP style guidelines say a style of beer is "supposed to be" xxx volumes of CO2.. if you like YOUR beer, that YOU made and YOU will be drinking at a higher CO2 level, then change that variable in the calculator and add the appropriate amount of priming sugar for YOUR tastes.
 
Yooper said:
Well, yes. That "to style" calculator means the beer is flat. That may be desired in cask ale, but not in bottled beer.
Click to expand...

Oh I agree... it may be the "standard" but it would not be tasty and desirable to me...

As there was no selection option for a style of beer that was kegged, casked or bottled..in the calculator,,,the answer was accurate for what was available to choose from.

I like beer carbed at 2.50 or so,,, thats not according to anyone's standards but mine....so i prime to achieve that level (or keg and pressurize for the same effect)
 
I have to agree with yooper a bit here. I find I like EB's,ESB's & the like at 1.8-2.0 vco2. That 1.3 volumes isn't even as high as their bottled bitters. And 2.5 volumes is a good average for pale ales of all sorts. but my newer IPA's are getting 2.6 volumes just to see if it raises the bar a little on hop flavors & aromas.
 

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