About to bottle my third batch but I don't have a scale to weigh out my priming sugar. A guy lent me his but I don't think I did it right on batch number two... We don't speak of batch number 1. I don't think I weighed out enough sugar for number 2. Beers a little flat. If i stir it up with a spoon i get some action on the head but not much. On my own this weekend and need a quick fix to figure out how much sugar to use. If I'm supposed to use 4-5 oz for 5 gallons (right?) how can I convert that into measuring cups? I know this is not the proper way to weigh but im in a pinch!
How much priming sigar?
- Thread starter charley
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1/2 cup and 1 cup of water is what I always use.
A lot of people here on the forum have similar experiences with there LHBS. They mean well but some are more knowledgable then others on giving advice and answering things.
FuzzeWuzze
I Love DIY
Because you are a bit, you really need a scale.
Is that half cup compacted? Half cup just poured in? Thats why weight is useful because its not subjective.
That said 1/2 cup is way too little, its only like 2.5oz.
Source: I just went and measured out 1/2 cup of Dextrose (not compacted at all, just poured into a measuring cup) and weighed it.
Use 3/4ths of a cup if you must, or just a little less than a cup if you want higher carb...should put you around 5oz...still dangerous to measure that way.
Get a $20 scale asap, so you stop making $30-40 worth of flat beer every batch
It would be a compacted half a cup sorry. A cup of sugar weighs approx 7 oz I've weighed sugar dozens of times. There's also co2 still in solution of your beer..., so per beer smith, you'd usually use between 3.5-4 oz of sugar for priming. So like I said before, about half a cup. My beers are never flat, I know this works. Though investing in a digital scale would be a good idea. That way you can weigh grain, spices, priming sugar, etc....
http://www.ochef.com/1533.htm this may also help
I got a great little digital scale on eBay for little more than the cost of shipping. Suitable for pharmacists, drug dealers, and homebrewers.
Now that I think of it, "pharmacists and drug dealers" is a bit redundant. Whatever. Cheers!
Now that I think of it, "pharmacists and drug dealers" is a bit redundant. Whatever. Cheers!
I use just under 1 cup of priming sugar and 2 cups water - this has worked for over 40 brews. I always have consistently good carbonation.
The only time I would use less is for a traditional English ale or stout which isn't very carbonated
The only time I would use less is for a traditional English ale or stout which isn't very carbonated
3/4C would be closer to 4.5 ounces. I use a scale I got from walmart's kitchen gadgets isle for $20.
You guys either have bad scales or they aren't calibrated properly.
Here's 1/2 cup weighed out....
Here's 3/4 cup.....
Here's an accuracy test, a nickel should weigh roughly 5 grams give or take .1-.2. Any of you street pharmacists out there already know this, if you don't your probably in the wrong line of work.
OP, do what you feel is right. That's it for my 2 cents.
Here's 1/2 cup weighed out....
Here's 3/4 cup.....
Here's an accuracy test, a nickel should weigh roughly 5 grams give or take .1-.2. Any of you street pharmacists out there already know this, if you don't your probably in the wrong line of work.
OP, do what you feel is right. That's it for my 2 cents.
I need a new battery for mine,then I'll test this with dextrose,table,& demerara. I remember one of them came out to about 4/5oz at 3/4's.
FuzzeWuzze
I Love DIY
Again, compacted or not compacted makes a BIG difference. Thats why its usually specified in cooking(or implied) with things like brown sugar.
Thats why you need to measure it by weight not volume, as you've shown you fit nearly 1/3rd more into a half cup by packing it down than i did by just scooping 1/2 a cup out of the bag.
Its things like this why we have several bottle bomb threads a day on the beginner forum, just spend the $20 on a scale and never have to worry again about bottle bombs!
Winters49441
Well-Known Member
KeyWestBrewing said:
I would use 1/2 cup or 4oz. Of sugar for priming normal beers and 2/3 cup or 5oz. For higher carbonation desired beers (like wiezens/helles/bocks)
Hang on a second. Charley doesn't say where he lives.
The size of a cup can depend on where you live. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit)
I've also noticed that Victoria's Secret have cups in A, B, C, and D sizes, and my supermarket even sells K-Cups.
I do agree that investing in a scale is a very worthwhile investment.
-a.
The size of a cup can depend on where you live. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit)
I've also noticed that Victoria's Secret have cups in A, B, C, and D sizes, and my supermarket even sells K-Cups.
I do agree that investing in a scale is a very worthwhile investment.
-a.
FuzzeWuzze
I Love DIY
FuzzeWuzze said:Again, compacted or not compacted makes a BIG difference. Thats why its usually specified in cooking(or implied) with things like brown sugar.
Thats why you need to measure it by weight not volume, as you've shown you fit nearly 1/3rd more into a half cup by packing it down than i did by just scooping 1/2 a cup out of the bag.
Its things like this why we have several bottle bomb threads a day on the beginner forum, just spend the $20 on a scale and never have to worry again about bottle bombs!
I actually just scooped it out of the bag and scraped across the top to level it off. I didn't fit 1/3 more, I measured it correctly. I've cooked in kitchens for years I know how to measure and weigh sugar. I've never had a bottle bomb or an under or over carbed beer. I posted a source backing my personal experience and there's dozens of more pages verifying the exact same information I'm stating, but I guess we're all wrong. I even included a pic to show the accuracy of the scale. I agree with buying a scale, I have 3 myself, but that seems to be the only thing we agree on. Do things how you all see fit, it's your beer.
I ended up using about 3/4 non-compacted. This beer smelled and tasted so amazing that even if the carbonation is off a little it's still going to taste great. Thanks for all the input! I'll post back in a couple weeks to let you all know how it worked out. By then, for me, it will be moot anyway cause I'll have a scale for the next batch. :mugs: 😄
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