Priming calc ?

I had a quick question as when I researched I was getting a few different answers. When calculating (Using tasty brew calc) it ask what the temp of the beer is. I have heard that you input the highest temp the beer has reached when it was in the primary (which I believe is the way to go), also heard that you input the temp the bottles will be stored at, and lastly what the temp of the beer is before bottling.

Thanks for your help guys.

Yeah. I've only ever done what the temp is when it is being stored, as that is when the yeast will be actively eating away at the sugars. Not sure how or even if the other circumstances come into the equation.

Higher temperatures "release" more co2. That's why it's important to input the temperature of the fermentation or just after fermentation, using the highest temperature the beer was at. Now, if it was 5 minutes at 80 degrees, I wouldn't put 80 degrees. It's not like a ton of co2 gets released instantly with higher temperatures. But if I had an ale that fermented at 68-70 degrees, I'd put 70 degrees.

The reason is because colder liquids "hold" onto co2 better. When you make a lager, it's almost bubbly with carbonation after the primary fermentation at 50 degrees. At 70 degrees, an ale may have some bubbles, not not nearly as much dissolved co2 than if it was at 50 degrees.

Fail. I had it all backwards.

Legin said:

Fail. I had it all backwards.

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Well, not really. And in all honesty, it doesn't matter all that much unless you're talking about a pretty big temperature difference. When I bottled, I almost always used 4 ounces of priming sugar for 5 gallons for nearly every style of beer. A temperature of 62 vs a temperature of 68 will mean very little difference in dissolved co2 in the beer.

Legin said:

Fail. I had it all backwards.

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You should plug in the temperature of the beer at the time you will be pouring it into the bottle, adding the sugar to it and twisting on the cap.
The formula should include the residual Co2 already in the beer at that temperature and tell you how much sugar to add to reach the desired Co2 volumes for the style of beer.



Click for more...Bottle Priming Calculator

Thanks guys. So it sounds like it is the average temp of the fermentation. My brew never got over 78 and never under 70. At the norm it was around 72-74

Thanks again for the help

Coldies said:

Thanks guys. So it sounds like it is the average temp of the fermentation. My brew never got over 78 and never under 70. At the norm it was around 72-74

Thanks again for the help

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I think you may be missing the point here...priming calculations are based on the current temperature of the beer you are about to bottle. As the colder the beer is when bottling the more residual Co2 will already be dissolved in it and the less priming sugar will be needed.

ScrewyBrewer said:

I think you may be missing the point here...priming calculations are based on the current temperature of the beer you are about to bottle. As the colder the beer is when bottling the more residual Co2 will already be dissolved in it and the less priming sugar will be needed.

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That's incorrect. Please read my post above for the correct information.

It has nothing to do with the temp at bottling. You can ferment an ale at 70, and crash cool for 2 days at 34. More co2 doesn't "magically" appear than it had at 70. Once fermentation is over, no more co2 is produced. The residual co2 is left from fermentation. If the fermentation was at 70, use that number. NOT the cold crashing or temp at bottling number.

Oh. That's cool! So a lager will have more residual CO2 because it was fermented at a lower temp versus an ale that was fermented at higher. I knew the concept, but I had no idea it could make a difference in overall carbonation. I do lagers, but I've always just done 4oz. Now I can really get the carbonation perfect. Thanks a lot.