Sanitizing Priming Sugar

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WillPall

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Is there any way to sanitize/sterilize your priming sugar without putting it in water and boiling? Not that it's any problem, I'm just curious.
 
Mixing your priming sugar w/ a pint of water and boiling is the best method to make sure that it's completely sanitary, and I can't really think of another way to achieve that state.

I've always boiled my priming solution, but I've heard of quite a few people that just throw the sugar in the bucket and rack the beer on top of it with good results... I'm not making a recommendation, but at this point, the beer is finished and there is alcohol in it, so I'm thinking the risk of infection is rather low, but why even leave that to chance? :)
 
I'm not making a recommendation, but at this point, the beer is finished and there is alcohol in it, so I'm thinking the risk of infection is rather low, but why even leave that to chance? :)

I agree, especially at that stage. Infections at that stage mean bottle bombs.
 
Mixing your priming sugar w/ a pint of water and boiling is the best method to make sure that it's completely sanitary, and I can't really think of another way to achieve that state.

Yeah, there really isn't a better way. Will, what's your issue with adding a couple of cups of sugar water to your beer? It's not going to dillute the beer any, just the opposite, you actually get something like a .087 or soething like that, boost in your abv.
 
Like I said, I don't really have any problems with it, I was just curious. I mainly hate having to cool any amount of water in an ice bath. I've already done enough with cooling the wort, why am I tortured with more? ;)

Thanks for the replies though. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.
 
I don't cool my priming sugar solution at all. The small amount of liquid your adding won't do a thing to your beer/yeast. I just dump half in the bucket as I start to rack and the rest half of the way through.
 
I don't really cool mine off in a bath anymore either. I just have it rolled into my bottling process that it is off the flame for 10 or more minutes while I'm finishing up my bottle sanitization .

I used to worry about that too, but someone pointed out that even 2 cups of water is going to be rapidly cooled by 5 gallons of beer.
 
I do the same as Revvy. I pre-boil the water and priming sugar so its cooled down a little bit, pour into the bottle bucket and rack right on top of it.
 
Like others have said I don't see any reason to cool the priming sugar solution. I simply boil it and then add the 2 cups of water to the bottling bucket and then rack ontop of it. The temperature will drop so quickly it won't matter. Why make things harder and more prone to infection?
 
I would actually say the sugar itself probably doesn't need to be sanitized by boiling. Like with salt I'm guessing theres few beasties would survive in it. Having your sugar dissolved in water sure makes it easier to mix into your beer without having to stir the crap out it though. Hot water makes the sugar dissolve more easily, plus boiling it will drive out any oxygen that could oxidize your beer. Just my amateur guess.

Personally I have a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup. I fill it with about a cup of water, weigh out my priming sugar charge, microwave til its at a decent boil and just leave it in with the door closed until I get all my equipment setup and the like, then add tobottling bucket and rack on it.
 
I would actually say the sugar itself probably doesn't need to be sanitized by boiling. Like with salt I'm guessing theres few beasties would survive in it. Having your sugar dissolved in water sure makes it easier to mix into your beer without having to stir the crap out it though. Hot water makes the sugar dissolve more easily, plus boiling it will drive out any oxygen that could oxidize your beer. Just my amateur guess.

Personally I have a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup. I fill it with about a cup of water, weigh out my priming sugar charge, microwave til its at a decent boil and just leave it in with the door closed until I get all my equipment setup and the like, then add tobottling bucket and rack on it.

That was one thing I was wondering: Is it possible to just throw the sugar in there? I also like the microwave idea. Don't know why I haven't thought of it. It's such a small amount of water it's perfect for the 'wave. Thanks for your responses on this mostly stupid question!
 
I don't really cool mine off in a bath anymore either. I just have it rolled into my bottling process that it is off the flame for 10 or more minutes while I'm finishing up my bottle sanitization .

I used to worry about that too, but someone pointed out that even 2 cups of water is going to be rapidly cooled by 5 gallons of beer.

You guys aren't worried about the hot water possibly melting the plastic ale pail? That's the only reason I cool down the sugar solution.
 
You guys aren't worried about the hot water possibly melting the plastic ale pail? That's the only reason I cool down the sugar solution.

Uh no...usually there is some santizer foam/liquid in the bottom, besides, almost immediately following the dumping in, or even before I start my siphon, so they are nearly hitting the bucket at the same time.
 
Just found this, and thought I'd ask - i realize this is an OLD post

I'm new to the culture and just did my first batch. I was meticulous about respecting the needs of sanitation through my whole process. Yesterday was bottling day. With everything (bottles,caps, siphon,hose) starsan'd, I calculated my prming sugar amounts and mixed up the solution. I then proceeded to dump it into the beer while it siphoned into a bottling vessel. And it was at that moment I realized not only did I use straight tap water, but that mason jar used for diluting the water was not sanitized with the other pieces of equipment. Are these newly bottled beers doomed?
 
Probably not, there is always a possibility but you should be ok. You’ll know in a few weeks.
 
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