How can I increase carbonation?

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tottwei

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I bottle my beer but would like to have some better carbonation on some recipes. Do I increase priming sugar?
 
You got it. Beersmith has a handy calculator that will tell you what you need to add to hit different volumes of CO2.
 
Thanks. I don't have a grasp on the units of co2 or where I want to be in terms of value. I'll do a little research, thank you.
 
The baseline I was told was approx 2/3 cup of boiled dextrose for 5 gal of beer. I am curious to know if anyone has tried cane sugar. That might add a bit of sweetness to a good stout. Just make sure you add it to water and boil off any nasties before adding it to your bottling bucket. Add the priming sugar first then siphon the beer in after to mix and aerate well. I like my Ales slightly carbed a bit more so I use a tad bit more than the 2/3 cup to add a bit more zip. I guess it all comes down to what you like.
 
Properly bottle conditioning beers will take some trial and error. Start with a baseline and adjust your variables.

Baseline factors include:
  • 3/4 cup (5 ounces) corn sugar for a 5 gallon batch.
  • 21 days condition time (no shorter) at 70 degrees (no cooler).
 
Properly bottle conditioning beers will take some trial and error. Start with a baseline and adjust your variables.

Baseline factors include:
  • 3/4 cup (5 ounces) corn sugar for a 5 gallon batch.
  • 21 days condition time (no shorter) at 70 degrees (no cooler).

^this^

it takes some playing around in your brewhouse to get co2 exactly where you want it in bottled brews. after a few batches, you'll get the hang of it. the co2 calcs really help too. :mug:
 
I always weigh my priming sugar based on the volume of beer. I think it is the easiest way to stay consistent. I also batch prime to keep carbonation consistent.
 
Grady- You can use cane sugar-- just use a little less. If you use 5 oz of dextrose (corn sugar), you can substitute with 4.8 oz of sucrose (table sugar). I use it all the time and I have never had an off flavor. It is usually preferred to weigh priming sugar since not all measuring cups are created equally, and sugar can pack differently when measuring. Since sucrose ferments completely, it doesn't really add any sweetness.

OP- I think it will help you if you learn a little bit about volumes of CO2 to style. It will also help you from blowing up bottles- many bottles cannot hold more than 3.5 volumes without exploding, which can be dangerous and maddening. There are free calculators online. I often use the one here: TastyBrew.com | Homebrewing Calculators | Botting Priming Calculator
 
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