Bottle conditioning with white sugar

For my last 2 batches I have used 2/3 cup granulated table sugar added to my bottling bucket for 5 gallons of beer. I have not had very good carbonation even after 6 weeks in the bottle.

Question: Palmer how to brew states "Here's how to make and add priming solutions: 1. Boil 3/4 cup of corn sugar (4 oz by weight), or 2/3 cup of white sugar, or 1 and 1/4 cup dry malt extract in 2 cups of water and let it cool."

Does it matter off I am using granulated versus powdered sugar? I used granulated but since most home brew stores sell the corn sugar in powdered form I wonder I Palmer's 2/3 cups is based on powdered sugar.

Thanks.

PS. I add the boiled sugar solution to bottling bucket, then siphon beer over top, then gently stir beer, then wait about 30 minutes before bottling. I think that should make for a fairly evenly mixed sugar solution.

Use granulated. "Powdered" sugar has cornstarch in it.

Ditto. 2/3c is a good general approximation. Something else must be off. What's your conditioning temp?

I can;t remember the last time I used corn sugar to prime. 4 oz. of table sugar works fine for my brews.

Are you filtering your beer or anything?

I've used corn sugar but never used table sugar for bottle priming. Has anyone done any comparisons? I'm assuming that if there was a noticeable difference in taste someone would have mentioned that here.

No taste differences that I can tell, but like I said I can't remember the last time I used corn sugar. Others have stated that there is no difference in taste in other threads. The biggest difference I can see is the price of the two different sugars. Hell I even use table sugar in beers that I want to bump the ABV on and still can't taste it

BrewerDon said:

I've used corn sugar but never used table sugar for bottle priming. Has anyone done any comparisons? I'm assuming that if there was a noticeable difference in taste someone would have mentioned that here.

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Nope, no difference at all that I could notice.

Thanks guys. I do not filter the beer. My beers bottles beers age in a closet at about 75F.

hmm, interesting. Yea, you shouldn't notice any difference at all. Table sugar is actually more fermentable than corn sugar/dextrose (100% vs 95% fermentable), but you use so little it would be impossible to discern any difference.

Just as an FYI, you don't need to wait half an hour before bottling. Racking onto the sugar + mixing gently is more than totally sufficient.

How much headspace do you leave in your bottles, and what size bottles? Headspace is another big determining factor in CO2 absorption.

If your beers aren't carbing after 6 weeks (even low gravity ones), I would suspect your caps. If you're not capping properly or they aren't sealing correctly, obviously all the CO2 will just leak out into the world, rather than going into your beer.

When I bottle the old fashioned way, I've always used table sugar. Works just like corn sugar, only your LHBS doesn't profit off of it

I use plain ole table sugar, never a problem unless I caused it. Bottle caps? twist off bottles? Heck I even use some 2L soda bottles for travelers, PET is unbreakable most of the time.Cheers

daksin said:

hmm, interesting. Yea, you shouldn't notice any difference at all. Table sugar is actually more fermentable than corn sugar/dextrose (100% vs 95% fermentable), but you use so little it would be impossible to discern any difference.

Just as an FYI, you don't need to wait half an hour before bottling. Racking onto the sugar + mixing gently is more than totally sufficient.

How much headspace do you leave in your bottles, and what size bottles? Headspace is another big determining factor in CO2 absorption.

If your beers aren't carbing after 6 weeks (even low gravity ones), I would suspect your caps. If you're not capping properly or they aren't sealing correctly, obviously all the CO2 will just leak out into the world, rather than going into your beer.

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Just to be clear the bottles are carbed. I have bubbles coming up the side and a tiny bit of head. But none of the bottles get more than an 1/8th inch head and many get less.

I use 12oz bottles. I fill them as far as the racking cane will allow which leaves about 1" air space in bottles.

I haven't switched caps.

These last 2 are my first 2 all grain batches. I hit my target gravity on both so I can't see that making a difference.

I am going try a bit more sugar next time. Maybe my measuring cup is not so accurate. I am using a Pyrex measuring cup.

I believe you should be measuring by weight, unless I am incorrect...?

I think I realized my problem. I am used to adding 5oz corn sugar from homebrew store package.

Palmer says "Boil 3/4 cup of corn sugar (4 oz by weight), or 2/3 cup of white sugar"

2/3 cup white sugar is probably equivalent to 4 oz corn sugar (3/4 cup) which is quite a bit less than I am used to.

I think I need to go to 5/6 cup white sugar trove equivalent to 5oz corn sugar.

Just be careful with the white sugar. I accidentally used 1 1/4 cups in one five gallon batch and I had 2 inches of beer and 4 inches of head with my 20 oz bottles.

Are you leaving enough head space in your bottles for the co2 to form?

I used table sugar instead of corn sugar to carb my latest batch and noticed two differences. It's over carbed, and the foam is different, like it has courser bubbles. Could be from the overcarbing or from a mashing difference but it leaves me a bit hesitant on using table sugar for priming.

kehaar said:

Just to be clear the bottles are carbed. I have bubbles coming up the side and a tiny bit of head. But none of the bottles get more than an 1/8th inch head and many get less.

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Oh...well this is totally different. Head retention is a different issue from being properly carbed. Sounds like your priming worked exactly as it should, no need to adust your process there. Search a few threads for how to get head retention - it's not as simple as adding more sugar.

TyTanium said:

Oh...well this is totally different. Head retention is a different issue from being properly carbed. Sounds like your priming worked exactly as it should, no need to adust your process there. Search a few threads for how to get head retention - it's not as simple as adding more sugar.

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I don't think so- going by "very few bubbles" I take that to mean it's not carbed yet- no carbonation = no head.- I think he would mention if the beer wasn't flat.

Sounds undcarbed to me.

In regards to flatness of the beer, I think it is under carbed. There are bubbles rising but not as many as I have had in the past.

I have considered head retention as an issue. There is no carapils in either of these 2 recipes, but, one had crystal malt. The first was Edwort's Brew Haus Pale Ale which had 5% crystal. The second was Northern Brewer's Cream Ale which has 9% honey malt (which I believe is similar to a crystal malt). I could be wrong there.

Thanks for all the help.