first batch bottling

So im about to bottle my first batch of homebrew, i got a brown ale kit from northern brewers. So my question is how much priming sugar should i add for a batch thats slightly under 5 gallons a brewing friend of mine has got me a little freaked out about bottle bombs so i wanted to hear what other people suggest. The kit instructions say use 3/4 cup for 5 gallons should i follow that or should i use less because its just under 5 gallons? Thanks in advance for you help

some people will mix the whole amount right into the bottling bucket, others like to put a small amount into each bottle. I prefer to put alittle into each bottle, then I don't have to stir the sugars in and add air to the beer. So just divide the amount to sugar by the number of bottles and add that amount into each bottle.

What size bottles are you using?

3/4 cup should be fine for just under 5 gallons. You can go a little less than 3/4 cup, depending on how carbonated you want it.
I add the entire amount to the bottling bucket. It's just easier for me. And I don't stir it in. I boil the priming sugar in a cup or two of water. I then cool it down to close to room temperature and put it in the bottling bucket. Then I rack the beer from the carboy into the bottling bucket. Racking it right on top of the priming sugar that way mixes it just fine. No need for stirring.

timdsmith72 said:

3/4 cup should be fine for just under 5 gallons. You can go a little less than 3/4 cup, depending on how carbonated you want it.
I add the entire amount to the bottling bucket. It's just easier for me. And I don't stir it in. I boil the priming sugar in a cup or two of water. I then cool it down to close to room temperature and put it in the bottling bucket. Then I rack the beer from the carboy into the bottling bucket. Racking it right on top of the priming sugar that way mixes it just fine. No need for stirring.

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I have learned something wonderful today. Thank you good sir!

In my experience the amount of priming sugar is not super critical (no pun intended). In other words, if you use 4 ounces or 5 ounces, it's not going to ruin your beer either way. I know that some people supposedly take the temperature of their beer and calculate the exact amount for the style (supposedly), but I've found that if you use roughly an ounce per gallon (roughly as in +/- 20%) of either dextrose or table sugar it will be fine.

I always boil the priming sugar in a couple cups of water and add it to the bottling bucket. I whirlpool gently with my racking cane. I just don't see how that's introducing any extra air.

http://https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/


Read this... There a lot of great tips in this thread. The bottlingover the dishwasher door is brilliant...... clean up is just closing the door.

I have to agree with bottling over the dish washer. Very easy clean up. I sprayed down the lower rack with star san and placed the bottles on the rack and pulled them out when it was their turn to be filled. When I was done loaded up the dishes and ran the washer.