Priming

I will be bottling my first batch on Tuesday. Which is the best way to prime my beer? Prime into a bottling bucket as per instructions, individual teaspoons of sugar into each bottle or coopers carb tabs? I bad a real canadian red beer extract kit.

The carb tabs work well enough, but they're relatively expensive compared to using corn sugar. I usually use about 3/4 cup of corn sugar dissolved in 2 cups of boiled water. I let that cool, dump it into my bottling bucket and then rack the beer on top of it. I've never tried to individually prime each bottle, but the common complaint with that method is a lack of consistency in the carbonation. YMMV

Don't use the teaspoon method, as you could over carbonate a bottle and it could explode. The 3/4 is pretty standard, but you may need to figure out the carbonation needed for that beer. Some beers need more or less carbonation.

Check this website:
The Beer Recipator - Carbonation

it will tell you how much sugar to use. It also has a nifty converter if you are using a different sugar selection.

I've been using regular table sugar (cane) lately, just because I have a huge bag in the kitchen, it costs less than corn sugar, and I don't need to order it from the homebrew shop, I can find it in my grocery store.

IMO, it work exactly the same, you just need a little less. Use the calculator that Morkin gave you above.

* Note that these calculators give you the weight of the sugar to use. This is a more precise than measuring volume for measuring sugar. You might go buy a little scale if you don't have one, it will come in very handy for priming and weighing hops etc.

You'll find a lot of info and tips here.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/revvys-tips-bottler-first-time-otherwise-94812/

Revvy said:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/revvys-tips-bottler-first-time-otherwise-94812/

Click to expand...

That dip tube is genius! I'm going to make one tonight. :rockin: