sugar or dme ?

[spottedbass]

priming sugar or dme ? i have mixed feelings about this issue, and would like ur take on what to use at bottle time, and why you feel this way. gettin ready to do my first batch. any help please.

 

[Evan!]

aw, damn...:cross:

DEXTRIZZOSE!

The only time I've ever had problems with carbonation outside of really high-gravity beers is when I used malt extract to prime with. Now I stay away from it. There's no benefit from using extract unless it's all you have. I bottled a couple wheat beers with extract awhile back, and neither ever carbed. I had to uncap each bottle, add carb tabs, and recap. Sound like fun? So stay away from extract, especially Laaglander brand. Go with dextrose...it's cheaper and carbonates quicker and is more reliable.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I always use sugar to prime when I bottle.

 

[Joker]

I always use sugar to prime when I bottle.

This is my technique as well.

 

[brewt00l]

priming sugar or dme ? i have mixed feelings about this issue, and would like ur take on what to use at bottle time, and why you feel this way. gettin ready to do my first batch. any help please.

What are your mixed feelings?

 

[realdh]

Please use a sugar. Sugars are reliable, easy, and less expensive.

 

[spottedbass]

well my mixed feelins come from "the joy of home brewing" by charlie papazian, the bible on home brewing. he states in his book u can use either one, but, if u read between the lines he seems like he is pushin more towards dme. and i just don't no what the difference is. taste?

 

[brewt00l]

You can use either one...along with a bunch of other sugars and fermentable substances. All you are looking to do is provide enough sugar to carb. Personally, I use dextrose for many of the same reasons that Evan pointed out.

 

[cubbies]

When I bottled, I only used DME and every beer I ever made carbed. Now, Evan! mentioned Laaglander, and he is correct, many people have complained about it's fermentability which can lead to low or no carb. However, just because I used DME successfully, does not mean that it is the best method. I always have DME on hand, so it is what I use. Dextrose would probably be the next best method. A lot of HBS will have their own mixture of priming sugar as well; I believe Austin Homebrew does this.

 

[spottedbass]

will dme change the taste? i was told that if u did two at the same time one with dme and one with p.s. u could taste the difference any thoughts?

 

[BlindLemonLars]

will dme change the taste? i was told that if u did two at the same time one with dme and one with p.s. u could taste the difference any thoughts?

I very much doubt it. You're talking about 4-5oz of DME in a 5 gallon batch.

I prefer to keep it simple and go with dextrose. It's the cheapest, the most predictable, and the most reliable. I've never read of anybody having a problem priming with dextrose, but I've seen MANY instances of difficulty with DME.

Actually, I'm glad I keg nearly everything and don't have to prime!

 

[Austinhomebrew]

When I bottled, I only used DME and every beer I ever made carbed. Now, Evan! mentioned Laaglander, and he is correct, many people have complained about it's fermentability which can lead to low or no carb. However, just because I used DME successfully, does not mean that it is the best method. I always have DME on hand, so it is what I use. Dextrose would probably be the next best method. A lot of HBS will have their own mixture of priming sugar as well; I believe Austin Homebrew does this.

I believe every homebrew store that sells "Priming Sugar" it is simply plain old corn sugar. Our priming sugar is just corn sugar.

You can use DME for priming but as stated above corn sugar is easier to use and more reliable as a carbonator. DME will add flavor (that you may or may not want). Also you can't carbonate high gravity beers with DME, you need to use corn sugar. DME also takes longer to carbonate than corn sugar.

Forrest

 

[eddie]

I use table (cane) sugar to prime. Never had a problem.

If you're using DME, don't you need to use a higher volume than if you were using corn sugar? Anyone know the ratio?