Alternate Priming Sugars

[jkp42]

Hey guys,

I am looking for an alternate priming sugar for all my recipes that call for corn sugar. I am thinking either honey or molasses, or possibly caramelized white sugar if neither of those are a good option. Does anyone have experience with these? do you know what the ratio of substitution might be?

 

[Maddoghoek]

Tastybrew.com has a priming sugar calculator. It allows you to adjust based on current temp (for residual CO2) and lets you pick your style. Then you pick what type of sugar you're using and it will tell you what amount you need.

 

[Stretch1991]

You can use a whole array of things but each one will have a different effect

Corn Sugar and DME are two pretty clean ones to use
Honey will take a little longer and depending on the taste impart flavors into your beer you may or may not like
Molases and Brown Sugar can be used but sometimes these can create a metallic flavor
Pixie Sticks (havnt tried it personally but someone in my brew club has)

 

[evrose]

Hey guys,

I am looking for an alternate priming sugar for all my recipes that call for corn sugar. I am thinking either honey or molasses, or possibly caramelized white sugar if neither of those are a good option. Does anyone have experience with these? do you know what the ratio of substitution might be?

Plain, old-fashioned, regular, table sugar works just fine. It's cheap and easy to find. It's also 100% fermentable, so it won't leave any residual tastes behind (which molasses might do). Honey works, but its expensive relative to table sugar.

Use this for calculating the correct amounts: http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

 

[tre9er]

White. Table. Sugar.

BOOM

 

[TyTanium]

Table sugar, dude.

It's cheap, consistent and available. If you want the flavors from the other types of sugars, just adjust your original recipe, IMO.

 

[Revvy]

I give detailed info on priming with alternative primers including fruit juice (including the link to the podcast,) maple syrup and other sugars in my bottling stickey- Scroll to the lower half of this post.

 

[jkp42]

hmm, so priming is not just about carbonation? who'd a thought it.. anyhow, since I'm not looking to spice the brew up any, it looks like white sugar is the way to go. Thanks guys!!

 

[Gixxer]

I got this information from the Westy 12 Clone thread. Cut and pasted...

On the flavor side of innovation we also prime with our syrups, (for 10.5 gal we use 364g D-180 for medium carb. 5.25 gal would be 182g D-180). Plummy, toasty, figgy goodness. (Method credit to Candy Syrup, Inc's own AJ Douglass)

I plan on trying this before the end of the year in an amber beer.