Bottle carbonation. Drops or other???

[center_blocker]

Hi all, I just started basic tin and dextrose brewing and am wondering if there is any benefit to using the carbonation drops over plain sugar? Aside from less mess that is. My father used to brew but just added sugar from a special device that you just turned a tap and it measured and poured a teaspoon each turn. I've looked for one online and can't find one so if anyone know where I could get one I'd be grateful. But back on the sugar versus carb drops, could you just use dextrose?

Luke

 

[Leezer]

I use Domino sugar cubes, one in each 12 oz bottle. Has worked out well for me.

 

[65C]

I've found using a dilution of sugar (boiled and cooled) and pouring that in to the bottling bucket gives me fastest and most consistent carbonation - using sugar direct in bottle it seemed to take a week or two longer

 

[flars]

This is a chart I made for using the small size sugar cubes. Information derived with the NB carbonation calculator.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

Domino Dots™
1 pound = 454 grams
198 Dots per pound
2.29 grams per cube
…......
2.3 volumes for 5 gallons at 68°F = 100.32 grams of sucrose
48 bottles from 5 gallons = 2.09 grams of sucrose per bottle

2.4 volumes for 5 gallons at 68°F = 107.23 grams of sucrose
48 bottles from 5 gallons = 2.23 grams of sucrose per bottle

2.5 volumes for 5 gallons at 68°F = 114.15 grams of sucrose
48 bottles from 5 gallons = 2.38 grams of sucrose per bottle

Sometimes the carbonation drops can take quite a while to dissolve extending the carbonation time over sucrose or dextrose.

 

[thehaze]

You can use which ever solution you have at hand: carbonation drops, plain sugar and/or dextrose. They will all work just as fine. I have carbonation drops which I never got to use actuyally, but keep for emergency.

If you do a little bit of research, you will soon find out that there is no 100% fail safe solution to carbonate the beer, but they will all work, if done properly. I read people that had problems using drops and just as many who praised drops.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I used drops on my first two batches and they all seemed to come out fine. Since then I've used a solution of sugar boiled in water mixed with the beer in a bottling bucket and that's worked out fine too.

Personally I prefer the sugar solution in the bottling bucket method because I don't need anything special to do it. Table sugar works just as well as corn sugar, though I do make sure to use the corn sugar packs that come with any kits I buy just because. I'd hate to be dependent on an ample supply of carbonation drops any time I needed to bottle a beer. I also like that I can adjust the carbonation level to a much finer degree by adjusting the amount of sugar I use.

 

[TravelingLight]

I've only bottled two batches, so take this with a grain of...barley.

I used carb drops on one batch and priming sugar in solution on the other. With regards to the carb drops, at first I didn't like them. The carbonation was super fizzy, almost champagne-like. But, that beer was a super dry, almost slightly tart, raspberry saison. In the end, I found that I liked the super fizzy carbonation on that beer. In fact, when I make that beer again, I'll likely bottle it the same way. YMMV.

 

[kh54s10]

IMO, Batch priming is so much easier than even putting a tab in each bottle. I make the solution with the proper amount of corn sugar, (in my case), in a couple cups of water (enough for it to dissolve well) bring it to a boil, add it to the bottling bucket with a swirling siphon already started. I don't worry about 2 cups of hot liquid going into 5 gallons of beer. I've never had a carbonation problem.

 

[TwistedGray]

I always go for about 3/4tsp of sugar in each bottle. I find that to be reliable enough for me.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I've only bottled two batches, so take this with a grain of...barley.

I used carb drops on one batch and priming sugar in solution on the other. With regards to the carb drops, at first I didn't like them. The carbonation was super fizzy, almost champagne-like. But, that beer was a super dry, almost slightly tart, raspberry saison. In the end, I found that I liked the super fizzy carbonation on that beer. In fact, when I make that beer again, I'll likely bottle it the same way. YMMV.

The quality of the carbonation shouldn't really change based on what you use to prime with. I would guess that what you experienced was some combination of the dryness and ingredients of the beer and the level of carbonation achieved with the amount of sugar in each drop. If you could calculate the volumes of carbonation you get with the drops you should be able to replicate that with a sugar solution and bottling bucket.

 

[TravelingLight]

The quality of the carbonation shouldn't really change based on what you use to prime with. I would guess that what you experienced was some combination of the dryness and ingredients of the beer and the level of carbonation achieved with the amount of sugar in each drop. If you could calculate the volumes of carbonation you get with the drops you should be able to replicate that with a sugar solution and bottling bucket.

That's the kicker. I dunno how to calculate that. So I just plan to use the carb drops again. They were given to me and I still have some left. It's just easier.