Can someone explain how temperature affects priming?

[samuelzero]

Hi everyone.

I recently had a batch where I tried a lower priming rate, at the suggestion of a book by Dave Miller. I used 1/2 cup corn sugar instead of 3/4. I won't do this again, as there is virtually no carbonation after a month in the bottle.

I reluctanly cooled the bottles and added some dry corn sugar to each one, at the rate of 1/2 teaspoon per 12 ouncer. I tried to do 3/4 teaspoon, but the instant the sugar hit the brew, the damn things foamed over. 1/2 teaspoon is all I could manage to get in and recap before I lost half the bottle over the edge.

It seems from some of the things I've read, that if you prime the beer when it is at a lower temperature, you need less sugar. This doesn't make sense to me, as the bottles have to warm up for the yeast to work anyway.

Can anyone explain this?

Thanks,

samuelzero

 

[Lou]

It seems from some of the things I've read, that if you prime the beer when it is at a lower temperature, you need less sugar.

where did you read this??

 

[samuelzero]

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html

Scroll down just below the pic of the two buckets. The "nomograph" (whatever that is) works by drawing a straight line from the temperature of the beer through the volumes of CO2 you want. If the temp is lower, the line crosses through a lower amount of sugar (if I'm reading this thing right)

I'm not sure if they mean the temperature of the beer when it is primed, or the temp it waill be served at, or what.

 

[david_42]

Palmer's nomograph (three interrelated factors graphed as lines so a straight line connecting two lines shows what the third item would do, it's a form of slideruler (see wikipedia, kids)) is for serving temperature, not priming temperature. The higher the serving temperature, the harder it is to keep CO2 in solution. Just as you need higher pressures to force carbonate at higher temperatures.

On the other hand, the colder you serve an ale, the MORE volumes of CO2 you want to maintain mouthfeel and head.

Regardless, you have to let the carbonation occur around room temperature.

If you want to boost carbonation in a bottled beer, use carb drops. Loose sugar makes for "foaming all over".

 

[clayof2day]

I would say temp. served at as cooler liquids can hold more dissolved gasses. So as I think I under stand it, you need them above 70 to ferment the sugars and build pressure (CO2). Then after you cool it, more CO2 will dissolve from the headspace back into the beer. Just like how you need less pressure to carb a keg with a certain volume of CO2 at lower pressures. Does that make sense to everyone, or just me? David beat me to it, we must have been typing at the same time

 

[Blender]

I'm not sure if they mean the temperature of the beer when it is primed, or the temp it waill be served at, or what.

I'm not 100% certain but that graph must mean serving temperature.

 

[david_42]

I may have fast hands, but at no time do they leave my wrists.