carbonating tabs vs. priming sugar

[blakelyc]

Hi folks:

So I am three batches in to my home brewing career. For all three batches, I used priming sugar in various amounts with the help of iBrewmaster. I have had exactly no problems with carbonation, inconsistency, etc. But while I was bottling last Friday, it occurred to me that since I am 3-for-3 in forgetting to heat the priming sugar until I damn near have my autosiphon in the carboy, even if I have had no issues, using carbonation tabs sure would be easier.

Are there any negatives to going that route? Any issues or steps in the process that need to be minded closely?

Thanks!
-b

 

[verbhertz]

I heat it up first thing and chill in a mini ice bath until I'm ready to rack into my bottling bucket. That way it's hard to forget!

 

[Draken]

I heat it up first thing and chill in a mini ice bath until I'm ready to rack into my bottling bucket. That way it's hard to forget!

I am with verb. Start your bottle day by boiling your sugar and water and sticking it in an ice batch. Then setup your space. By the time you are ready the sugar will be cool and ready to go. Other than the cost and a slight more difficulty controlling carb levels, I am unaware of a side effects of using tabs.

My bottling day:
Boil sugar and stick in an ice bath
Sanitize bottles and hang on the bottle tree
Setup everything else
Rack
Bottle
Clean

 

[HerbieHowells]

Every time that I have used carbonation tabs, I have nearly forgotten to put the tabs in the bottles before adding the beer. So it's just as easy to screw up with the tabs, I assure you.

The other down side is that it is harder to control priming levels with carb tabs. With the smaller ones, I think you can add different numbers to bottles, but you don't have as much control as you do with priming sugar.

 

[verbhertz]

I am with verb. Start your bottle day by boiling your sugar and water and sticking it in an ice batch. Then setup your space. By the time you are ready the sugar will be cool and ready to go. Other than the cost and a slight more difficulty controlling carb levels, I am unaware of a side effects of using tabs.

My bottling day:
Boil sugar and stick in an ice bath
Sanitize bottles and hang on the bottle tree
Setup everything else
Rack
Bottle
Clean

That's exactly my process.

 

[sketerbuck]

I used the carb tabs once and was not happy with the results. They never fully desolved and left chunks floting in the beer.

 

[Greenbasterd]

i use tabs for the leftover that does not fit in in the 19L keg. i use the coopers tabs and have never had any problem. i let them dissolve for about an hour then shake the beer and put it away.. never had any chunks leftover

 

[elpenoso]

Why is cooling the priming sugar solution before adding to bottling bucket necessary? Why cant you add it warm? It seems like it would dissolve into the beer much better.

 

[blakelyc]

Sounds like I will stick with priming sugar, and write down the process above on a poster and stick it to the wall. I figured there may be a controll issue, and since I haven't experienced any problems other than having to back up a few steps then there isn't much reason to change. I have been happy with my quality so far, so I'll just have to solidify the process. Thank you all!

 

[duboman]

Why is cooling the priming sugar solution before adding to bottling bucket necessary? Why cant you add it warm? It seems like it would dissolve into the beer much better.

There is still yeast in the beer and you do not want it to shock with the hot priming sugar.

For the tabs, there are a ton of threads on this site referencing them, some people have success with them, some do not, it seems to be hit or miss. I use priming sugar in all my batches and always have, and have never had a beer not fully carbonate properly.

 

[elpenoso]

It doesnt seem like a 1/4 cup of hot liquid will have any effect on the temp of 5 gallons. Most of my yeast comes into the b. bucket at the end. Interesting thought I'll have to do a temp test.

 

[Andrew5329]

Carbonation tabs are semi expensive compared to priming sugar which is like 50cents per 5 gallon batch. That and I suppose the priming sugar adds a tiny bit of alcohol to your brew.

 

[HerbieHowells]

The priming tabs would add alcohol as well, I think. They are essentially small doses of fermentable sugar. The yeast turns the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, and the carbon dioxide stays in solution in the beer until it is opened. Either way, it is a negligible amount of alcohol.

 

[rodwha]

I have used the Cooper's and Munton's tabs with no real ill-effects. Nothing floating around.
They are more expensive than sugar, but less time consuming and easier.
I certainly like them.

 

[Andrew5329]

I have used the Cooper's and Munton's tabs with no real ill-effects. Nothing floating around.
They are more expensive than sugar, but less time consuming and easier.
I certainly like them.

I'm not sure they really save on time/effort since your putting a tab in every bottle as compared to boiling 5oz of sugar in 2 cups of water for 5 min and adding it to the bottling bucket.

I guess the only real advantage is if you have a thing about yeast film in your beer and want to avoid that, or if your using some kind of fancy filtration mechanism like most commercial beers do.

 

[Grinder12000]

Why is cooling the priming sugar solution before adding to bottling bucket necessary?

I can't believe that small about of liquid would have any effect on the final product - HOWEVER - it's one of the hundreds of tiny things you can do to make a better brew.

I won't put HOT sugar water in my bucket but I do cool it down just because it's one of those little things to do.

Tabs- I have read so many times about bad tab taste - plus seriously - you have ver little control on how much carbonation you want. Every style is different.

 

[rodwha]

"I'm not sure they really save on time/effort since your putting a tab in every bottle as compared to boiling 5oz of sugar in 2 cups of water for 5 min and adding it to the bottling bucket."
I just fill the bottle... My SWMBO drops the tab and caps. So for me it's effortless!

 

[BadBeagleBrew]

I usually forget to cook up the sugar until I'm about to fill bottling bucket and realize its not there. I just take pot right off stove and dump it in bucket and rack right on the hot liquid, never had a problem. If it knocks any yeast out of suspension it will be the yeast from the first say half liter to liter of beer, still got close to 5 gallons of good yeast filled beer to take care of that tiny taste of sugar and carb up those beers.