Carbonation question

[histo320]

I've got several brews under my belt but my carbonation seems to be inconsistent.

usually my problem is overcarbonation from being to impatient. I thought i solved that when i made an ipa let it sit for 4 weeks, then bottled with 3/4 cup of priming sugar. it is over carbonated, not terrible tho. It was 5 gallons by the way.

then i made a cream ale, also 5 gallons, bottled with 3/4 cup of priming sugar and there is little to no carbonation.

what can I do to be more precise on my carbonation other than kegging?

 

[Nurmey]

Buy a scale and weigh the priming sugar properly. Measuring cups can easily fit an ounce or more difference between scoops.

 

[histo320]

I've always used my Home Ec. teachers method fill up the cup, and scrape the excess off with a butter knife, obviously that doesn't work.

How much are scales?

 

[steelerguy]

First, I would weight the priming sugar rather than measuring it by volume.

Second, my beers have carbonated at different rates depending on where I put them and what time of year it is. So really I am saying depending on temperature. I have started to put them near my baseboard heating since my basement is 60 at best now. (Around 70 where the beer is)

Third, if you add the same amount of sugar each time you should end up with similar carbonation. That doesn't mean you will have the same head retention but the carbonation should be similar. Make sure you don't judge too much until they have sat around for 4 weeks or so in the bottle.

Now that I bottle condition my beer the same way each time I have started to vary the sugar added depending on the style and serving temp. I always measure my priming sugar out by ounces rather than a volume measurement. I can hit a to sytle carbonation level pretty easy using the chart in How To Brew, but it can take 4+ weeks sometimes.

 

[ChshreCat]

I just use a cheap one I got for 5.99 at Target. If you want to get more exact (as you probably will in measuring hops down to the half or quarter ounce) you can go digital for around 20 bucks. Just check Target or Wally World for a cheap deal.

 

[Nurmey]

You can pick up a pretty nice scale at Target or Walmar for $15 or so. Mine goes from 1 10th of an ounce to 4 lbs. I use it for hops, grains, and priming sugar.

 

[histo320]

Got a scale, and was going to bottle sunday but thought I would wait a few more weeks.

I looked at the temperature and it is at 70F, plugged into beersmith at 2.4 Carb, and it said to use over 4 ounces of sugar! Is that correct? That seems like an awful lot to me.

 

[Yooper]

Got a scale, and was going to bottle sunday but thought I would wait a few more weeks.

I looked at the temperature and it is at 70F, plugged into beersmith at 2.4 Carb, and it said to use over 4 ounces of sugar! Is that correct? That seems like an awful lot to me.

4 ounces of priming sugar for 5 gallons seems about right to me.

 

[ChshreCat]

Got a scale, and was going to bottle sunday but thought I would wait a few more weeks.

I looked at the temperature and it is at 70F, plugged into beersmith at 2.4 Carb, and it said to use over 4 ounces of sugar! Is that correct? That seems like an awful lot to me.

4 oz of sugar is less than the 3/4 cup you've been using, I believe.

 

[ericm]

3/4 cup is pretty close to 4 oz (with some variation for packing, etc, of course)

 

[ChshreCat]

Ahh, I always see "5oz or 3/4 cup" as a priming guideline.

 

[llazy_llama]

3/4 cup weighs out to 5 oz on my scale.

 

[dmbnpj]

4 oz. is only 1/2 cup

 

[Wallygator]

My 3/4 cup ends up being 3.5 ounces, 1 cup is about 5 ounces on my scale. I guess thats why they say to weigh the corn sugar.

 

[llazy_llama]

Indeed it is.

 

[histo320]

My 3/4 cup ends up being 3.5 ounces, 1 cup is about 5 ounces on my scale. I guess thats why they say to weigh the corn sugar.

Thats why i bought a scale.

 

[android]

4 oz of sugar is less than the 3/4 cup you've been using, I believe.

i've actually found the opposite, but as it's been said, scooping method could change all that. 4 oz ended up looking larger than i thought it would. that's how much i've used for the two brews i've bottled so far and the carbonation in both has been quite good.

whoops, didn't notice the second page of this thread, guess this has been posted, but hey, why not again.

 

[Yooper]

4 oz. is only 1/2 cup

No, it's not! Go weigh out 4 ounces and then put it in a measuring cup. Weight of 4 ounces does NOT convert to liquid measurement of 4 ounces (1/2 cup). Try it out, and you'll see what I mean!

 

[ChshreCat]

No, it's not! Go weigh out 4 ounces and then put it in a measuring cup. Weight of 4 ounces does NOT convert to liquid measurement of 4 ounces (1/2 cup). Try it out, and you'll see what I mean!

That's another issue. Comfoozing dry and liquid measure. Another check in the weigh it out column.

 

[histo320]

With my last beer, BeerSmith said add 4.58 oz at 72F. I added right about 4.5, hopefully that will not be too much.

 

[5WTFLYBUM]

Haveing been in the kitchen for about 40yrs I can say that dry measure and wet measure are NOT the same.