Carbonation suggestions

[nfiedler7]

Very new to homebrewing and wondering what are suggestions for carbonating. Brother in law has used tablets and did not get great success. Getting keg set up a better idea and carbonate that way? If so any equipment suggestions? Mostly making IPAs and pale ales!

Thanks!
Nate

 

[derekcw83]

Absolutely...you can go the route of bottling if you want, and just use corn sugar, using the calculators online for how much to use. But with ipa's you have to be extra careful every freakin step of the way to avoid oxygen.

But......I just switched to kegging and geez is it better. If you can, and you want to, absolutely go that route instead. I didn't because I thought it would be "complicated" with the equipment. It's really easy, but you do need to have a keezer or kegerator. If you start bottling, and take this hobby seriously, you will over time try to find ways to save time and labor, and kegging is a big help in that department. And when it comes to ipa's, I think it improves their quality and longevity by kegging instead.

 

[z-bob]

I use sugar cubes. One Domino "Dot" cube per 11 or 12 ounce bottle, 2 per 22 ounce bomber, and two of the larger C&H sugar cubes for a 1 liter pop bottle. Premeasured, and a lot cheaper than carbonator tablets.