Do really need to boil my bottling sugar ?

[Wheelspin]

I'm trying to stream line my bottling process and save a little time.

I wondered if it was really necessary to boil my bottling sugar ? Is sugar usually contaminated with nasties ?

Couldn't i just start off with pre-sanitsed water, add sugar from the packet, stir it up to dissolve and pitch it into my bottling bucket ?

Any ideas ?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes you can, is it best practice, probably not.

I primed a half keg yesterday by just dumping 1 1/2 cups of sugar in the keg while racking...best practice, of course not.

I believe I read that sugar in its dry form does not support bacteria well.

Really not all that hard to stick a measuring cup in the microwave and heat it to 200 degrees or so, then dissolve your sugar.

I also occasionally prime individual bottles by just adding table sugar directly to the bottle...seems to work fine, but NOT best practice.

Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[flars]

Boiling the water will sanitize the container you are adding the sugar to. The sugar will dissolve faster and completely in warm water.

 

[Rcbandl]

It only takes 15 minutes to boil your priming sugar. Do it first thing before you start prepping/sanitizing your equipment.

This topic (Do really need to boil my bottling sugar ?)will most likely lead to this topic(Why are my bottles gushing/taste like ass)

If you want to streamline, do not do it on any sensitization processes.

 

[Yooper]

It doesn't even take 15 minutes. I put a cup of water on the stove in a little pan, bring that up to a boil (it takes less than 5 minutes) while I measure the sugar and then dump it in the pot and stir it well. Then I turn off the heat and add the solution to my bottling bucket.

The sugar doesn't need to boil, as the hot water is enough to pasteurize it, even IF it could support wild yeast and bacteria. The sugar is much easier to dissolve in boiling water. If you use room temperature water, it'll take longer just to get the sugar to dissolve with stirring than it does for me to bring that little bit of water up to a boil, and stir in the sugar and proceed,

 

[Wheelspin]

Thanks for the comments.

OK, so there are really 2 sources of bacterial contamination in the process

1. The container that we mix the sugar with water in
2. Then water itself.

The sugar it appears does not support bacteal growth as Wilserbrewer rightly suggests.

From a sugar manufactures site "There is no best before date for most sugars, if stored correctly it will last until it is used as it does not support microbial growth."

So how about this.

1. I always have a 25 L litter drum of pre boiled (pressure cooker) water available. I will use this as the water.
2. The container will be a clean 500ml bowl (dishwasher washed) which I will additionally microwave dry for 3 minutes.
3. Finally I will add the sugar and water to the bowl and microwave for 1 minute to ease the sugar dissolving process. Stir to dissolve.
4. Pitch this into the bottling bucket and stir for 40 strokes with a sanitised SS spoon.

Have I saved any time and effort here ?

 

[Yooper]

Have I saved any time and effort here ?

No, but you could do it that way if you want.

I don't ever worry about my water being contaminated- I've been making wine and beer for many years, and I use water right out of the faucet. So that's not a worry for me at all.

It's just easier to dissolve the sugar in hot water, really.

I just put that water in the tiny saucepan, and then measure the sugar (which takes me a couple of minutes anyway), and then add it to the saucepan and stir. It's faster than what you have lined up, but it won't hurt to do it your way if that's most convenient.

I'm all for being sanitary with brewing, and am pretty careful with sanitation in all cold-side techniques, but not in this. Most water supplies are safe, and sugar doesn't support bacteria (no moisture).

 

[brewbama]

I open a bottle of Spring Water, dump about 1/3 out, add the sugar, then shake the bageezies out of it, and dump it in. My best practice. LOL


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[skw]

The sugar it appears does not support bacteal growth as Wilserbrewer rightly suggests.

But it may still harbor spores.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Sugar may not support growth, but once dissolved into water, anything present can now grow. Sugar is not sterile, it's just not a growth media when dry.

Another benefit of boiling, however, is to remove the dissolved oxygen from the water and sugar. There may not be much O2 present, but boiling would reduce it.

 

[Rcbandl]

But it may still harbor spores.

This!

 

[venomfast]

boil it i have been down that road with just throwing it in and some batches of beer did not mix right i could taste sugar in a few of the bottles also