Do you cool your priming sugar solution?

[kombat]

I know the conventional instructions for batch-priming a bottle-conditioned beer are to boil some water, mix in the prescribed amount of priming sugar, then cool it down, add it to the bottling bucket, and gently rack the beer into it, allowing it to swirl and mix (without any agitation).

I keg my 5 gallon batches of beers, so I don't often do this process. However, I bottle-carb my 1 gallon "test" batches of beer (since it seems wasteful to use a big 5 gallon keg to carb 1 gallon of beer). When I do it, I'm impatient, so after I've boiled and mixed the priming sugar solution, I don't bother waiting for it to cool back down. I just dump it directly into my bottling bucket, then drape in the siphon hose and start racking the gallon of beer into it.

I guess my thinking is that even just pouring the hot solution into the bottling bucket, the bucket is going to cool the solution considerably on initial contact. Then the first few ounces of beer being racked into it will cool it the rest of the way. I may be killing the yeast in those first few ounces, but it will quickly cool sufficiently (as more and more beer mixes in) to a level that is harmless to the yeast, and whatever yeast remains will be evenly mixed via the same process that is mixing the priming sugar evenly throughout.

So far, I've not had any problems with undercarbed beers, but I do wonder if anyone else does this, or if people actually bother waiting for the priming solution to cool down. That could take quite some time (unless, I suppose, I dunk the pot in some sort of cooling bath, but that seems risky and impractical).

So what does everyone else do? Does anyone else just mix the beer in while the priming solution is still hot? Have you ever noticed any detrimental effects on the finished beer as a result of this?

 

[barrooze]

When I bottled, I would pour the priming syrup solution straight into the bottling bucket. It was the first thing that went into the bucket and since the volume was quite small and the footprint of the bucket so large, I felt that it would cool pretty quickly. Once I poured it in, I would typically take a minute or two to start racking the beer into the bucket, so I didn't think the temp of the solution was too high when the beer finally made its way into the bucket. I don't think the temp difference made any noticeable changes to the beer, but i can't say for sure.

 

[mkyl428]

I don't cool it I am bottling 5 gallons at a time I know 2 cups of boiling priming solution won't hurt.

 

[kh54s10]

I never cool the sugar solution. I start the siphon in a whirlpool motion then pour in the priming solution relatively slowly. There is not much volume to the priming solution so most of the beer is not getting much if any heating.

 

[theseeker4]

I know the conventional instructions for batch-priming a bottle-conditioned beer are to boil some water, mix in the prescribed amount of priming sugar, then cool it down, add it to the bottling bucket, and gently rack the beer into it, allowing it to swirl and mix (without any agitation).

I keg my 5 gallon batches of beers, so I don't often do this process. However, I bottle-carb my 1 gallon "test" batches of beer (since it seems wasteful to use a big 5 gallon keg to carb 1 gallon of beer). When I do it, I'm impatient, so after I've boiled and mixed the priming sugar solution, I don't bother waiting for it to cool back down. I just dump it directly into my bottling bucket, then drape in the siphon hose and start racking the gallon of beer into it.

I guess my thinking is that even just pouring the hot solution into the bottling bucket, the bucket is going to cool the solution considerably on initial contact. Then the first few ounces of beer being racked into it will cool it the rest of the way. I may be killing the yeast in those first few ounces, but it will quickly cool sufficiently (as more and more beer mixes in) to a level that is harmless to the yeast, and whatever yeast remains will be evenly mixed via the same process that is mixing the priming sugar evenly throughout.

So far, I've not had any problems with undercarbed beers, but I do wonder if anyone else does this, or if people actually bother waiting for the priming solution to cool down. That could take quite some time (unless, I suppose, I dunk the pot in some sort of cooling bath, but that seems risky and impractical).

So what does everyone else do? Does anyone else just mix the beer in while the priming solution is still hot? Have you ever noticed any detrimental effects on the finished beer as a result of this?

I never cool it, I add the still boiling sugar water to the bucket and rack onto it. Never have an issue with carbonation, so there are plenty of yeast intact doing it this way.

 

[kombat]

OK good, I'm not alone. So if nobody actually bothers cooling their priming sugar solutions, why do we still include that step when repeating the instructions to newbies?

 

[peterj]

I usually make my priming solution in a mason jar in the microwave. So I just put a lid on it and put it into my bucket of starsan while I get everything else together. That cools it down enough for me to handle it which I'm sure is plenty. But if your beer is still carbing fine, then I don't see any problem with your method.

 

[kh54s10]

OK good, I'm not alone. So if nobody actually bothers cooling their priming sugar solutions, why do we still include that step when repeating the instructions to newbies?

I started with Northern Brewer kits. The make no mention of cooling the priming solution.

BOTTLING DAY—ABOUT 1 MONTH
AFTER BREWING DAY
19. Sanitize siphoning and bottling equipment.
20. Mix a priming solution (a measured amount of sugar
dissolved in water to carbonate the bottled beer). Use
the following amounts, depending on which type of
sugar you will use:
- Corn sugar (dextrose) 2/3 cup in 16 oz water.
- Table sugar (sucrose) 5/8 cup in 16 oz water.
Then bring the solution to a boil and pour into the
bottling bucket.
21. Siphon beer into bottling bucket and mix with priming
solution. Stir gently to mix—don’t splash.
22. Fill and cap bottles.

 

[unionrdr]

I like to cool it a little bit, just to the point where it isn't steamy anymore, covered. Then pour it into the swirling, rising column of beer in the bottling bucket.

 

[flars]

I cook the sugar solution and then set it in the sink with cold water. Get my sanitation done and begin the siphoning. The priming solution goes into the bottling bucket when half the beer has been siphoned. Usually the priming solution is just tepid by that time.

edit: I sanitize the priming solution kettle before putting over the bottling bucket to do the pour.

 

[GHBWNY]

Like the majority of others, I don't cool the priming solution. I start the syphon, let it run for about 30 seconds and then slowly add the priming solution. My theory is that the more cool beer there is for it to integrate with, the greater the "buffering" potential there is against any effect of the incoming hot priming solution on the yeast. As of yet, no problem.

 

[unionrdr]

That's basically what I do. I just like to cool the hotter edge off it a little first.

 

[Dixon9717]

I boil it 30-45 minutes before I need it and let it set on the stove to cool until I need it. With the lid on of coarse.....

 

[CJ-3]

I set mine off to the side and let it cool while getting my bottles and equipment ready.

 

[ncbrewer]

I've read many posts here on HBT about checking gravity of wort that has been topped off with cool water. There seems to be agreement that the warm or hot wort and cool top-off water don't mix easily, largely because of temperature difference. So I cool the priming solution to close to the beer temp to aid in mixing. This is just my own theory.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

here's what I do: first, I take off my shirt and spray myself down with Star San. I let myself air dry. then I bust out the petroleum jelly and cover myself from head to belt to keep all those pesky skin flakes from contaminating my precious artifact can kit beer. then I spend some time encouraging the yeast by whispering, "You guys! C'mon, you guys!" then I bottle the beer and remember the next day that I forgot to add the priming solution. then I go through the whole process again, but this time with the priming solution. then I remember that I kegged and force carbed it, making the priming solution unnecessary. no, I don't cool the solution.

 

[Cyclman]

Nope, I cool it enough to handle it safely, but no more. Cook it in the microwave, covered, let it sit for maybe 5-10 minutes, then put it in the bottling bucket.

 

[TriggerHappy]

I take the extra 5 minutes it takes to let the pot cool down in the sink with cold H2O. I know this is such a long time but I ususally have other stuff that I am setting up. And I have to get The Clach rocking as it is perfect bottling music that keeps the yeast happy so they can party down eating all that delicious sugar.

 

[feinbera]

Not intentionally, but putting it on to boil is usually the first thing I do, so, it'll usually have finished its boil and had some time to hang out before I've sanitized my bottles, bucket and auto siphon. Just sitting on the stove doesn't cool it too much, I'm sure even with one-gallon test batches, the yeast in the 95% of the beer that didn't get superheated are plenty to get the job done.

And, while I've never lubed up in the service of better beer, you can regularly catch me verbally encouraging my yeasties; if that's wrong, my soon-to-be-punched berries don't wanna be right.

 

[sudbuddy]

Oh Billy, Billy, Billy Boy, when are you gonna find whatever it is your lookin for?

 

[myerstyson]

My process:

-Boil the water, add the sugar, boil for a bit, turn off, put pot with cover in freezer.
-While the priming solution is cooling, I clean/sanitize all my bottles.
-Rack beer onto priming sugar solution.

Reading all the above, I may skip the freezer part.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Oh Billy, Billy, Billy Boy, when are you gonna find whatever it is your lookin for?

I stole this shirt from Frank.

 

[balrog]

here's what I do: first, I take off my shirt and spray myself down with Star San. I let myself air dry. then I bust out the petroleum jelly and cover myself from head to belt to keep all those pesky skin flakes from contaminating my precious artifact can kit beer. then I spend some time encouraging the yeast by whispering, "You guys! C'mon, you guys!" then I bottle the beer and remember the next day that I forgot to add the priming solution. then I go through the whole process again, but this time with the priming solution. then I remember that I kegged and force carbed it, making the priming solution unnecessary. no, I don't cool the solution.

Wasn't there actually someone who made a YTVid about doing exactly that as instructional homebrewing?

Back on topic: boil, sit covered on stove while prepping bottle tree, drinking heavily, no petroleum jelly involved, pour in bottling bucket (priming solution that is), rack on top.

 

[unionrdr]

Kinda reminds me of TSA...

 

[bendog15]

I boil the carbonating sugar and water for 10 min (heard that not even a full 10 min is necessary) and put it in a sanitized mason jar on the counter while I assemble my bottles. Once I start racking into the bottling bucket, I dump the whole amount into the bucket. I don't even bother with a slow pour. Just dump the entire solution into the bucket, hot as hell. Bottle as normal. Never once had a problem, and beer has always carbonated up beautifully.