how much sugar to use?

[tractorboyj]

Hi, can anyone please tell me how much sugar to use.(in 5 gallons)
I have just started my 1st lager(coopers) its been in fermenting bin for 5 days now, i have been going by the how to brew beer video on muntons site and that says to use 3 ounces of sugar, the instructions that came with beer however say to use no more than 1kg???

Also the bloke on the muntons video adds the 3 ounces after he has syphoned from fermenting bin into pressure barrel, is this best time to add the sugarconfused:
Any help much appreciated

 

[killian]

it depends on what you are trying to do with the sugar. If you are adding the sugar to increase the gravity you could add it during the boil or some times to the ferment. More likely the sugar is for priming at bottling, if that is the case most people use about 4-5oz per 5 gallons check this out TastyBrew.com | Homebrewing Calculators | Botting Priming Calculator. Welcome to HBT!

 

[Figbash]

If you are talking about priming sugar for bottling, it depends on what type of sugar you are using and how much carbonation you like. If you use corn sugar, a good place to start is 4 ounces per 5 gallon batch. I like a little more carbonation in my ale and use 5 ounces. If you use cane sugar, it'll take about 10% less to achieve the same amount of carbonation and DME will require about 25% more.

Tom

 

[Nurmey]

Welcome to HBT!

You are confusing two separate uses of sugar. The first use is as a fermentable when making your beer and the second is for priming your pressure tank to carbonate your beer.

Fermenting: One kilo is an option in the Coopers kits to be used as fermentable sugar. It is used in place of malt to make your beer a higher ABV. Too much sugar as a fermentable can make your beer thin and cidery. A better solution is to add more malt to the brew. You can use another can of Coopers, buy extra malt, or split the difference and use 1/2 sugar and 1/2 malt. If you are just learning, I would suggest you buy 2 cans of Cooper's lager instead of adding sugar.

Carbonation: Generally it's 1 ounce per gallon added to fermented wort to carbonate. This amount will go up or down as the beer style dictates. For a 5 gallon batch anywhere from 3 ounces to 5 ounces is normal. Priming sugar is boiled up with a little water and added to fermented wort to get the yeast going to carbonating your beer.

 

[tractorboyj]

thanks for that nurmey!