priming solution vs. no priming solution

[CPooley4]

I forgot to boil my priming sugar when bottling last week (basically was lazy). Just dumped 3/4 cup corn sugar into the beer in the bottling bucket and stirred real well. Actually stirred a few times while bottling as well to make sure it was dissolved and distributed.

Am I going to have any issues with this?

Thanks,

cp

 

[blebo33]

The one thing that worries me is that by not boiling your priming sugar, it is not sterile so you are risking an infection in your bottles by doing it this way. Also, you probably don't want to be stirring the wort after fermentation is complete which can cause oxidation.

Next time, don't be so lazy, boil your priming sugar ;-)

 

[rsmith179]

Take 3/4 a cup of corn sugar and throw it in a bowl of water. How long does it take you to get all of that sugar disolved? I'm willing to be that it will take a long time to completely disolve all of the sugar properly. In the process, you'll probably also notice that while stirring, you had a huge exposure to oxygen. Both of those reasons should make you boil your sugar next time before priming.

You may or may not get good results in your batch without boiling the priming sugar solution. Only time will tell at this point...

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

Sugar in its dry form serves as an antimicrobial (it is even used as a bandage for severe wounds) and you have already fermented your beer so the alcohol, hops, and competitive inhibition from the yeast that are still present are going to prevent infection from all but the most resilient molds. I would not worry about anything like that.

The stirring and oxidation is a concern, but if you are not vigorously splashing the oxygen absorption compared to just transferring to your bottling bucket will be minimal.

Equal dispersement of the sugar in your beer is another concern, but if you stirred, you should be ok.

Don't mind the nay-sayers, I have used this method before and no problems on my end. RDWHAHB, remember, it is harder to really foul up beer than you think

 

[Homercidal]

It will likely be fine if you stirred well. I would recommend the solution method from now on, though, just to be sure about contamination and help with mixing.

 

[CPooley4]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it.

Next time I won't be so lazy. Was short on time and just forgot to boil prior to being ready to bottle. We were leaving for vacation and wanted to get it in the bottles before leaving.

Have a great weekend all.

cp

 

[brian_g]

I've done it both ways. Either way you want to stir well. I don't think oxidation is a much of a problem, assuming your not splashing a lot of air into the beer. Even if it's been sitting in the secondary for a while, there is a lot of dissolved CO2 in the beer. Vigorous string will drive the CO2 to the surface, pushing out O2.

As far as bacterial infection I don't think it's that big of a risk. Some people add the priming sugar directly to the bottles. They don't boil their priming sugar first.

 

[Nurmey]

Just so you know for the next time you are in a rush, I don't cool my simple syrup. The time it took you to stir was probably as much time as it takes me to boil up some sugar water and toss it in my bucket.

 

[hopsoda]

Yep. Microwave it then rack on top of hot syrup. Takes 1 min

 

[HillbillyDeluxe]

yep, youbshould boil fron now on but you will probably dodge the beer reaper this time. And sugar is used on severe wounds not because of anti microbals, or that its sterile. Its used to stop bleeding, the osmodic pressure of thick sugar soution is greater than the pressure your bloodvessels have. Its like counter pressure on them, less blood gets out.

 

[ajf]

Take a cup of coffee. Let it cool down to room temperature. Add a tsp of sugar, and stir. Start drinking the coffee. If the top of the coffee is as sweet as the bottom, you should have no problems. If the bottom is sweeter than the top, then you will probably have uneven carbonation at best, and some bottle bombs at worst.

-a.

 

[Dr_Deathweed]

And sugar is used on severe wounds not because of anti microbals, or that its sterile. Its used to stop bleeding, the osmodic pressure of thick sugar soution is greater than the pressure your bloodvessels have. Its like counter pressure on them, less blood gets out.

Close, but you have that backward. You are correct that sugar has an extremely high osmotic potential, but that helps draw fluid from tissues, not hold it in. This osmotic potential also works great on bacterial cells by inhibiting their growth. Why do you think things like syrup, honey, and jelly never really go bad? It is not that they are "sterile", it is because nothing can really grow in them. Sugar is great for bandaging because:

-When applied directly to a wound, sugar acts
as a mechanical debriding agent.​

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- It provides a hyperosmolar environment,
which draws extravascular fluid into the
wound and contributes to its bactericidal
properties.
- It attracts macrophages into the wound,
which help to hasten sloughing of necrotic
or devitalized tissue.
- It cleanses the wound, decreases inflammatory
edema, decreases odor, and rapidly
induces the formation of granulation tissue
and reepithelialization.

IF you are truly interested, I will dig up the references on the research on this, but I am sure you can google and find similar articles talking about high sugar concentrations acting as preservatives in food, and applications on sugar and honey as bandages.​

 

[Rick500]

Bottom line, you're probably not going to have a problem, but it would have been better to boil the priming sugar first.

You've spent all that time on the batch of beer so far; what's 10 more minutes?