Priming sugar or tabs?
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I prefer sugar. I have never used the tabs though. I have read more about problems with the tabs than sugar unless the sugar was used in improper amounts.
The tabs need some 4-6 per bottle to do the same job as one carb drop (per 12oz bottle). Bulk priming is far better than either one. You prime in a bottling bucket,so the size of the bottle no longer matters.
jwalk4
Well-Known Member
As with most things concerning brewing, it depends.
Tabs are good, I have used them. They require little thought and provide fairly consistent results. They also reduce the chance of oxygenation in your beer because you don't need to stir in tablets in the bottling bucket, just pop em' in the bottle.
However, tabs lack flexibility. If you are brewing a beer style that requires high CO2 levels, like a pilsner for instance, then you might be able to slide by with a tablet. But, if you brewing beer that requires lower CO2 levels, like a bitter, then your carb level will be too high.
Ultimately, you get back what you put into your beer. Do the math, measure correctly, and stir the sugar solution in carefully, and you can't go wrong.
Priming sugar gets my head nod.
Tabs are good, I have used them. They require little thought and provide fairly consistent results. They also reduce the chance of oxygenation in your beer because you don't need to stir in tablets in the bottling bucket, just pop em' in the bottle.
However, tabs lack flexibility. If you are brewing a beer style that requires high CO2 levels, like a pilsner for instance, then you might be able to slide by with a tablet. But, if you brewing beer that requires lower CO2 levels, like a bitter, then your carb level will be too high.
Ultimately, you get back what you put into your beer. Do the math, measure correctly, and stir the sugar solution in carefully, and you can't go wrong.
Priming sugar gets my head nod.
I used the Cooper's tabs exclusively for my first several batches and liked the results. But one day I found I had forgotten to buy replacements and didn't have enough to bottle my batch so I looked up using table sugar and gave it a go.
The results are typically good, though I have found some bottles may have more or less than the average, and I use a 1/2" ID bottling siphon, which really swirls the beer around in the solution.
I won't go back to the carb drops as they added a bit to the cost, and I generally get a ~$70/month beer brewing budget, which gives me about 3 beers to brew each month.
I also harvest my yeast.
The results are typically good, though I have found some bottles may have more or less than the average, and I use a 1/2" ID bottling siphon, which really swirls the beer around in the solution.
I won't go back to the carb drops as they added a bit to the cost, and I generally get a ~$70/month beer brewing budget, which gives me about 3 beers to brew each month.
I also harvest my yeast.
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