Priming sugar

[brewskiez]

I mistakenly don't have any of the priming sugar the kits come with. Is there a substitute I can pick up from the grocery store?

 

[Revvy]

You probably don't even have to leave the house unless you're out... Just use table sugar. But you don't use the same amount.. Use the brewing calculator here to tell you how much.

 

[Sillybilly]

Good ole table sugar will work just fine. Its best to find an online calculator to determine how much to add, by weight is better but measured in cups works too.

 

[Revvy]

I also provide info on alternatives for priming in this post in my bottling stickey.

 

[brewskiez]

Thanks for the responses got the info I needed

 

[LostHopper]

You probably don't even have to leave the house unless you're out... Just use table sugar. But you don't use the same amount.. Use the brewing calculator here to tell you how much.

Pardon the interruption Revvy but in that calculator it wants the temperature of the beer. I've seen this discussed and I'm never sure if it's the warmest the beer has been during fermentation or the present temp of the beer (cold crashed) or what temperature the beer spent the most time during fermentation.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

My opinion on this: Use the temperature peak that coincides with post peak fermentation activity, while "down-side" fermentation is still active. If the temperature is not driving CO2 out of the beer (as for completely post fermentation) then that CO2 is still in solution. And that means the temperature the beer experiences during that period is not changing anything.

 

[Sillybilly]

I use the average of what the temperature was during fermentation and not what it peaked at, for the reason mentioned above. I would rather error on the side of assuming more CO2 is in suspension and using less sugar than over priming it. I have never had gushers *knocks on wood* so I tend to stick with this method as less carbonation is better than too much!

 

[doug293cz]

Use the highest temperature the beer has seen since the end of active fermentation. I did a detailed analysis of highest temp vs. cold crash temp in this post (warning: lots of math.)

Brew on

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

Honey, malt extract, table sugar. Take your pick. Any type of simple sugar. Just use an online calculator to figure out the correct amounts

 

[Calder]

Table sugar works fine. I use it all the time. No need to pay extra for corn sugar.

Max temp beer has been at after fermentation is complete.

 

[Revvy]

Pardon the interruption Revvy but in that calculator it wants the temperature of the beer. I've seen this discussed and I'm never sure if it's the warmest the beer has been during fermentation or the present temp of the beer (cold crashed) or what temperature the beer spent the most time during fermentation.

This is one of those things that no one except people like Doug who did the math quite understand it. People have debated it, and come up with their own ideas... but yeah the general consensus has been that it's the highest temp you beer has been at during the process.

It's also honestly one of those details that not everyone sweats, usually unless we're carbing to a specific style.

The general rule thumb for the majority of beer styles is a carb range of 2-2.5 volumes of co2.... which in terms of priming sugar is one ounce per gallon of beer.

Or about .08 ounces LESS if using table sugar.

So in a lot of ways, especially if you're making an ale at room temp the general rule of thumb applies.