Sugar advice

[frostyp]

I am just about ready to bottle my very first batch of lager , all gone well do far, question is about sugar into bottles , is there an advantage using the tablets you can buy over household sugar, I appreciate tablets easier to put in bottle, but is there a benefit to the lager by using them?

 

[duboman]

You can use either the tablets or the sugar. There are a lot of mixed reviews on the tablets that you can search and read about, some work well for folks, others complain they don't work well. If you elect to use the sugar, the best way to do this is to create a simple sugar by boiling 2 cups of water, adding the sugar to dissolve, cool a bit, pour into bottling bucket and rack the beer into it. The swirl will help it mix. Some people will gently stir with a sanitized spoon to ensure a good mix, then bottle.

I personally have never used the tablets, I only use priming sugar and have never had a batch not properly carbonate. Be sure to use a priming sugar calculator to get the correct amount to use.

 

[DannyD]

Table suger is all i use,and it works fine. And pay no attention to the posts that say, it gives beer a "cidery" taste

 

[onipar]

I'm also a table sugar user for priming. I started out with corn sugar (because that's what came with the first kits I ever bought), and then switched to table sugar because it's cheaper and easily accessible.

I've never used the tablets because in my opinion, it's an extra expense that I can avoid. I honestly don't know much about them.

I recently had a couple beers from a fellow HBT user that uses DME to prime his bottles. I'm not sure I noticed a flavor difference (it's hard to tell unless I had two of the same exact beers side by side, one primed with DME and one primed with table sugar), but I do think the carbonation seemed "softer" with the DME.

 

[unionrdr]

I think the Cooper's carb drops are better than the "pill" style ones which require more of them to properly carbonate vs the Cooper's drops. One drop per 12oz bottle works great. But I found at 7 weeks or so they over carbnate insomuch as the bubbles are bigger & plenty of them.Head suffers as well 7 weeks or ao in,ime. That's when I started bulk priming with a sugar solution in a bottling bucket. Def better quality of carbonation & head support.
Carbonation doesn't make head,but it drives it to an extent. Head is created by protiens in the beer.

 

[HerbieHowells]

I suppose you could argue that tabs are going to be a little more uniform, because you definitely have n grams of sugar in each bottle (that is, if you remember to add the tabs- something I almost forgot to do the only time I used them). Although I have never had really unevenly carbonated bottles using sugar. My big hesitation with the tabs is the fact that it is harder to match your carbonation to style; for someone like me who brews a lot of English style beers, the ability to step back the carbonation level is pretty important.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I'm also a table sugar user for priming. I started out with corn sugar (because that's what came with the first kits I ever bought), and then switched to table sugar because it's cheaper and easily accessible.

I've never used the tablets because in my opinion, it's an extra expense that I can avoid. I honestly don't know much about them.

I recently had a couple beers from a fellow HBT user that uses DME to prime his bottles. I'm not sure I noticed a flavor difference (it's hard to tell unless I had two of the same exact beers side by side, one primed with DME and one primed with table sugar), but I do think the carbonation seemed "softer" with the DME.

I've never primed with drops, I started with corn sugar and switched to DME a few months ago. But, after trying some of Onipar's beer, I'd say table sugar is as good a way to go as any other. Like a lot of brewers, saving money really helps and since I always have DME on hand for starters, I use that. I do get a softer carbonation with DME, when compared to corn sugar, which is nice in many of the styles I brew regularly (lots of British beers), but I do generally have to wait an extra week or so for my bottles to carb up. YMMV

 

[pgrebus]

Palmer, in How to Brew, discusses the different types of sugars and how to carbonate properly with them.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-7.html

I'm mostly moved to kegging unless I specifically want to add sweetness to the beer - I've used piloncillo and demerara sugars

 

[onipar]

I've never primed with drops, I started with corn sugar and switched to DME a few months ago. But, after trying some of Onipar's beer, I'd say table sugar is as good a way to go as any other. Like a lot of brewers, saving money really helps and since I always have DME on hand for starters, I use that. I do get a softer carbonation with DME, when compared to corn sugar, which is nice in many of the styles I brew regularly (lots of British beers), but I do generally have to wait an extra week or so for my bottles to carb up. YMMV

Yeah, I think I noticed the carb the most with that English Brown you sent, and it was perfect. :rockin:

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Yeah, I think I noticed the carb the most with that English Brown you sent, and it was perfect. :rockin:

That one did turn out great, too bad I can't take any credit. The only thing I did was pay attention to the ferment temps, the rest was all Juli. She's a whiz with all things involving recipes, food, wine or beer.

 

[Pezman1]

As far as I'm concerned, the biggest reason to use some form of sugar solution instead of the drops/tabs is the cost. Any of the carb drops are pricey compared to corn/table sugar/DME.

Also, you can be more precise in the carb levels when you measure the sugar yourself verses the drops.


As far as what to use - DME/table sugar/corn sugar - I think it is purely personal preference. I use corn sugar, but I think that DME would be more "traditional"..... if that makes any sense.

Cheers. Pez.

EDIT - I wish a redo. I'm actually more concerned with proper carb levels than saving a buck, but you get the idea....

 

[frostyp]

Thanks all