Priming sugar

[Bierman707]

Is this needed? I've googled the reason for application and all I get is how much to use. I need to know if and why I would need to use it at all.

 

[Hawkbox]

Priming sugar is needed if you're bottling. It's used to cause a "secondary" fermentation in the bottle that will scavenge the oxygen and generate CO2 to carbonate the bottles. Otherwise you just have flat beer in the bottles.

if you are using CO2 tanks and kegs, you don't need to bother. This took me a while to figure out last year.

 

[Bierman707]

So this will be necessary... alright, thank you for sharing this.

 

[Hawkbox]

There are some calculators out there that will tell you how much to add. The general consensus from what I can see is
1- Transfer from your primary to a bottling bucket of some kind (Just something clean you can put the beer in)
2- Take the sugar and mix it in while not contaminating anything (starsan, clean equipment)
3- Bottle the beer.

 

[philjohnwilliams]

You can mix the sugar into the beer with minimal oxygen intake by putting your priming solution (sugar dissolved in some water and boiled to sanitize) and then siphoning the beer into the bucket on top of it. If you place the outlet of the hose in the bucket so that the liquid entering the bucket creates a slow whirlpool, the motion of the beer will mix the priming solution in evenly. Dextrose (corn sugar) is the sugar usually used to prime, but if you don't have any you can use table sugar at the same rate.

 

[White Haus Brews]

As others have said you will definitely need some type of sugar for carbonation but it can be whatever you want it to be (table sugar, corn sugar, honey, molasses, etc...) Just make sure to use a calculator to get the amount dialed in for the carbonation level you want

 

[Hawkbox]

Yeah, my main fear here and you should fear it to is bottle bombs. I actually went plastic bottles when I bottled to avoid it.

If you do the math right it's not an issue but it's not a grip it and rip it scenario.

 

[Nosybear]

Yeah, my main fear here and you should fear it to is bottle bombs. I actually went plastic bottles when I bottled to avoid it.

If you do the math right it's not an issue but it's not a grip it and rip it scenario.

On the other hand, if you make sure fermentation is done (with gravity readings, not by watching the airlock!) AND you use reasonable amounts of sugar (anything over 5 ounces should be suspect but MAY not be wrong), you will avoid bottle bombs. Unless your beer is infected and there's tertiary, wild fermentation, then all bets are off.

 

[Bierman707]

On the other hand, if you make sure fermentation is done (with gravity readings, not by watching the airlock!) AND you use reasonable amounts of sugar (anything over 5 ounces should be suspect but MAY not be wrong), you will avoid bottle bombs. Unless your beer is infected and there's tertiary, wild fermentation, then all bets are off.

I've heard so many guys say that gravity readings weren't really needed... they just watched the airlock, and could visually see the years had stopped moving around in the carboy.
I have the gravity reading float. I'll use it to save myself some potential problems.

 

[Hawkbox]

Yeah I personally wouldn't bottle without taking a reading. You don't inherently need a gravity reading but it's going to be a random ass guess at best.

 

[Nosybear]

Yeah I personally wouldn't bottle without taking a reading. You don't inherently need a gravity reading but it's going to be a random ass guess at best.

It's the random ass bottle bombs I want to avoid.

 

[GFHomebrew]

And overcarbonated jumpy beer that doesnt want to stay in the bottle once opened!

 

[White Haus Brews]

I've heard so many guys say that gravity readings weren't really needed... they just watched the airlock, and could visually see the years had stopped moving around in the carboy.
I have the gravity reading float. I'll use it to save myself some potential problems.

For the most part they are right, but I would only go this route if you're willing to let your beer sit in the fermenter for at least 2 and better 3 weeks, longer if you ferment cool. That said taking a reading is cheap insurance and you'll likely be able to bottle after a week, sometimes less. Just make sure you take 2 readings a day or 2 apart so you know that the gravity is stable. Even if you're at your projected FG it may drop farther depending on a lot of different factors.