Corn Sugar vs Table Sugar

[snowtiger87]

I need to bottle a couple of Belgian-style beers and I ran out of corn sugar. What are your thoughts on just using table sugar (from beets) instead? Should I use the same amount as I would corn sugar?

Thanks

[morticaixavier]

go for it. for all intents and purposes there is no difference at all. There is a table somewhere out there, maybe morebeer website? that lists lots of different kinds of sugar and the exact amount to use for carbing but I always just follow the corn sugar weight guidelines and have not had problems.

[weithman5]

i have been bottling with powdered sugar.  just to use up a few pounds we had on hand.  i have had no problems with this at all.

[nateo]

Corn sugar is very slightly less fermentable than table sugar (like maybe 5% less). I use cane sugar all the time to bottle beer, no problems. I used about 3/4lb of turbinado for 5 gallons of a champagne-style beer, and it worked fine.

[mihalybaci]

i have been bottling with powdered sugar.  just to use up a few pounds we had on hand.  i have had no problems with this at all.

I'd just watch out because some powdered sugar contains corn starch as an anti-caking agent, so make sure the only ingredient is sugar. A bag labeled "Superfine" or "caster" sugar should be 100% sugar.

[tom]

Cane sugar is a little more fermentable than corn sugar.

Check out this carbonation calculator:  http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html?15132099#tag

Cheers, Tom

[mtnrockhopper]

Corn sugar is very slightly less fermentable than table sugar (like maybe 5% less). I use cane sugar all the time to bottle beer, no problems. I used about 3/4lb of turbinado for 5 gallons of a champagne-style beer, and it worked fine.

Really? I've never heard that - what is the reason?

[snowtiger87]

Thanks for the calculator. That will come in handy 

[drummerboyseth]

Corn sugar is very slightly less fermentable than table sugar (like maybe 5% less). I use cane sugar all the time to bottle beer, no problems. I used about 3/4lb of turbinado for 5 gallons of a champagne-style beer, and it worked fine.

Not to split hairs here, but don't you mean 3/4 CUP of sugar?   3/4 pound in a 5 gallon batch would produce TREMENDOUS carbonation levels, and I suspect the bottles would be glass-grenades. 

[denny]

Good catch!

[nateo]

I absolutely meant 3/4lb, as in 340 grams. I was targeting 5.3 volumes of CO2 in 20L of beer.  I used Champagne bottles, no explosions, but I did have a couple crowns come off unexpectedly.

[morticaixavier]

I absolutely meant 3/4lb, as in 340 grams. I was targeting 5.3 volumes of CO2 in 20L of beer.  I used Champagne bottles, no explosions, but I did have a couple crowns come off unexpectedly.

that was the champagne style you were posting about right? so you probably lose some in the riddling/recorking process as well.

[nateo]

that was the champagne style you were posting about right? so you probably lose some in the riddling/recorking process as well.

Yeah, I aimed high and probably lost about 1 volume due to disgorging and recorking.

[denny]

I absolutely meant 3/4lb, as in 340 grams. I was targeting 5.3 volumes of CO2 in 20L of beer.  I used Champagne bottles, no explosions, but I did have a couple crowns come off unexpectedly.

Wow...thanks for the confirmation.  Obviously _I_ never would guessed that's what you really meant!

[skrag6713]

i understand you were shooting for high carb levels, but wouldn't that much sugar significantly impact your ABV?