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Author Topic: Priming sugar  (Read 2037 times)

Offline flbrewer

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Priming sugar
« on: June 08, 2013, 07:41:53 am »
What is the easiest widely available sugar used to prime bottles? Looking for something at the grocery store. Also, what's the standard amount used in 5 gallon batches? Thank you?

*i can go to the LHBS if needed



Offline lukachinsky

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2013, 07:49:42 am »
I've used standard corn sugar in a pinch and it worked fine.  Boil 16 ouncers of water and use 2/3 cup of priming sugar and add it to your 5 gallon batch.  Good luck!

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2013, 07:50:27 am »
Most use corn sugar I think due to no flavor input. I bet table sugar would work though. When I bottled o used 4-5 ounces for 5 gallons depending on style.

Offline euge

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2013, 08:01:42 am »
Cane or beet sugar- which is widely available at supermarkets. You know- sugar...
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Offline BrewingRover

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2013, 08:10:16 am »
Cane or beet sugar- which is widely available at supermarkets. You know- sugar...
Yep, sugar is sugar. Here's a handy tool for calculating how much to use
http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html
It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.

Offline Mark G

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2013, 08:13:53 am »
Plain old cane sugar works just as well as corn sugar and it's what I have in the pantry already. There are priming sugar calculators all over the internet. Use one of those to get an accurate amount. Measure by weight, not volume for best results.
Mark Gres

Offline jamminbrew

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2013, 08:44:52 am »
+1 to measure by weight. Much more accurate. 5 ounces of white sugar is a good basic amount for most five gallon batches. You can use any kind of sugar you want, but the may add a little flavor. I have a friend who likes to add honey for priming, and that does add a nice touch to some beers.
In caelo cerivisiae nil, hic igitur bibimus.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Priming sugar
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2013, 09:10:35 am »
I'll echo the other recommendations here - regular table sugar, measure by weight, and use a priming sugar calculator to determine the correct amount.

And 5 ounces is a bit more than I like for a normal 5-gallon batch. I think most of the time you'll find yourself in the 3.5-4 ounce range for the typical ale fermented at ale temperatures.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer