Polypins and beer engine, would you prime?

[gobuchul]

Just finished fermenting a batch of very traditional English bitter. Tasted great in the sample jar.

It's going into polypins and will go through a beer engine.

Normally I don't bother, I just put some CO2 in the polypin and let it be.

Is it worth priming to add a bit of carbonation?

I've been drinking carbonated lagers and IPA's all summer and can't make my mind up.

[Jim]

I prime even if it's destined for the beer engine - it saves on gas.

I suppose you don't strictly speaking need to, but the beer will be pretty flat if you use a polypin and don't prime.

[Kyle_T]

That depends Jim, you can always rack a few points above final and it'll prime itself.

[gobuchul]

It's just finished primary fermentation, so I could rack to the polypins and then check for CO2 build up. It's very obvious if it's happening.

If it doesn't could I add the sugar a couple of days later?

Or will Mr Yeast and his mates all killed themselves off in their orgy of sugar eating and there will be nothing to kick start it?

[Kyle_T]

As long as the air is squeezed out you can add a token amount after a day or so.

[Jim]

That depends Jim, you can always rack a few points above final and it'll prime itself.

I tend not to use that method as you can get either too little or too much gas and more sediment in the keg or cask unless you judge it to perfection. I have a feeling most home brewers are the same - it's commercial brewers that generally do it as they can get the beer out quicker.