Sorry if this has been done to death but I can't find the answer to this newbie question ...
The instructions for my first kit say to add half a teaspoon of sugar to each bottle, which it seems to me will be a real PITA to do. Can't I just mix up a sugar solution, bung that in a sterilised brew bucket, syphon my 5 gallons out the bucket it's currently fermenting in into the one with the sugar solution in, mix it well then just bottle the "sugared" beer?
If so, how much sugar in how much water to go in my 40 pints of Munton's Porter?
Adding sugar to bottles
Re: Adding sugar to bottles
Yes, you are correct. This is known as "bulk priming"
Basically, it all depends on the type of beer you're using. I did a lager, in which I used 195g sugar. This has given a lovely nice fizzy lager, but that much in an ipa or similar would be far too much.
In my ipa, I used 115g, and seems just the right amount, maybe even a little too much. When I did a coopers stout, I'd read somewhere (pretty sure the instructions, maybe from converting the amount of sugar per litre, can't remember) said to use 165g sugar when bulk priming. This was far too much, and I would've said 130g max. However, with my Burton Bridge porter, I put 105g in, and think would've been better with 115g...
Anyway, half a teaspon is about 3g iirc. So, (assuming they are talking about pint bottles), you have 40 bottles. This would give you 40 x 3 = 120g. So, boil some water (about half a pint), put in a sanitised jug, and add 120g sugar. Mix until fully disolved. Add this to the bottom of your bottling bucket, and then syphon in to this bucket. When finished, give it a smooth stir (ensuring not to add air) to make sure sugar is fully mixed in. Then, proceed to bottle from here.
Basically, it all depends on the type of beer you're using. I did a lager, in which I used 195g sugar. This has given a lovely nice fizzy lager, but that much in an ipa or similar would be far too much.
In my ipa, I used 115g, and seems just the right amount, maybe even a little too much. When I did a coopers stout, I'd read somewhere (pretty sure the instructions, maybe from converting the amount of sugar per litre, can't remember) said to use 165g sugar when bulk priming. This was far too much, and I would've said 130g max. However, with my Burton Bridge porter, I put 105g in, and think would've been better with 115g...
Anyway, half a teaspon is about 3g iirc. So, (assuming they are talking about pint bottles), you have 40 bottles. This would give you 40 x 3 = 120g. So, boil some water (about half a pint), put in a sanitised jug, and add 120g sugar. Mix until fully disolved. Add this to the bottom of your bottling bucket, and then syphon in to this bucket. When finished, give it a smooth stir (ensuring not to add air) to make sure sugar is fully mixed in. Then, proceed to bottle from here.
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trucker5774
- Falling off the Barstool
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Re: Adding sugar to bottles
I always bulk prime. For 23l brews I typically use 80g for ale and 160g for fizzy brews like cider and lager. Carbonation is down to preference. You don't have to copy commercial levels or what everyone else does. My levels are probably about what most people use on Jim's.......(wait for the conflict now 
)
)John
Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!
Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........
FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife
Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!
Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........
FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife
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Geezah
Re: Adding sugar to bottles
spikey wrote:Sorry if this has been done to death but I can't find the answer to this newbie question ...
Can't I just mix up a sugar solution, bung that in a sterilised brew bucket, syphon my 5 gallons out the bucket it's currently fermenting in into the one with the sugar solution in, mix it well then just bottle the "sugared" beer?
11 threads below yours is...
http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=51559