anyone used sugar cubes to bottle prime?

[martin22]

Am thinking of this for my next brew, am using Coopers PET bottles so they'll easily fit in the neck.

I know I could transfer to another fermenting bin to batch prime but thought I'd sugar lumps will save me having to do this.

Anyone tried this?

 

[graysalchemy]

Only any good if the weight of a sugar cube is exactly the amount of sugar you need, hence why batch priming is the best method of priming. :thumb:

 

[Ian_T]

I had the exact same idea.

I primed a mexican cerveza with cubes. It seems that the ideal amount is 1 cube per litre. So if you are using the 2Litre bottles that I used, you're fine. If you use 500ml coopers bottles then you need to cut them in half... Not as easy as it sounds!

You also need to adjust the priming sugar dependant on the beer style. I would reccomend batch priming unless the cube weight is very close to the required priming rate for the bottle size/beer style combination you require.

 

[Awfers]

Only any good if the weight of a sugar cube is exactly the amount of sugar you need, hence why batch priming is the best method of priming. :thumb:

+1.. Very good advice.

 

[graysalchemy]

If you use 500ml coopers bottles then you need to cut them in half... Not as easy as it sounds!

And not very accurate. :cry:

 

[Bribie]

Living here in Australia, Coopers bottles are the "default" home brew bottle by far. I've been brewing for over five years now and apart from the first few batches when I used Coopers carbonation drops, I have invariably used sugar cubes. God has decreed that they will fit through the neck of just about any PET bottle such as pop bottles as well. :clap:

Putting on my modesty hat here, I have had a fair few wins in brewing competitions and recently took out second in the pale lagers in the Australian Nationals.

Every single one on sugar cubes. So go for it.

Naturally for everyday use some brews benefit from being higher carbed than others - sugar cubes are just about perfect for most lagers, whereas many ales do turn out a tad overcarbed. Simple solution is to pour the ale into a jug and let it steam off a bit before drinking.

Bulk priming is excellent if you have a collection of different sized bottles, or if you absolutely have to have the correct volumes of CO2.
I keg nowadays but still run off a couple of "archive" bottles and of course ramp up the bottling when comp season comes round again, and my trusty box of cubes is always handy. :thumb:

 

[evanvine]

I always use 1/4, 1/2 and 1 tsp measures - simples!