Newbie - advice needed please (when to add sugar/bottle)

[draculacalling]

Hi all,

I've been reading lots on this forum and picked up lots of tips (and terminology!) so thank you! I'm a first timer and brand new to home brew so have started with a simple Brewmaster Pilsner home kit and I've had a steady read for 4 days now so I think I'm ready for 2nd fermentation.

I've purchased a separate pressure barrel - but wondered, do I add the sugar for carbonating when transferring from FV to the barrel or just transfer to the barrel and then add only when I'm ready to bottle (in a few weeks time?).

Also in presuming if the answer is a) add sugar when transferring then it would be safe enough to use the tap on the pressure barrel to then fill the bottles?

Any help/tips would be greatly welcome - thank you!

 

[BrewMeHappy]

Hi and welcome!

You either use the pressure barrel or bottles for your beer. You wouldn't transfer to the pressure barrel and then fill bottles after, however you could transfer some of your brew into the pressure barrel and then do bottles too, at the same time.

In either the pressure barrel or bottles, the intention is to add the sugar to carbonate the beer. The pressure barrel option is often much easier in terms of cleaning and sterilising etc... Compared to doing 40 odd bottles, but they can be a pain with leaks at times. The carbonation will not be as good in a pressure barrel hence a lot of people use them for IPA and ale type beer and not lagers or cider. Each to their own though.

If you go the pressure barrel route, measure out your sugar and I would then transfer some of your brew into a saucepan and gentle heat it to help dissolve the sugar, then pour it into the pressure barrel and then transfer the rest of your beer. Pop the lid on and sit tight for a few weeks.

Alternatively with bottles, add circa 0.5 to teaspoon of sugar per 500ml bottle (I'd use 1 teaspoon for pilsner) and then fill the bottles and cap them.

Everyone has their own preference and method for sugar and priming barrels or bottles, but that's what I do.

 

[draculacalling]

Thank you BrewMeHappy - that makes sense, I was getting so confused about if it all needs to go in the barrel or straight to bottle. I have 48 bottles so was thinking it might be easier pouring from the barrel but understand why going straight to bottle might be a better idea - thanks very much for your advice :)

 

[BrewMeHappy]

No worries.

I have a few barrels but haven't used them for ages, for no other fact than I prefer pouring from bottles and they can be popped in the fridge as and when you want them. You also need CO2 to top barrels up once you have poured around half your beer and the local HBSs have closed by me so it's not as easy to get hold of, unless i drive to the next nearest which is about 30 mins away to swap the cannister.