Priming

[Petei1507]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is posted in the wrong section. Just a few questions about priming. ..

I understand that this is used to make a cider fizzy by adding additional sugar. What I want to to know is - when and how is this sugar added?

Does the sugar used at the start of the brew not achieve this?

I am assuming that its added to the brew just before bottling, but I dodnti understand how such a small amount of sugar at the end can produce the fizzyness?

Another technique (I've probably made up) would be to add a small amount of water and sugar to the bottle, put the lid on, shake well to spread the mixture around and then pour (ssugar should ideally be present on inside of the bottle)

Thanks

 

[Toonahfish]

Hi all,

Apologies if this is posted in the wrong section. Just a few questions about priming. ..

I understand that this is used to make a cider fizzy by adding additional sugar. What I want to to know is - when and how is this sugar added?

Does the sugar used at the start of the brew not achieve this?

I am assuming that its added to the brew just before bottling, but I dodnti understand how such a small amount of sugar at the end can produce the fizzyness?

Another technique (I've probably made up) would be to add a small amount of water and sugar to the bottle, put the lid on, shake well to spread the mixture around and then pour (ssugar should ideally be present on inside of the bottle)

Thanks

You add the sugar immediately before bottling/kegging.

The sugar you add at the beginning of the brew is used entirely to make alcohol. Of course it produces carbon dioxide gas as a side product but this escapes through the airlock. The problem is that it's hard to know exactly how much carbon dioxide will be produced if you don't let it ferment out completely and then add some sugar in controlled amounts. A common cause of exploded bottles is that fermentation was not allowed to finish and too much carbon dioxide had still to be produced, and so the pressure got to high. So, unless you want exploding bottles, it is important to let the yeast finish fermenting all the sugar you add at the start before bottling.

As for the fact that you only need a little sugar to make the fizziness, well, it's just a fact. Each molecule of glucose will produce six molecules of carbon dioxide or, if allowed to respire anaerobically, two molecules of ethanol and two molecules of carbon dioxide. So, in other words, a small amount of sugar produces a lot of gas.

What i strongly suggest is you batch-prime your beer then bottle it. This ensures an even level of carbonation from bottle to bottle, is MUCH less fiddly and messy but more precise than priming each bottle with a spoon, and is cheaper than carbonation drops. Here is my procedure:

i) For 23 litres of beer weigh about between 100 and 150g of sugar (depending on how fizzy you want it/type of beer you are making.

ii) Syphon a small amount of beer from the FV into the sugar to dissolve the sugar in beer.

iii) Pour this beer/sugar mix into another vessel big enough to take all 23 litres of beer. I have a keg which I don't really use since I prefer to bottle my beer. So I pour the sugar/beer mix into that.

iv) Syphon the remaining 23 litres of beer into the keg/other vessel.

v) Swirl the contents to ensure good mixing. Since 23 litres of beer is quite heavy, I screw the lid on tight and roll the keg around on the floor for a bit.

v) Bottle in your preferred fashion.

 

[Fil]

wot he said

the priming charge is added right before sealing the bottles/keg its not going to add any significant flavour/alcohol, but will contribute all the co2 necessary to condition (add fizz or carbonate) the beer when contained in a sealed vessel.

a dry funnel and a level tspoon of white sugar per circa 500ml/1 pint will produce a beer/cider with enough condition to take a chill down to fridge temps ok.

 

[Petei1507]

Thanks for the response.

So how much sugar is to be used? I've read a topic on here of someone making a 5L brew and using 50g of sugar to prime. I'm assuming from that its 50g total amd not 50g per bottle?

 

[Frogbrew]

1 tsp(5g) per 500ml bottle is what I use, or if carbing cider I use apple juice, just work out how much to use from the sugar content of the juice per 100ml. Usually 11g of sugar in 100ml of juice.
Hope that makes sense.