# Bulk Priming - Dextrose Or Malt Extract?



## Time (27/11/08)

Hi guys,

First brew and first post.
I have been reading through everyone's posts and taking in everything I can.
Anyway as I said this is my first brew and I have started with
1 can of Coopers Sparkling Ale, 
1kg of Dextrose, 
Fermentis dry ale yeast E491, 
and topped it up to the 23L mark.

Now it has almost come to bottling time I have decide to go with Bulk Priming because about 5 different bottle sizes (why couldn't they just leave them all at 375ml) 
Now my question is I was thinking about using Malt Extract over dextrose
but I wanted to know what sort of flavour, body or sweetness this would add
and how much should I use to get a well carbonated Aussie style beer?
Another thing would it be easier for me to rack it or just mix it in then bottle it?

Sorry if this is a dumb question
Thanks in advance
Tim

Oh and I have already read the Wiki article Beginners guide to bulk priming.


----------



## Gavo (27/11/08)

Add your priming Dextrose or malt to another fermenter or cube and rack your beer to that using a racking tube being careful not to splash the beer. I have read different reasons for both malt extract and Dextrose for priming and it seems that it is such a small amount that dextrose will be fine and either won't make too much of a difference. If using malt extract then the small amount used for priming should not cause any unwanted residual sweetness.

Cheers
Gavo.


----------



## rclemmett (27/11/08)

Dextrose. I have tried using malt before but it didn't improve the beer so I just stick to dextrose now. If you do use malt you have to keep in mind that it isn't as fermentable so you have to modify the amount for the same level of carbonation.

I boil the dextrose in about 500ml of water, cool, and rack into second fermenter. Don't mix the dextrose in with the primary as you're just going to stir the yeast up and end up with a cloudy beer, and risk stuffing the whole thing.

As to the amount to add for carbonation, it depends on your FG.

Have you got a hose for the bulk prime, or just a second fermentor?


----------



## Time (27/11/08)

Rob2 said:


> Have you got a hose for the bulk prime, or just a second fermentor?



I only have a second fermentor at the moment,
planning on picking up some supplies tomorrow at my LHBS
like a second tap and some hose.


----------



## rclemmett (27/11/08)

Definitely get the hose. I run the hose in through the airlock hole and leave it coiled around the base of the fermenter. This makes it spin/whirlpool around when filling the secound fermenter, which means you don't have to stir the sugar in. Then you can pull the hose out of the airlock hole and plug the bottler into the hose and fill the bottles with the hose. Much quicker and easier.


----------



## tcraig20 (27/11/08)

Forget malt and dextrose. Just use white sugar - its cheaper and you wont notice the difference.


----------



## matti (27/11/08)

JamesCraig said:


> Forget malt and dextrose. Just use white sugar - its cheaper and you wont notice the difference.



I beg to differ.

Dextrose have no molasses left in it so it will leave no residuals.
In saying that using white sugar works as good and it is cheaper.

Looking at the recipe you are making cider LOL.
I'd be tempted to use malt to give a little more body.
:icon_offtopic: 
Next time use
200g sugar 
700g malt extract
100g Maltodextrine

or one of those brew booster kits.
They are worth the money doing kits.


----------



## Time (27/11/08)

Yeah I have to admit I found this forum the day after I started my 100% dextrose brew...
But in saying that I had done quite a bit of googling before I started and
I have to say there is a lot of information out there about "brewing"
but nothing really about kit brewing (maybe I was just looking in the wrong places)
Anyway it seems I have found the right place now
Thank you all again for your help


----------



## raven19 (27/11/08)

IMO you can use either to bulk prime. All of the main fermentation has ocurred and the small amount of priming sugar/malt/etc will have little noticable effect on your beer.

That being said, i've been using raw sugar of late, and sometime malt.

2c. Beers!


----------



## under (27/11/08)

I started off using castor sugar. And then moved over to dextrose as I found it carbonated the beer up better.


----------



## Time (28/11/08)

matti said:


> :icon_offtopic:
> Next time use
> 200g sugar
> 700g malt extract
> ...



Can that mix be used for most kit beers? :unsure:


----------



## Jase71 (28/11/08)

Rob2 said:


> As to the amount to add for carbonation, it depends on your FG.



Really ? Anyone care to elaborate ?


----------



## floody_lager (28/11/08)

On the topic of priming, im about to start my first brew and will be using the coopers pet longies and some grolsch swing tops which are 473ml i think.
i was gonna use the carbonation drops that came with the pack. Its suggested to use 2 for longies and 1 for stubbies. How many would I use for the 473ml bottle?


----------



## staggalee (28/11/08)

Jase71 said:


> Really ? Anyone care to elaborate ?



So do you know differently, or are you trying to find out?
Always a bit hard to tell when put like that.

stagga.


----------



## Jase71 (28/11/08)

You're right stagga - after I wrote that I though "Hmm, did that sound like a smartarse challenge". 

But alas, I am interested to know, as I didn't know the FG was a variable in the calculation of priming sugars.


----------



## staggalee (28/11/08)

Jase71 said:


> You're right stagga - after I wrote that I though "Hmm, did that sound like a smartarse challenge".
> 
> But alas, I am interested to know, as I didn't know the FG was a variable in the calculation of priming sugars.


no worries mate, all I know is when I bottle prime {which is always, bulk priming is a lot of over rated xtra work unless you have a thousand different size bottles}, I would normally prime a tallie with 5 gram caster sugar for a fg of 1008 to 1014, say.
I`ve primed RIS`s with fg`s of 1020 plus, with half that amount and found no probs. with carbonation.
cheers

stagga.


----------



## rclemmett (28/11/08)

Jase71 said:


> You're right stagga - after I wrote that I though "Hmm, did that sound like a smartarse challenge".
> 
> But alas, I am interested to know, as I didn't know the FG was a variable in the calculation of priming sugars.



I don't know the scientific explanation but I find if you have a high FG and add a high amount of sugar for the carbonation you end up with a beer that just keeps on foaming over and is sometimes undrinkable.


----------



## Jase71 (28/11/08)

Thnaks guys - so how does 7.5g/Litre on a 1.011 FG sound.... a little bit much? I would err on the side of more carbonation rather than less, but obviously within limitations, a glass of head isn't appealing.. Note: Will be bulk priming with dextrose.

EDIT: Bottling after a secondary fermentation of one week. Don't know if the reduced level of yeast in the final brew makes any difference to how much priming fermentables to use, but thought it worth a mention.......


----------



## Fermented (28/11/08)

I've found this online calculator to be reasonably reliable:

http://www.geocities.com/lesjudith/Alcohol...Calculator.html

HTH.

Cheers - Fermented.


----------



## tcraig20 (28/11/08)

matti said:


> I beg to differ.
> 
> Dextrose have no molasses left in it so it will leave no residuals.
> In saying that using white sugar works as good and it is cheaper.
> ...



Isnt Tim asking about what to prime with. I.e. malt or dextrose, not what to blend with his kit?

Maybe I misread the question.


----------



## Gavo (29/11/08)

Jase71 said:


> Bottling after a secondary fermentation of one week. Don't know if the reduced level of yeast in the final brew makes any difference to how much priming fermentables to use, but thought it worth a mention.......



The reduced level of yeast at bottling time will just mean a slower priming time. The amount of priming fermentables to use will remain the same. I have bottled after a week in secondary and after using polycar and still have carbonation within one week. Just use the amount of fermentables required for the style.
there is a good bulk priming calculator here.

Cheers
Gavo.


----------



## matti (29/11/08)

JamesCraig said:


> Isnt Tim asking about what to prime with. I.e. malt or dextrose, not what to blend with his kit?
> 
> Maybe I misread the question.



JC. U R RIGHT!
prime with what u like.

:icon_offtopic: 
As for the tip to improve you're kits.
Maltodextrine improve body a little but head retention a lot. 
Sugar keeps the beer thin/ less chewy.
Malts makes the beer taste like a beer.
Hops drives the beer.

Kiss=Keep it simple Simon  
Water
Malt 
Hops
Yeast 


WMHY= my religion :super:


----------



## Time (3/12/08)

Ok matti so you were 100% correct...
It's more like cider or cordial then beer.

But I have one more query my FG reading over the past two days has been at 1004
and from what I have read this is pretty low,
would this be because I only use Dextrose?
Also my airlock has only just slowed (over the pas two days)
to about one bubble per 3-4 min after 2 weeks,
is this unusual?

The temperature has averaged at about 22 degrees over the 2 weeks.


----------

