# Sugar Cubes



## swaam (6/9/08)

I've used carbonation drops for a couple of years but just decided to try the CSR sugar cubes, although the package doesn't say how many teaspoons in each cube (although rectangular now), does anyone know the size in 'teaspoons'? and, has anyone had experience using these? I'm assuming a 'teaspoon' a cube.


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## DamianM (6/9/08)

Maybe measure the weight of a sugar cube and the weight of a teaspoon of sugar. I had the same idea when I was at the shop the other day.

Damian.


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## Jamz (7/9/08)

Yes, sugar cubes are made to be the equivalent of one metric teaspoon.


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## QldKev (7/9/08)

Have you ever seen the sugar measures for bottling? Forget all these extra bits, I can't imagine the hassle of forcing a cube into the bottle. 

QldKev


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## bradsbrew (7/9/08)

Weight of all cubes Divided by number of cubes will give weight per cube


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## Cube (7/9/08)

bradsbrew said:


> Weight of all cubes Divided by number of cubes will give weight per cube



you rang?


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## bradsbrew (7/9/08)

Cube said:


> you rang?


So how many cubes per bottle or how many bottles per cube. :chug:


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## barry2 (7/9/08)

swaam said:


> I've used carbonation drops for a couple of years but just decided to try the CSR sugar cubes, although the package doesn't say how many teaspoons in each cube (although rectangular now), does anyone know the size in 'teaspoons'? and, has anyone had experience using these? I'm assuming a 'teaspoon' a cube.



I started with the Coopers carbonation drops and tried the CSR cubes once.They came in a box of 450g with 100 cubes so it was difficult to put 6g in each of my 740ml bottles.
I then bought a plastic measure,6g one end 3g the other,from the local HBS.With a small funnel it takes me less than 5 minutes to sugar the 30 bottles.
Table sugar is a lot cheaper than cubes which are cheaper than carbonation drops.


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## Airgead (8/9/08)

barry3 said:


> I then bought a plastic measure,6g one end 3g the other,from the local HBS.With a small funnel it takes me less than 5 minutes to sugar the 30 bottles.
> Table sugar is a lot cheaper than cubes which are cheaper than carbonation drops.



Better still - bulk prime. Its a whole lot less hassle than sugaring individual bottles (and gives more consistent/controlable carbonation as well). It almost makes bottling bearable.

Cheers
Dave


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## BusinessTime (8/9/08)

Airgead said:


> Better still - bulk prime. Its a whole lot less hassle than sugaring individual bottles (and gives more consistent/controlable carbonation as well). It almost makes bottling bearable.
> 
> Cheers
> Dave


 ++

I used sugar drops/dex 1 bottle at a time and it took ages, bulk priming is sooo easy and fast and every beer comes out the same.


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## bradsbrew (8/9/08)

David Emerson said:


> ++
> 
> I used sugar drops/dex 1 bottle at a time and it took ages, bulk priming is sooo easy and fast and every beer comes out the same.


I've been contimplating the bulk prime but I just cant figure that the time taken to, dissolve sugar in sterile pot add this to sterile container then rack from fermenter to sterilesed container then transfer to bottles then clean all of this, can beat the time taken to drop a drop or use a funnel'n'sugar measure. I am not knocking bulk priming as I think this would give a more consistent carbonation but as a time factor? Bring on the kegs I say :chug:


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## Airgead (9/9/08)

bradsbrew said:


> Bring on the kegs I say :chug:



Once you get the hang of it, bulk priming is quicker (and more consistent) than dosing individual bottles. Having said that though, I haven't bottled anything since I got my kegs. Kegs are the way to go.

Cheers
Dave


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## Weizguy (9/9/08)

bradsbrew said:


> I've been contimplating the bulk prime but I just cant figure that the time taken to, dissolve sugar in sterile pot add this to sterile container then rack from fermenter to sterilesed container then transfer to bottles then clean all of this, can beat the time taken to drop a drop or use a funnel'n'sugar measure. I am not knocking bulk priming as I think this would give a more consistent carbonation but as a time factor? Bring on the kegs I say :chug:


Hmmm, too much effort for the job.
Just calculate and weigh the sugar. Add to a clean jug and dissolve in 250- 500 ml of just-boiled water.
Add to racking vessel/ fermentor and gently transfer your beer on top.
Stir once or twice with a sanitised spoon (avoid aeration) and start bottling.
You may prefer to stir once more, about half way through the bottling.
When bottling is finished, clean your fermentor as normal, the bottling bucket and the jug.
Easier than you thought.


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## Flex Broker (9/9/08)

All I've ever done is bulk prime. Like Les sez, boil the sugar and add beer. It's very fast and easy. I generally like to see how much final volume of beer I have and then calculate the amount of sugar, but in any case it's a much more accurate way of carbonating the beer.


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## Simon W (9/9/08)

Even if bulk priming does take longer to do, it's far less tedious(probably why it seems quicker) and definitely less accident prone.... dunno how many times I accidently missed a bottle(or double primed) in the early days, but it did happen.


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## rude (9/9/08)

+1 on the bulk prime Ill never drop sugar in again. First used pure malt but I find dextrose better to mix. Interesting that you stir Les might have to give that a go mate, great tip cheers.


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## Airgead (10/9/08)

rude said:


> +1 on the bulk prime Ill never drop sugar in again. First used pure malt but I find dextrose better to mix. Interesting that you stir Les might have to give that a go mate, great tip cheers.



You need to get the sugar mixed evenly. If you just tip it in it may sink to the bottom and result in uneven carbonation. Your options are - 

- Stir which can aerate the beer which is bad.
- Leave it for 15 mins or so for it to mix by normal diffusion (which may not work if the sugar solution is very concentrated - it will just sit on the bottom and not mix)
- do what I do (on the rare occasions I still bottle) and put the sugar solution in the bottom of the bottling bucket and rack the beer on top. I usually try to get a whirlpool effect going by adjusting the angle of the racking tube. The racking provides enough mixing action without needing to stir.

Cheers
Dave


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## thedragon (5/10/11)

After reading this thread and others similar, I tried to use CSR sugar cubes at the weekend when bottling. All was going to plan until I filled the first bottle, picked up a sugar cube and tried to pop it in... who'd have guessed, but the cube was larger than the mouth of the bottle! Successfully forced a few in, however it didn't take long to work out that it'd be more time effective to drive to the LHBS and buy some more carbonation drops than to continue persisting with the sugar cubes.

Am I missing something, or is there a special technique to getting the cubes in the bottle?




swaam said:


> I've used carbonation drops for a couple of years but just decided to try the CSR sugar cubes, although the package doesn't say how many teaspoons in each cube (although rectangular now), does anyone know the size in 'teaspoons'? and, has anyone had experience using these? I'm assuming a 'teaspoon' a cube.


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## Bribie G (5/10/11)

In His infinite wisdom, God designed CSR sugar cubes to be exactly the right size to fit through the top of any PET bottle. However as He also moveth in mysterious ways He arranged (edit: verily did He arrange) for the cubes to be not exactly square but to be a couple of mm longer on one axis, so there is only one way to put them in - and they slide in easily.

Photo taken just now





Make sure you are using CSR and that you turn them till they slide through.


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## thedragon (5/10/11)

+1. Great post!  

I'll use the cubes in the coopers PET bottles i have, but will stick to the harder to get carbonation lollies in the glass bottles. 



Bribie G said:


> In His infinite wisdom, God designed CSR sugar cubes to be exactly the right size to fit through the top of any PET bottle. However as He also moveth in mysterious ways He arranged (edit: verily did He arrange) for the cubes to be not exactly square but to be a couple of mm longer on one axis, so there is only one way to put them in - and they slide in easily.
> 
> Photo taken just now
> 
> ...


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