# Priming Bottles With Dextrose.



## Lindsay Dive (23/10/09)

Hi All,

I am helping a friend out with his first K & K brew and it's that loooong since I've bottled beer, I want to know how much dextrose (weight) do I add to a 750ml bottle.


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## Jonez (23/10/09)

Lindsay Dive said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am helping a friend out with his first K & K brew and it's that loooong since I've bottled beer, I want to know how much dextrose (weight) do I add to a 750ml bottle.




there maybe different opinions here. and depends on style but as a general rule 1 teaspoon.


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## Fermented (23/10/09)

Between 5 and 7 grams. 5 is gently carbonated. 7 is a bit like Coke. Your mileage may vary.

There are some online calculators (you might need to search) that are recommended in some threads in here which can help make it easier. 

If you don't have one, get one of the double sided spoon thingies which have a scoop on one side for tallies and one on the other for stubbies. 

You can get away with castor sugar and others for carbing. Some do it successfully. There's even someone around here (forget who) who uses sugar cubes rather effectively if I recall correctly.

Cheers - Fermented.


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## MaestroMatt (23/10/09)

+1 to the double sided spoon thingies.....Works every time.


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## railgun_livewire (23/10/09)

+1 measure spoon

but if you want the 'easiest' option go for the coopers carb-drops.
I've never used them...becuase I have a spoon, but its 1 tablet for a stubbie and 2 for a longneck.

foolproof.


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## Fermented (23/10/09)

Carb drops may be easy and moderately predictable as to dose, but they're rather costly compared to other methods. Certainly convenient for the casual brewer. 

In general, I found they worked better with Coopers' 650 ml (?) bottles and not quite so well with 750 ml bottles. i.e. less carbonation than I had hoped for. 

Cheers - Fermented.


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## Peter Wadey (23/10/09)

Fermented said:


> Carb drops may be easy and moderately predictable as to dose, but they're rather costly compared to other methods. Certainly convenient for the casual brewer.
> 
> In general, I found they worked better with Coopers' 650 ml (?) bottles and not quite so well with 750 ml bottles. i.e. less carbonation than I had hoped for.
> 
> Cheers - Fermented.




In my experience tasting other peoples beers at monthly brew club meets, beers carbonated with carbonation drops produce FAR TOO MUCH carbonation.
I would never recommend their use.

Lindsay,
As a follow up to the telephone conversation, go into Promash & click on CO2. It's the carbonation calculator.
Punch in the beer temp during fermentation, required carbonation level (Vol C02) & volume to carbonate (750ml). You'll get the weight calculated for you.

OK so for 2.4 volumes, I was 0.03g out  

Now go have a look at what Graham (Sanders) has been up to.

All the best,
Pete


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## EZE-09Z (23/10/09)

ive just finished a ginger beer brew a week ago and primed with 6 grams of dextrose per 750ml bottle

grab a priming measure......... the best tool.


Ernie


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## Fermented (23/10/09)

It's a good tool, as is, and you can make some pretty good guesses with it. 

Pair it with a sharp pair of eyes and a good set of digital scales and it becomes awesome. 

Depending on the grain size and density of the sugar which you are using, the weight per scoop can change a gram or two. e.g. a really full scoop of dex is about 7.5 gms but the same amount of castor sugar is about 6.5 gms, coarser grains... lower weight. 

When you're new to it, if you scoop a charge and weigh it and then do it a time or few again you can get the right feel for what makes the right charge of the sugar you are using and match it to the appropriate or preferred carbonation for the batch.

Have fun!

Cheers - Fermented.


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## MattC (23/10/09)

I now keg my beers, but when I was bottling, I started out with sugar in the bottles, then dextrose then carb drops. I then moved to bulk priming, using dextrose dissolved in warm water, added to a spare fermenter then rack the chilled beer on top. then bottle from that fermenter. I found that gave all bottles a fairly even level of carbonation. I found carb drops to be too unpredictable. 

Anyway, I formulated a bulk priming calculator that worked fairly well for me. PM me if you would like a copy and I will explain how it works!!

Cheers


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## Screwtop (23/10/09)

MattC said:


> I now keg my beers, but when I was bottling, I started out with sugar in the bottles, then dextrose then carb drops. I then moved to bulk priming, using dextrose dissolved in warm water, added to a spare fermenter then rack the chilled beer on top. then bottle from that fermenter. I found that gave all bottles a fairly even level of carbonation. I found carb drops to be too unpredictable.
> 
> Anyway, I formulated a bulk priming calculator that worked fairly well for me. PM me if you would like a copy and I will explain how it works!!
> 
> Cheers




Good Advice!!

Screwy


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## welly2 (11/7/13)

Just to open this topic.. I've bought some priming dextrose and it's saying I need to dissolve in water. Can I get away with just sticking in the dextrose as it is or is dissolving in water first important?


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## manticle (11/7/13)

Dissolving it first in boiling water gives you a better chance of even distribution in the beer. It also has the advantage of ensuring that the dex is completely sanitary when you add it.


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## bum (11/7/13)

Bulk priming, welly?

If not and you've got the correct size priming scoop for your bottles I'd just go dry (assuming "priming dextrose" is normal dextrose that your LHBS has thrown an extra word in front of to charge more).


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## manticle (11/7/13)

I had presumed bulk priming but re-reading after bum's comment, I see that may not be the case.

I used to prime each bottle with dry dex or sugar before I started bulk priming. Just add beer to sugar rather than the other way around.


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