Bottle Sizes Vs Correct Sugar Amounts

[Adrianpc]

Hello Brewers,

I am new to home brewing. As I type I'm eagerly waiting for my first batch to ferment.



I have a few questions which Im sure seem rather simple but for a novice its all new.



Question 1 Carlsberg Bottles any good?



I have 2 cases of 330ml Carlsberg crown seal empty bottles. Has anyone used these bottles? Are they strong enough for home brew applications? PS I have a bench capper.



Question 2 How many Carbonation drops for 330ml bottle?



Will one carbonation drop be too much for a 330ml bottle? Would I be best to measure out granular sugar for these bottles? If so can I use plain white sugar for the secondary fermentation or do I need to stick with Glucose/Dextrose or something else?



Question 3 What is Bulk Priming & how do you do it?



I read in another thread the suggestion of Bulk Priming. Is this the process of adding sugar to the entire brew while it is still in the fermenter? Can someone explain the process? Is timing critical between adding the sugar and filling the bottles up?



Question 4 How may Carbonation drops for a 650ml bottle?



I have purchased some nice and thick 650ml brown bottles from my local brewing shop. How many carbonation drops are required for this size or is granular sugar better to get correct amount? I read in another thread it depends on personal preference and beer style, so Ill try to provide information that will help with any replies.



I got a Brewcraft Ultra Imperial Pale Ale beer kit (2 tins, yeast and Hops) in my Home Brewing Kit, I sure Ill enjoy this beer, but seeing its my first attempt I purchased a cheaper Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit to sacrifice if things dont go to plan. My room temperature is 22 Deg C, I used 1kg of brew booster (Dextrose/Maltodextrin) for first fermentation. Yeast was added when brew was 22 Deg C.



I like a broad range of beers but if I had to choose I dont particularly like a highly carbonated beer, and Im not to keen on joining al Qaedas bomb making camps either.



Cheers Adrian

 

[Cube]

Give the carb drops to your neighbours kids. They are unreliable and expensive.

Alot of people bulk prime, I don't. I use a measure spoon, one end for 375 or 330 and other end 750 bottles. $2.75 at super markets.

I prime with white sugar. I find white sugar is far better than carb drops. I have no problems shovelling sugar into bottles via a funnel like some people do.

I have a range of 330, 375 and 750 bottles, including champagne bottles. All OK. Just watch screw tops if you use them, they can chip,crack and break quite easy. I tested a tooheys new big bottle screwtop last brew ( before I correctly measured sugar per bottle, estimated a 'heaped or level' spoonful. When I undone the cap it came off with an almighty BANG, wife **** her pants and luckily I didn't drop the bottle... So the can be used and hold alot of pressure. This was to see if my hand levered capper was up to the job of screw tops. It is.

Bulk priming is when you rack ( put beer into another container ) your fermented beer into another barrel with X amount of sugar/dextrose etc and mix it together with the action of the beer coming into the second barrel. Others will tell you amounts, temps etc. I haven't done it as I feel it's more work personally with extra sterilizing and sloshing of beer that may lead to oxidization if done haphazardly.

I would use two drops for a 650 bottle.

Oh - and welcome Use the search function at the top and check out the wiki's here... tone of info

 

[buttersd70]

I have a bunch of green 330s, and I'm pretty sure that they include some carlsbergs in there....have not had any probs with the bottles in general, but can't say for certain that I've used the carlsberg ones (I got kegs shorly after I got the bottles, and haven't used them all)....but I got em off a guy that had used them all repeatedly, so would say no probs.

330,500,650 bottles and carb drops don't mix. The drops are designed for 375mL (and 750mL) bottles, and imho overcarb them, so I sure wouldn't want to use 1 drop in a 330 when I think it overcarbs a 375....

there is an article on bulk priming here and it's definately the way to go imho.

For the sugar to prime with, there are various opinions....mine is to use dextrose. For how much to use, there is a calculator here which also gives general guidlines for how much carbonation is appropriate for various styles. NB, in the calculator, there is a field for beer temperature....that is the maximum temperature that the beer reached during fermentation.

 

[antains]

+1 for bulk priming.

Also, have a look at Homebrand Sparkling Apple Juice bottles. They're green and 700ml-ish and have a resealable screwtop. It's cheap to buy and will hold a homebrew.

 

[therook]

Heres a good thread with some Links that i use to use before going to kegs

Link

Rook

 

[Pollux]

I used to use Carb drops in 330ml stubbies before I started to bulk prime...

In hindsight, they were quite often over primed....

Bulk priming is quite simple, go and buy a second fermenter/a carboy/cube with a tap, sanitise it, dissolve some of your chosen bulk prime sugar (I use dextrose) in as little water as possible, cool it, then dump that in the second vessel and using a sanitised hose, pour your beer onto the sugar mix VERY softly to avoiding oxidation....

Then gentle stir this to ensure the sugar is well mixed, and bottle in whatever size bottles you want to....

I also use the 10L of norinse I make up to sanitise my bottling bucket to sanitise my bottles as well.....Another way that bulk priming can save you time and effort.

 

[raven19]

+2 for bulk priming.

Allows you to use any bottle size without adjusting for priming sugar/malt level for each bottle.

I use 375 Screw top & 750 Crown seal Coopers bottles mainly, along with 500 Grolsch and others.

You mentioned you like lighter carbonation - hence bulk priming really is the only way to go.

I have had no problems with any commercial beer bottles used, as long as they are clean and sanitised!

Also welcome aboard - in a few months you shall be dipping your toes into Partials then All Grain!!! :icon_cheers:

 

[Adrianpc]

Thank you all for your great information. I'll keep the carbonation drops for some 375ml bottles when I get my hands on some, although my young kids have helped them self to a few already...

I've bought a 1kg pack of dextrose and some measuring spoons for secondary priming.

I've worked out the amount of dextrose based on the online calculator (thanks buttersd70). I think for my first batch of home brew I'll add sugar to each bottle. However once I get my hands on a suitable second carboy/container and some food grade PVC hose I'll builk prime. Do you think I could use a Coleman 25litre square jerry? I've got this in my camping gear. It has a bung, but it only has a cap to access inside not a large lid like a carboy. Maybe it will be hard to clean and stir the sugar in.

 

[Goofinder]

I've worked out the amount of dextrose based on the online calculator (thanks buttersd70). I think for my first batch of home brew I'll add sugar to each bottle. However once I get my hands on a suitable second carboy/container and some food grade PVC hose I'll builk prime. Do you think I could use a Coleman 25litre square jerry? I've got this in my camping gear. It has a bung, but it only has a cap to access inside not a large lid like a carboy. Maybe it will be hard to clean and stir the sugar in.

You'll be fine with a jerry, that's what I use for bulk priming. Just pour the sugar/dextrose boiled in water in then add the beer. Either make sure the hose goes all the way to the bottom and curls around, or connect the hose to both taps and run it in that way to get it mixed and try to avoid oxidation.

Cleaning isn't a problem when priming as the beer is only in there for a few minutes and there's no krausen ring like in the primary fermenter. A rinse will usually do the trick, or a napisan soak if it gets too dirty.

 

[Adrianpc]

You'll be fine with a jerry, that's what I use for bulk priming. Just pour the sugar/dextrose boiled in water in then add the beer. Either make sure the hose goes all the way to the bottom and curls around, or connect the hose to both taps and run it in that way to get it mixed and try to avoid oxidation.

Cleaning isn't a problem when priming as the beer is only in there for a few minutes and there's no krausen ring like in the primary fermenter. A rinse will usually do the trick, or a napisan soak if it gets too dirty.

I think I read somewhere that detergent is not a good thing to clean with because if your equipment is not completely cleaned of the detergent it could effect your next brew? Please correct me if I'm wrong (which I could be). Does napisan cause any issues?

In the brewing kit I bought there is a bottle of non detergent cleaner. What is a cheap alternative that is best to use?

 

[SergeMarx]

An old thread, but in the interests of not starting new ones everywhere...

I like many of us I'm guessing, 375ml and 750ml are not my fist choice - personally i reckon 500ml is a great size. But priming, bleh. I bulk prime most of the time, and it's true it's not a huge effort - but getting the priming sugar properly dispersed is a bit hit and miss (unless one dyes it dark purple maybe? note to self...)

Anyway, i reckon another method would be something like this: http://www.ilcnsw.asn.au/items/320

put your own markings on to show levels for 330, 345, 375, 500, 568, 650, 740, 750... arrgh! anyway - it would work. Have a few - one marked for dex, one for dme, or one marked for specific beers to fine tune to carbonation level

I also thought about one of those adjustable measuring spoons with markings in the same way. a slide-rule style priming spoon would be the mallard's testes..

 

[SergeMarx]

not advocating buying anything by the way - would be easy enough to make at home. just need a clear tube of some kind - then work out sugar weights, then weigh in the different sugars and mark it up.

 

[super_simian]

I've recently rehabilitated myself to bulk priming, after being put off by some inconsistent results. The main thing AFAIK is to make sure the fermented beer and sugar solution are as close in temperature as possible (so don't go getting a CC'd beer and adding sugar syrup straight from the microwave!) and to ensure a "whirlpool" action via the racking hose.

That said, I single primed for a long time, and I found, when using regular white sugar and CC'd beer straight out of the fridge: 1/2 tsp per 500ml = ~1.8-2 vols (UK ale acceptable) and 3/4 tsp per 500 = ~2.8-3 vols (APA/Lager/Wheat acceptable, if a little OTT)

Don't let anyone tell you one method is 100% better than the other, because there can be a range of factors at play. Do what you feel comfortable with.

BTW SergeMax's idea actually sounds pretty good, if you could get it accurate...

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Bulk prime at the rate of 5gm per Ltr.