Noob brewing up a big stout -- priming sugar qu

[Lord Ester]

Hi guys.

Short-term lurker, shorter-term brewer here. First brew was a Canadian Ale that fermented at 27-29C … hence my tag 'Lord Ester'.

Currently have a stout sitting in primary. Been there 4 weeks now. Made on a Coopers Stout kit, with 1.5kg LDM. Did a separate boil with 4 split vanilla beans and 100g cacao powder. Filled to 18.5lt, and fermented with kit yeast x 2. Late addition of 25ml vanilla extract.

I'm planning to bottle it tomorrow. In terms of bottle priming (750ml glass), I'm thinking 1 level tspn raw sugar for a lightly carbonated stout. The OG reading was 1.033 (which I'm sure was inaccurate, given the mix). FG is 1018. It's been fermented at around 19-20C.

So without really good data on gravity, do you think 1 tspn of raw sugar is going to give me fine carbonation in this sort of mix? My bigger question: with that mixture, am I at any risk of exploding glass?

Many thanks!
Adriaan

 

[stewy]

Use this calculator to help you. It's for bulk priming but you can divide total amount by how many bottles you have. Stouts are usually carbed to 1.7-2 vols approx

http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

 

[Lord Ester]

Thanks, Stewy -- that was a useful link (and more helpful than some other priming calculators I'd seen). So it looks like 2/3 of tspn of raw sugar will probably be okay. Cheers.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Beware of Stouts. They need less priming than regular beers, especially if you are going to leave them for quite a few months. Stouts tend to take longer to ferment out fully and only require light carbonation

 

[stewy]

Thanks, Stewy -- that was a useful link (and more helpful than some other priming calculators I'd seen). So it looks like 2/3 of tspn of raw sugar will probably be okay. Cheers.

I forgot to add, I would Google "pseudo bulk priming"
It's a great way prime your bottles if you don't want to use a bottling bucket

 

[Lord Ester]

Thanks again, guys. Ducati Stu -- I take your point. Can't imagine a stout that wants to be a Coke! Lots of bubbles would kill it. Do you think 2/3 tspn is excessive?

Thanks, Stu, for the 'pseudo bulk priming' idea. Had a read on it. I'm trying to see what significant advantage it would have over dry-priming each bottle. But maybe I'm missing something. I've dry primed a few batches now, and haven't found it too painful. I have an adjustable teaspoon, so I set the rate, and then just dip into the sugar, and wipe off the excess with a flat knife blade. Been pretty quick and easy for me … but maybe this 'pseudo bulk prime' is better? I may try it on a pale ale in a few wks. Thanks!

 

[stewy]

I guess the main advantage is it removes the guesswork. If you're priming to 1.5 vols & that equates to 4.35 grams/ bottle, pretty difficult with teaspoon. Easier to add all sugar to water, dissolve it in & then syringe equal amts per bottle.
Both ways work though

 

[VP Brewing]

^^^ If it is boiled with water it is sterile too. Sugar/ Dex is most likely sterile but who knows.....

 

[Lord Ester]

Okay … I can see the benefits. Not thought about the sterility issue! But I guess hygiene is everything … and the it would suck to have it fall over at bottling time!

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Bulk primming is the go. Its to simple, although you need a 2nd fermenter/bucket/cube. Just dissolve your sugar in a cup or 2 of hot water throw it in the second vessel, gently siphon in the wort and away you go. The siphoning of the wort will mix up the sugar solution evenly by the time you have finished. Best method is to use a hose from the tap on your fermenter into the second vessel down the side so that the end of the hose just sits above the bottom. This will help stop airation and give max swirl & mixing

Couple of advantages are

Much finer control over carbonation levels
Much less chance of trub getting into your bottles when you get right to the end
Rouses the yeast and gets it working again
Nice even amount of yeast per bottle

 

[Lord Ester]

A nice summary on the benefits of bulk priming for me. I won't do it this time (don't have the gear) but will consider for the future. Cheers!

 

[Lord Ester]

So a separate question -- if my hydro reading on SG was out, then is there a meaningful way to calculate alc % based on what data I have about the brew?

 

[stewy]

Yes. Punch your ingredients into brewing software. The software is very accurate in predicting SG on extract recipes, in fact I don't ever take an SG on an extract recipe as the software is more accurate than getting a perfectly homogenous mix of the wort & taking a hydro sample.

The spreadsheet by IAN H in the kit/extracts section is excellent

 

[Lord Ester]

Thanks for that, Stewy. Shall check it out!

 

[Lord Ester]

Well, I ended up doing bottle prime with these with 2/3 tspn of raw sugar per longneck when I bottled 2.5 weeks ago. Have just cracked one for St Pat's Day lunch. Fantastic! Lovely fine bubbles, perfect volume for a stout. While bulk or pseudo bulk priming are likely in my future, I have to say I am rapt with how this one turned out. Happy St Patrick's Day! Bottoms up!

 

[stewy]

Well, I ended up doing bottle prime with these with 2/3 tspn of raw sugar per longneck when I bottled 2.5 weeks ago. Have just cracked one for St Pat's Day lunch. Fantastic! Lovely fine bubbles, perfect volume for a stout. While bulk or pseudo bulk priming are likely in my future, I have to say I am rapt with how this one turned out. Happy St Patrick's Day! Bottoms up!

It may be all in my head (most probably) but my latest Saison, I primed half the batch with carb drops & the other half by pseudo bulk priming using raw sugar. It appears the head on the raw sugar ones lasts longer & is more compact than with carb drops. Again, could be all in my head, but that's what I see

 

[Lord Ester]

Thanks, Stewy. Very interesting! The head on this beer surprised me. I expect it will only improve with age, but it's off to a ripper start. So … what could it be in raw sugar that promotes this? Is it the molasses in the sugar? Or something else?