Priming approach

[shacked]

I've got a sour that I'd like to bottle but don't want to potentially 'contaminate' another bucket and other gear via bulk priming.

It's sort of close to a lambic which will require quite a bit of carbonation (3 to 4 vols). I was thinking of just using carbonation drops.

I weighed a handful of carbonation drops and they average around 3g per drop. 3 drops would be 9 grams or 12 grams per L.

Using a bulk priming calculator 12g per L would be around 3.75 vols (1,000ml @ 25C @ 12g - assuming drops are dextrose or 3.9 vols for cane sugar), so it would appear that 3 drops is going to land me towards the top of the range.

Does this make sense? Have I left any variables out?

I'm going to use champagne bottles thatI believe can hold 7 vols, so there is still a little room if it gasses up over 4 vols.

 

[damoninja]

Bulk prime in primary.

I've never transferred to a bucket, just add and stir gently.

 

[MHB]

The drops are mostly Sucrose and a bit of water (see Hard Crack Candy) so they probably give slightly less fizz than the same mass of sugar, but not much.
Ideally racking to a priming bucket would give you better control. If you have a Stainless/Aluminium kettle it will work just fine, and there is no risk of contamination, when you are finished priming just add some water and boil for 20 minutes or so, with the lid on.
Not even those persistent little Belgian beer bugs will survive that.
Mark

 

[Matplat]

Alternatively look up 'goatherder pseudo bulk priming'

I do this for every brew.

 

[shacked]

The drops are mostly Sucrose and a bit of water (see Hard Crack Candy) so they probably give slightly less fizz than the same mass of sugar, but not much.
Ideally racking to a priming bucket would give you better control. If you have a Stainless/Aluminium kettle it will work just fine, and there is no risk of contamination, when you are finished priming just add some water and boil for 20 minutes or so, with the lid on.
Not even those persistent little Belgian beer bugs will survive that.
Mark

I like the idea about using a stainless kettle, I'll just need to knock something together to link the bottling wand with the 13mm barb on the kettle ball valve.

I actually like this idea for all beers, not just funky ones. I could also boil some water in the kettle before, kill everything, then transfer cold crashed beer, prime and bottle! Then refill, boil, kill and store.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Try sugar cubes