Priming to prevent over carbonation ?

[Benjaminrossboyd]

Hi all,

Firstly, I am referring to simple kit and kit type brewing in the below story.

Myself and a friend bottle (yes bottle) in 330ml bottles and while some say a standard carb drop will not over carbonate the beer, I personally think sometimes I think it does.

I have read a little about "priming", by putting the correct amount of sugar into a second fermenter and draining the beer into it to prime the brew before bottling straight into the bottles (ie sugar comes from priming process not from carb drops).

Happy to hear of success or bad stories about this, obviously This Process opens up more risk for infection, but may be worth it with proper sterilisation?

 

[mstrelan]

Before kegging I only ever bulk primed. A++ would do again.

 

[Benjaminrossboyd]

What process did you use mstrelan ?

 

[mstrelan]

Boil some water, doesn't matter how much, maybe 200mL. Look up a priming sugar calculator ( http://www.aussiehomebrewing.com/AlcoholChart/PrimingCalculator.html ) and determine how much sugar to use. Something like 90g. Dissolve sugar then pour in bottling bucket then rack from the primary. This way the sugar solution will dissolve in to the beer without having to stir it. See also https://nationalhomebrew.com.au/brewers-library-beer-a-guide-to-bulk-priming

 

[Barge]

I used to put the dextrose or malt extract straight into the bulk priming vessel without water. I would then rack into the vessel with the hose directed in such a way as to create a whirlpool. This was quite effective at dissolving the sugar and mixing the beer. Carbonation was always evenly distributed.

 

[Benjaminrossboyd]

Thanks lads, I am guessing "racking" is done using a sterilised hose/tubing directly connected to the primary fermenters tap? Secondly, do you bottle as soon as the transfer has finished ?

 

[Barge]

Yes and yes.

 

[Matplat]

The other option is 'pseudo bulk priming' by goatherder, google search it and you will see... I used carb drops for my first brew but have done it goatherders way every time since then.

 

[mstrelan]

Thanks lads, I am guessing "racking" is done using a sterilised hose/tubing directly connected to the primary fermenters tap? Secondly, do you bottle as soon as the transfer has finished ?

From howtobrew.com

Place the outlet beneath the surface of the priming solution. Do not allow the beer to splash because you don't want to add oxygen to your beer at this point. Keep the intake end of the racking tube an inch off the bottom of the fermenter to leave the yeast and sediment behind.

There is a whole chapter on priming and bottling. http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/priming-and-bottling/

 

[mstrelan]

The intake end is if you are using a siphon, but if you're using a fermenter with a tap it's probably already an inch off the bottom.

 

[Killer Brew]

I only ever bulk prime now. I dissolve the required amount of sugar (as indicated by a calculator) in a small amount of water and then tip it straight into a sanitised fermenter. I then rack from the primary straight onto this, give it a gentle stir if required, and commence bottling. Have always had a good even carbonation this way.

 

[Benjaminrossboyd]

Thanks all, I have looked up a few videos and calculators and will hopefully have a perfect carbonation for my bubbling stout. Cheers, hopefully one day I can help another brother out !