What Priming Sugar ?

[snagler]

I always bottle prime with dextrose because that is the thing to do right??

Today I opened a long neck that was bottled in september 2006, it was the only bottle I primed from the batch with "White sugar". I had long forgoten about this experiment but was pleasantly surprised when I poured and tasted this bottle. It held a better creamier head, the bubbles were smaller and tighter and perhaps tasted better than the dextrose primed bottles.

Im just interested to here from anyone who has experienced a similar result. Im a bit confused because I always thought dextrose was the only way to go???

 

[Stuster]

The bottle you had probably had great head as it's been sitting for a bit longer. I've tried both and have found no difference at all in taste, head formation or retention or anything in fact. Save some cash and use normal sugar. :super:

 

[Mr Bond]

It held a better creamier head, the bubbles were smaller and tighter and perhaps tasted better than the dextrose primed bottles.

Thats more about the length of time conditioning than the sugar.

 

[matti]

#3. Time matters.
You don't have to prime with dextrose.
It is just recommended as it will not affect flavour past bottling.
You can prime with boiled lollies. Just expect a different end result.

 

[petesbrew]

I keep doing this to myself.
I really should've checked this out before doing it last night, but how much dry malt is required for bulk priming a 23L batch? I used 300g.

Papazian's book says with dextrose use 180ml and with malt use 300ml... seeing as 180g is what's usual with dextrose, I assume 300g is okay for malt.

 

[Stuster]

Gulp. That'll probably be fairly well carbonated. It's sort of hard to say exactly how much you'll get out of the DME because it depends on exactly how fermentable it is. The rule of thumb I've read is to use a third as much again as sugar. So if it's 180g of sugar, that'd be 240g of DME. You've used 300g which is something like 225g sugar. You shouldn't get bottle bombs or anything, but it might be a bit frothy. For next time, you could use the carbonation calculator BeerIsGood made. Post #16 here. :super:

 

[petesbrew]

Gulp. That'll probably be fairly well carbonated. It's sort of hard to say exactly how much you'll get out of the DME because it depends on exactly how fermentable it is. The rule of thumb I've read is to use a third as much again as sugar. So if it's 180g of sugar, that'd be 240g of DME. You've used 300g which is something like 225g sugar. You shouldn't get bottle bombs or anything, but it might be a bit frothy. For next time, you could use the carbonation calculator BeerIsGood made. Post #16 here. :super:

Thanks Stu, I'll blame the book in this case. Anyway I'll have a look thru this thread and print it off.
edit: putting them in a container tonight, just in case.... should be okay though.
P.s. I had fun trying to dissolve it all.... forgot all about the clumping.

 

[PostModern]

10-11g/litre is good for DME. I did a lot of side-by-side testing when I was bottling all those long years ago. My general result was:

Sugar: 7g/L
Dex:9g/L
DME:11g/L

 

[Steve]

10-11g/litre is good for DME. I did a lot of side-by-side testing when I was bottling all those long years ago. My general result was:

Sugar: 7g/L
Dex:9g/L
DME:11g/L

I also did lots of testing of different priming sugars, combining malt/sugar etc etc. I didnt vary the gram per litre though. Ended up just using plain ole white table sugar as I couldnt tell any difference whatsoever...plus its cheaper.
Cheers
Steve

 

[wildschwein]

Actually, Papazian usually recommends about 290g of malt extract, boiled in an equal quantity of water for bulk priming in his recipes which are 19L batches. I usually use this amount if I'm using malt extract to prime in 23L batches and the carbonation level is perfect. 180g of dex for a 23L batch provides a similar level of carbonation. I don't usually use table sugar but 180g would probably give the same effect.

 

[petesbrew]

Actually, Papazian usually recommends about 290g of malt extract, boiled in an equal quantity of water for bulk priming in his recipes which are 19L batches. I usually use this amount if I'm using malt extract to prime in 23L batches and the carbonation level is perfect. 180g of dex for a 23L batch provides a similar level of carbonation. I don't usually use table sugar but 180g would probably give the same effect.

That really puts my mind at ease. Cheers Wilschwein.
In future I'll stick to dextrose or sugar, a lot cheaper, but it's always worth trying once.