Batch Priming

invaderzimirl

ok i have a priming question.

at present im using carb drops. one per bottle.i have also used sugar as i ran out of card drops.

im wondering the pros/cons of batch priming. for example if i was to be using 5g sugar/500ml bottle should i add approx 200g fro a 20L and if so how can it be controlled as to where the sugars go ie some wont get any some will get a lot.

also how would honey/syrup match up to it, should i change to a second bucket before adding the sugar?

im trying to find the best way of doing this. time taken etc as i found out using sugar takes time measuring it and willing it into the bottle takes a lot longer then a carb drop.

thanks for any input

drumswan

Use a batch priming calculator to carbonate to your preference:

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

The pros of batch priming is that you are ensuring that all of your bottles are primed equally. Make up a sugar solution, syphon in your beer into your bottling bucket on top of it, it will be equally distributed.

Havent used anything other than sugar (table, dextrose, DME) to prime, not sure on honey etc.

ian_m

You have more control of distribution of the sugar in the bottles when batch priming.

You dissolve the sugar in a pint of your fermented beer. You then pour the dissolved sugar into the bucket, then the gently syphon your fermented beer ontop of that to distribute the sugar evenly.

1 x carbonation drop is 3grams. I used that as my base when I first moved from using drops to batch priming.

How much sugar you use depends on the style of beer and how much fizz you like. I have used 2 drops per 500mls bottle for a wheatbeer. I like a bit of fizz.

42 x 500mls bottles would need 126grams of sugar, to match 1 x carbonation drop, as a rough guide. I usually use a bit more and I use brewing sugar.

Main advantages are not fiddling about with spoons and sugar, and even carbonation throughout the batch.

Ratsathome

invaderzimirl wrote: »

also how would honey/syrup match up to it, should i change to a second bucket before adding the sugar?
thanks for any input

With honey and syrup you actually wasting it because you use such a small amount it will not make a difference in the taste.With something like molasses that have a very strong taste it's a different story.

rubadub

With honey or syrup you need additional calculations, as it is not 100% sugar but already has water in it.

invaderzimirl

ok so would something like thisfrom woodies be a good bottling container that i can add the priming sugar to?

do you have to leave it a while to mix or will it just mix by its self?

im just getting to bottling my next 2 batches in the next few days.

Carawaystick

invaderzimirl wrote: »

ok so would something like thisfrom woodies be a good bottling container that i can add the priming sugar to?

do you have to leave it a while to mix or will it just mix by its self?

im just getting to bottling my next 2 batches in the next few days.

People usually use fermentation buckets with a tap on the bottom for batch priming, but that looks fine, until you want to brew more than 20l...

I boil up the amount of sugar calculated for priming in the same amount of water, to sanitise it,
pour this syrup into the bottling container, rack the beer into this, which mixes up the sugar and bottle immediately.


As you can't get your hand into the woodies container to wash it, you need to rinse & wah it immedately after use, as if beer dries on, t's hard to shift

invaderzimirl

im thinking ill use the bleach and vinagear to sanitize it before and after also, as bottling will only take an hour or so.

if i have to bottle prime a few bottles from my fermentation bucket so be it,they can be my tests with different amounts of sugar etc.

I'm just trying to simplify the way i do things :-)

i cant get new buckets before when i need to do the bottling.

HMD

i tried batch priming on my latest lot and it all went well. i added 100grm for 20ltrs.