Batch vs bottle priming

[jonnymorris]

I've just racked my Munton's stout off to a secondary FV ready for bottling in a few days. Is there any advantage in batch priming it before bottling vs adding the sugar to each bottle besides it being less fiddly?

If I do end up batch priming, should I do so immediately before bottling so as not to loose any of the fizz associated with the added sugar?

Any advice/tips for my first time bottling welcomed.

 

[Mark1964]

dont think so its just easier to batch prime than stand there spooning sugar into bottles

 

[Baz Chaz]

+1 for batch priming, I started off bottling 'individually' but batch prime all the time now, far quicker and less fiddly :thumb:

 

[Cussword]

Whatever way you do it, it helps to dissolve the sugar in hot water beforehand :thumb:

 

[jonnymorris]

So, dissolve 1/2 tsp x 40 (pints) in warm water, mix it in with brew, bottle? Is that it?

 

[abeyptfc]

So, dissolve 1/2 tsp x 40 (pints) in warm water, mix it in with brew, bottle? Is that it?

yeah or 20 teaspoonfuls!

 

[artiums_enteri]

Bottle priming is something I have not seen done in quite a long time. Typically brewers will runoff the fermented beer into a bottling bucket, add 3/4 cup of priming sugar, and then fill each bottle immediately after adding the priming sugar to the whole batch. This way each bottle gets the same amount of sugar, and when left in a case in a warm place, all bottles carbonate equally. A lot of brewers I know who still bottle condition went away from adding sugar to each bottle because of the inconsistency and more so the exploding glass grenades it tended to lead to.


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[BeerEagle]

Aaargh "Cups"!. Not here please. Grams, Ounces etc are cool - too much chance of misunderstanding the measure in Europe.

 

[Baz Chaz]

I use 80g sugar to batch prime 23 litre :thumb:

 

[Devonhomebrew]

30g for a bitter

 

[BeerEagle]

How about taking a sample of your wort, pitch loads of yeast into it and it should ferment really quickly. Then you can measure what the FG of your main batch will be.

Then keep measuring the gravity of your beer and bottle when 1 or 2 points off target FG.

No need to batch or bottle prime then, just use the last little bits of fermentables in your beer to finish off in the cask/bottle.

 

[jonnymorris]

yeah or 20 teaspoonfuls!

Thanks for that.

Batch priming it is. Cheers.

 

[Toastie]

30g for a bitter

is that right ? im just about to do my first bitter and was going to use 85g , i want fizz , bitter wasn't my choice ,it was a free kit .

any thoughts ?

cheers d

 

[Darcey]

It depends on your choice of 'fizzyness'. I prefer ales to be only slightly fizzy, lagers and Europeans are better with some fizz.

 

[Toastie]

if i stick 85g in a bitter will it be ok ? or at least not to bad ? cheers for info :)

 

[Baz Chaz]

So, dissolve 1/2 tsp x 40 (pints) in warm water, mix it in with brew, bottle? Is that it?

yeah or 20 teaspoonfuls!

I'm just setting up to batch prime 5 gallon this morning, I've just weighed 20 teaspoons .... = 100g I know, should have better things to do, but once something gets in my head

Personal preference really, I wouldn't use that much, normally use 80g .... but :idea: just checked my notebook and had left note to self to reduce batch prime to 60g for next bottling :!:

So I'll just finish me brew and start bottling :thumb:

 

[johnluc]

baz, i always batch prime with 100-110 grms sugar for 25 ltrs bitter/pale and it has always turned out spot on regarding fizz. as like you when i weighed 1/2 -3/4 teaspoon sugar for 45-47 500ml bottles it came to a lot more than 85grm.

 

[jonnymorris]

I've just weighed 20 teaspoons .... = 100g I know, should have better things to do, but once something gets in my head

I was planning on doing the same but you've saved me the trouble!

Note: the kit says 85g of priming sugar when barrelling so I think I'll aim somewhere roughly in the middle.

 

[Baz Chaz]

The other thing is probably length of time conditioning in the bottle and temperature it's stored at :idea:

When it's cold outside ie down towards freezing, the newly bottled beers spend a week in the study in a warm corner.

When it's warmer I just put 'em straight in the storage cupboards in 'The Den' and leave 'em.

Some of the stuff I'm drinking is a year old, the Batemans XXXB and the Black Sheep Riggwelter, were brewed 24/1/11 & 7/2/11 respectively, they would spend the first week in the warm then into 'The Den' at whatever temperature it got to in there, (it's not over hot in summer mind) both are cracking pints :drink:

 

[Green Ninja]

I use 1 teaspoon sugar per 500 ml / pint.

Perfect for me.


Terry.