Bottle priming - which method do you use?

[harvs]

Hi

I was just wondering how everyone is priming their bottles. Before, I've added the sugar to each bottle. But I was thinking about mixing with a little boiled water and adding into the fermenter - so it would be slightly quicker, and more sterile - but I'm a bit concerned about trying to stir it in without all the stuff at the bottom of the fermenter getting mixed up again. I haven't really thought about the more exotic methods like spray malt etc.

How do you do yours?

[Garth]

I voted sugar straight into the bottle, although I use glucose but I do it the same way. I'm eventually going to go down the glucose solution in a pippette route, but the way I'm doing at the moment I've never had a bad bottle.

[Aleman]

I add sterile priming solution to my bottling bucket (A corny), purge, then transfer clear beer to the corny, then bottle from the corny

Priming solution could be Sugar, DME or Wort?

[floydmeddler]

I take around 300ml of the beer (don't like adding water) and boil it up with the correct amount of priming sugar. I let this cool slightly then pour it into my bottling bucket. I then siphon the beer in. Gets a really good mix around that way.

[purple_chicken]

When I used to do kits I always added a spoon of sugar to each bottle that was until I got a premium kit which suggested adding spraymalt and primary fermented beer into a bottling bucket before bottling. This is how I have done it ever since and you definetly get a more equal prime.

[stevezx7r]

I used to add a half tsp per pint (magners bottles) straight from the t+l bag into the bottle via a funnel but will be changing my system today. I'm going "commando" in the priming department so won't be using any sugar to prime. My TTL clone has been in the primary fv for 7 days today so I'm going to keg 5 gallons (this will be force carbe'd) and bottle the other, sans sugar, this is in the hope that the yeast is still active (should be) and will carbonate naturally.

[HG]

I used to add a half tsp per pint (magners bottles) straight from the t+l bag into the bottle via a funnel but will be changing my system today. I'm going "commando" in the priming department so won't be using any sugar to prime. My TTL clone has been in the primary fv for 7 days today so I'm going to keg 5 gallons (this will be force carbe'd) and bottle the other, sans sugar, this is in the hope that the yeast is still active (should be) and will carbonate naturally.

I tried this as well. It did work (just about). The carbonation level was on the low side but I think this was because I let the SG drop to either 1.009/8. I expect 1.010 would have been better.

[Calum]

When ready to bottle I boil up around 70g-80g of sugar with a half pint of water and drop it into the bottom of my sterlised bottling bucket. I then drop my beer from the primary into the bottling bucket as smoothly as possible (this ensures the beer and syrup are properly mixed). I then connect my little bottler and away I go.

[pantsmachine]

I weigh out 7 flat tsps of sugar on the digital scales multiply the weight by 8 and this gives me just under 1 1/2 tsp per bottle. i then add this to 400ml of water, nuke it in the microwave to boil for a minute and then draw off and dispense 10ml of solution into each bottle. Works well and gives me the carbonation i like consistently.

[haz66]

I just add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar directly into the bottles via a funnel,
i tried some without sugar but they were as flat as a fart, so i guess the gravity
had dropped to low to do it naturally, so now to be on the safe side its half a teaspoon
per bottle just to make sure they carbonate.

[Garth]

I weigh out 7 flat tsps of sugar on the digital scales multiply the weight by 8 and this gives me just under 1 1/2 tsp per bottle. i then add this to 400ml of water, nuke it in the microwave to boil for a minute and then draw off and dispense 10ml of solution into each bottle. Works well and gives me the carbonation i like consistently.

I like the sound of this idea pantsmachine, I may have to nick it next time I bottle, oh in about a week

I own pippettes as well.........bonus!!

[stevezx7r]

I weigh out 7 flat tsps of sugar on the digital scales multiply the weight by 8 and this gives me just under 1 1/2 tsp per bottle. i then add this to 400ml of water, nuke it in the microwave to boil for a minute and then draw off and dispense 10ml of solution into each bottle. Works well and gives me the carbonation i like consistently.

...I own pippettes as well.........bonus!!

Pippettes? Are those things soldiers wear on their shoulders

[pantsmachine]

No problem Garth, more than welcome. Prior to going the syringe route I had varying degrees of success with carbonation. Had a few flat ones and a few volcanoes as well. Its consisitent now, I use a 10ml plastic syringe for the measuring.

[harvs]

Thanks guys - I've given this method from Chris a go yesterday...

Mixing with boiling water and adding directly to the fermenter (after allowing it to cool a little) shouldn't cause you any problems. The slurry at the bottom of the FV is mostly pretty stable and a careful, gentle, brief stir shouldn't disturb the bulk of it and if you allow 20 mins or so before bottling anything that was disturb will settle back to the bottom.

I prefer to mix the sugar or extract with boiling water in a pyrx jug and bring it back to the boil in the microwave to ensure sterility.

Was obviously easier than adding to each bottle (ensures each bottle gets the same level of sugar, and was totally mixed in). Just need to get a bottling stick now, to avoid the beer going all over the floor

[macleanb]

I use same technique as pantsmachine - but I have a 50cc syringe. I make my mix, whether it be sugar, dextrose or spray malt (which can be a little bugger to get disolved - use cold water!) that way I can get 5 squirts out of each refill anf it takes no time at all and no mess...