Sugar cubes

[gazpachos0up]

Remember when sugar cubes used to be an actual cube...
I had a great idea to use them in place of carbonation drops.
Went to woolies got a pack, got home, opened the box, their bloody rectangle shaped now or oblong. Their not square they only fit into the neck of a plastic PET bottle...
Anyone know of any sugar cubes that are still square cubes... Their cheaper than carbonation drops and you get twice as much... Its win win
The ones i bought were CSR

[Pale_Ale]

I'd be careful to measure the quantity of sugar that you are adding to the beer. Also it sounds like an inconsistent way of priming. If $2.50 per brew for carb drops is too much, you should give bulk priming with dextrose a go!

[gazpachos0up]

I thought you were supposed to add a teaspoon to each bottle, isn't that what a sugar cube measures to?

[Pale_Ale]

I thought you were supposed to add a teaspoon to each bottle, isn't that what a sugar cube measures to?

Not sure, never had much to do with them...but at best it's a slightly cheaper and slighter more inconvenient sub for carb drops. Just my opinion though

[rwh]

I mostly bulk prime, but these days when I keg 19L of brew I have some left so I put it in bottles and bottle prime. I use one of those measuring spoon sets (tablespoon/teaspoon/half-teaspoon/quarter-teaspoon). I put in 2 half-teaspoons per longneck and one half-teaspoon per stubbie. Easy and cheap.

The other way to do it is to get one of those special scoops from the HBS that has the right sizes for 330mL/500mL/750mL or something.

Sorry, I didn't really help with your sugar cube question.

[Chris]

To be honest, sugar cubes are probably more accurate than carb drops- assuming you can get them in the bottle.

[forcetwelve]

i'm giving carb drops a go this brew.

whats the method behind bulk priming? if my brew is 23 litres, does anyone know how much dextrose to add?

[rwh]

Bulk priming is where you add all the sugar to another fermenter, rack your beer onto it, and then bottle.

How much dex to add: around 180g per 23L brew. See here: http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Metho ... uide.shtml

[Chris]

It depends on the beer, but 180g is a good benchmark.

[Rone]

Those measuring spoon sets have been my saviour for bottle priming.

[Boonie]

Those measuring spoon sets have been my saviour for bottle priming.

Welcome Rone.

Wait til you get another vessel (Fermenter) and bulk prime!! My 2 little measurers are in the bottom drawer now

Chris wrote

It depends on the beer, but 180g is a good benchmark

Chris was right about the depending on the beer. Also the volume is critical.

Remember if you make it at about 19-20 litres, do the Dex @ 150-160g..

Cheers

Boonie

[Rone]

Cheers Boonie, I've been waiting for an excuse to make some noise in the forums after reading up on just about everything posted on here.
The second fermenter may be a while off yet. I'm still fairly green at the whole brewing process, but I have never enjoyed trial and error so much.

[forcetwelve]

guys - is there a way of bulk priming in the primary ferm.?

i havnt got a secondary as yet...

[rwh]

It is possible. You boil up your sugar, pour it in gently at the top of primary, and gently swirl your beer so it is smoothly rotating, and leave it for 15 minutes or so. The aim here is to mix the sugar through the beer without stirring up the trub.

I've never done this myself, but some of my friends have, with mixed success. Sometimes they have got inconsistent carbonation when they haven't made sure to mix it through. You'll just have to try it and see if it's for you. Personally, if I was bottling from primary, I'd bottle prime.

[forcetwelve]

yeah sounds a bit touch and go doesnt it. cheers rwh.

i'll stick to the carb drops!

[Boonie]

yeah sounds a bit touch and go doesnt it. cheers rwh.

i'll stick to the carb drops!

If you spend 30-35 Bucks on a new fermenter, 5 bucks on 2 metres of 10mm hose from Bunnings you will be set. You can bulk prime and get a consistant carb. The 10mm hose fits the "Little bottler" tube.

Dissolve 180g of Dex in 500ml of boiling water.
Put the little bottler (With hose attached) into the brewed fermenter and the hose into the empty one. Curl the hose at the bottom.

Turn on hose, add 180g of dissolved dex that was pre-heated. Stir with Big spoon if you have one.

Then simply bottle. I have 2 "Little bottlers" I use the hose for bottling too. Just add the little bottler to the end of the hose and you don't have to lift the bottles to the keg, you take the beer to the bottle..

Cheers

Boonie.

PS Would you like a picture?

[forcetwelve]

yeah that'd be good to see apic boonie! ta mate.

[Boonie]

yeah that'd be good to see apic boonie! ta mate.

I may have to do it tomorrow night.....I will try late tonight though.

My son has a picture in the "Gallery" at the school, preso is tonight. (Puff out chest) He's 8........must get it from his Mum's side


Cheers

Boonie

[forcetwelve]

hahahaha

nice one boonie.

PS - that LCPA is smelling sweet at the momemnt - almost time to bottle.

[Chris]

Bulk priming in the primary is a bit dodgey. As mentioned above, just spend the money- it's not that much, and you'll do it eventually anyway