Does priming solution scale linearly?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by riptorn, Apr 24, 2019.

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  1. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm thinking it does based on fiddling with beer volume in BC's Carbonation tab. Verification would be good because I suspect this could be in play during my next bottling session.

    The priming calculator for 5 gallons of beer indicates the desired vols CO2 (2.4) requires 4.4 oz. corn sugar. The sugar is then mixed with 32 oz. of water.
    Actual beer volume ends up at 4 gallons (80% of expected), and the difference is not known until completing the transfer from the fermentor to the bottling bucket.

    Would the beer get the desired vols CO2 (2.4) in the 4 gallons if using ~25.6 oz. (80% of 32 oz.) of the premixed solution?
     
  2. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    When I have brewed 3 gallon batches (numerous times) I have scaled the amount of priming sugar (3/5 x the amount for a 5 gallon batch) and this has consistently worked for me.

    Cheers!
     
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  3. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    I always measure priming sugar by weight. It is much more accurate. When I bottled I would use grams, and then carefully measure the amount.

    32 ounces of water sounds like an awful lot. A few ounces is all that is needed. You should be boiling the water anyway to drive out oxygen and to sanitize, though mostly because of D.O. The hot water will dissolve the sugar easily, then let it cool. Stir a bit to mix it up, then add to your bottling bucket. Then rack onto the sugar water.

    My advice is to try those two things and see if your consistency improves.

    There is always some guessing the residual CO2 as well. My wild ass guess is 0.5 vols from fermentation. But again just a WAG. Could be more or less, depending on temperature too.

    Cheers.
     
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  4. minderbender

    minderbender Initiate (0) Jan 18, 2009 New York

    32 ounces is a quart of water. In a 5 gallon batch that seems about right to me—I might use more like 2-3 cups, but a quart doesn't seem crazy. I used to use a lot less water, and then one time I didn't mix it well enough and I got bottle bombs. I think using a large volume of water in the priming solution helps it mix evenly into the beer.

    I agree with your other points.

    The answer to this is yes.
     
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  5. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This isn't really a concern about past inconsistency, as I've had good success doing pretty much as you described; measure by weight, boil the water, dissolve, cool, add to bucket, swirl, bottle. Only one time was there an issue, the cause of which is still unknown to me (likely faulty measuring).

    Oxygen is a concern and I'm trying to minimize it in the face of not knowing what the final beer volume will be. Hence, pouring the priming solution in the bottling bucket when I'm unsure of how much beer will make it to the bucket is more than a WAG, it's a SWAG. :grimacing:

    When you bottled, according to the order you listed, you probably had a decent guesstimate of how much beer you'd be priming, and your priming solution was boiled, mixed, cooled and ready to go before your beer left the fermentor.
    I'm not confident what the final volume will be for this batch and am I'm suspecting this batch will have considerably more loss to trub than any previous.

    My potential predicament has me wondering about ways to have my priming solution ready to go. The main difference in your description (and in the way I typically do it) is I won't know the volume until transfer.
    If I get the solution ready (knowing I might need to use less) and then transfer, the beer won't be sitting in the bucket waiting for slo-poke riptorn to boil, mix, cool, etc.
    Just add to the filled bucket, swirl and bottle away.
     
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  6. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    That was my thinking on the quart as well, especially if this batch cranks out way less beer. I normally put the tag end of the tubing in the bottom and against the wall to create a light whirlpool. Then use 16 oz. of already prepped solution, pour in half when there's about an inch of beer, and the balance when about 3/4 done.....then stir.

    I'd expect a more dilute solution to mix better than a thicker one in a nearly full bucket. I'll figure in the extra quart, or whatever it turns out to be, when doing the final calc's.
     
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  7. Brewday

    Brewday Zealot (721) Dec 25, 2015 New York

    Just tested a few bottles using sugar cubes (1 per 12ozs) and all had great carbonation but there were large bubbles in the head so it will need time. I microwaved them for 3 minutes to sanitize then tossed them in with some yeast. I should have weighed each one because they get worn down in the box.
     
  8. Brewday

    Brewday Zealot (721) Dec 25, 2015 New York

    I would think once you add the sugar and wake the yeast up transferring won't be a issue as long as you don't splash too hard.
     
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  9. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    My workaround is to make a 32 oz solution for a 5 gallon batch. I’m confident there will be at least 4 gallons of beer. If my math is correct ~26 oz. (25.6) will be needed for 4 gallons. I’ll measure that out and reserve the remaining 6 oz.

    Then I'll go through my normal routine of adding half (13 oz) when there's about an inch of beer in the bucket and add the other half about ¾ way through the transfer.
    When the transfer is complete I’ll subtract 4 gallons from the final volume and note the difference in tenths of a gallon.

    I've figured I'll need to top off with 0.6 fl oz per 1/10 gallon over 4 gallons. That will come from the reserved 6 ounces. Fortunately, I have a scale that measures fluid ounces in tenths.

    There's potential for inaccuracies in a few places (tenths of a gallon in a bucket....what the heck?!?), so I'm not sure how much all of this matters

    This will happen tonight. Please point out any potential issues I might be missing.


    Afterthought.....depending on how much the shortfall is I might top up to 5 gallons with good water and have a marginally thinner and less flavorful beer.
     
  10. minderbender

    minderbender Initiate (0) Jan 18, 2009 New York

    This seems needlessly complicated to me. I would just rack the beer, measure its volume, and add the appropriate amount of priming solution. If you have a digital scale you can just tare it with the priming solution on it, pour some in, then put the solution back on the scale, repeating until you've added the appropriate amount. Or you could just measure the solution volumetrically.

    You don't have to be very precise as no one is going to notice a difference between 2.3 volumes and 2.35 volumes or whatever.
     
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  11. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Nah, it’s a breeze now that it's played it out in my minds eye. The glut of words might have made it appear more complicated than it actually will be.

    32 ounces, reserve 6, add 26 oz during transfer.
    Simple calc for what's needed from the reserved 6 ounces, add it.
    Stir, bottle.
    Best of all, there's only one math problem in the assignment.

    Appreciate the input folks.
     
  12. Supergenious

    Supergenious Maven (1,273) May 9, 2011 Michigan

    Yeah, you’re definitely WAY over thinking this. And a quart of water is pure madness. You only need to add enough to cover the sugar, it’ll mix just fine. BTW, another way to save a little time... don’t bother cooling your priming solution, the beer will take care of that. Unless of course you’re adding a large amount of water... like a quart! Best of luck man.
     
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  13. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the good wishes.
    Deed is done and it's time for a little less thinkin' and a little more drinkin'.
     
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