Checking my math on table sugar carbing.

3 gallons requires 5/16 cup regular sugar? My brew shop was closed this weekend and I cod t get corn sugar.

masterblaster said:

3 gallons requires 5/16 cup regular sugar? My brew shop was closed this weekend and I cod t get corn sugar.

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Do you have a little kitchen scale? That's the easiest way, and it's far more accurate. I have no idea how to measure 5/16 of a cup, but 2.5 ounces by weight would be simple.

Negative on the kitchen scale... I was thinking a rounded 1/4 cup or a slightly shorted 1/3 cup. Impatience is my enemy here.

What's your target carbonation level?

Looking at my priming sugar calculator (link is in my sig) and making a couple of assumptions - temp @ 65 degrees F - 5/16 of a cup of table sugar will get you 2.4-2.5 volumes of CO2... which is fine for a lot of ales.

homebrewdad said:

What's your target carbonation level?

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Not that advanced yet, so medium bubbly

Get yourself a little kitchen scale from Walmart or Target. They are handy for everything, especially brewing - weighing hops, sugar, etc. Definitely worth the investment. I bought one to weigh meat and have found a million uses for it since. I have been using about 96g of table sugar (about 3.39 oz) my last few batches and they have all turned out great. This is for about 2.3 vol of carbonation which has been suitable for the beers I've been brewing (Pale ales, IPAs, wheat beers).

Well, for sake of discussion, there are 16 tablespoons to a cup so 5/16 of a cup is 5 Tbs ... but, yeah, measuring by weight is a *lot* more accurate than by volume.

masterblaster said:

Not that advanced yet, so medium bubbly

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Okay, then. You will get medium bubbly, I'd say, with that amount of table sugar. What style beer is this? If you'd like, I can give you an exact recommendation.

Also, +1 on the digital scale. I got an amazing one off of Amazon for around $20. Sure, eyeballing sugar by volume or what a half ounce of pellet hops is will work and make beer, but I'm a lot happier with mine now that I can get it accurate to the gram.

I don't know the specifics. My LHBS owner gave me quick an easy per my request. extract boil 60 mins, add first hops bag 60 mins, 2nd at 15 mins left. I told him not malty and yes on hoppy per my taste. Smells bitter, and citrus floral, tastes hoppy. I think I did a pale ale.