5oz of beer per 5 gallons of corn sugar?

[Johnson1522]

My extract kit hefeweizen included 5oz of corn sugar. For a 5 gallon batch at 68 degrees,is that enough?

Tastybrew's calculator says that should give me a CO2 volume around 2.7ish. However, the same calculator (and many others) suggest 3.3 - 4.5. Even Palmer seems to suggest more than 5oz of sugar.

In the spirit of experimenting, I'm tempted to try two primers. One with 5 oz of dextrose to bottle most of the batch. Then adding more dextrose to a few experimental bottles at the end of the bottling process. Though, trying to get exact measurements and avoid over pressurizing makes it a daunting task.

Advice?

By the way, I referenced a thread that seemed to ask a similar question but never gave a concrete answer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/hefeweizen-co2-volume-argument-224163/

 

[STEVESKI]

My advice is to not try what your title states.

 

[EZCyclone]

Title = Hooch bombs

 

[CTR08]

The title is obviously wrong. It is enough. Probably more than enough (I usually go 4 oz corn sugar for 5 gallons) may be a bit gushy at 5 oz per 5 gallons.

 

[GenIke]

What's wrong with what tastybrew told you? I'd worry about carbonic acid as much as I would bottle bombs.

 

[Revvy]

As to the amount you want to use, it depends on whether you're carbing to style or not. The rule of thumb for priming most beers (not talking about carbing to style) to 2-2.5 volumes of co2, is 1 ounce (28 grams) of corn sugar/gallon of beer.

Many Styles are carbed higher than the standard 4.5- 5 ounces of sugar/2.-2.5 volumes of co2 that comes with basic kits, and often that is more sugar than that. Think of belgian beers for instance, or some pilsners, or Autralian sparkling ales. They are all carbed higher than most basic beers, and except for beligians are often bottled in normal bottles and they don't gush or explode.

You can just look at beersmith and see the different amounts of sugar needed to carb by style.

For example the style volume of co2 range for an Australian Ale is 2-2.8 volumes of Co2, and if the beer is @ 70 degrees at bottling time, then you would need, 6.12 ounces of sugar if you wanted to carb at the highest volume for that style.

That 4.5 - 5 ounces really just tends to be the baseline for most gravity/ styles of beer, (when bottled at 70 degrees) but there are plenty of styles that use less or more sugar to be less or more carbed than that.

Here's the volumes of co2 for most beer styles...you can see how high Belgians and German weizens can be carbed.


Style & Volumes of CO2
American ales 2.2–3.0
British ales 1.5–2.2
German weizens 2.8–5.1
Belgian ales 2.0–4.5
European Lagers 2.4–2.6
American Lagers 2.5–2.8

But for most people starting out, the amount is usually 1oz/ gallon of beer to achieve 2-2.5 volumes of co2.

 

[Johnson1522]

What's wrong with what tastybrew told you? I'd worry about carbonic acid as much as I would bottle bombs.

Nothing is wrong, per se. It just conflicts with what the extract kit included.

 

[GenIke]

Nothing is wrong, per se. It just conflicts with what the extract kit included.

I'm pretty sure every extract kit I've ever seen comes 5 ounces of corn sugar. It's just what they toss in there.

 

[Johnson1522]

As to the amount you want to use, it depends on whether you're carbing to style or not.

I think this clarifies my question. Now that I have the idea of carbing vs carbing to style, is there a preference? How does it affect the end product?

Any resources you'd suggest I look at for more information on carbing?

Or perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself? This is my first batch so I'd be happy just to have drinkable beer.

 

[Johnson1522]

I'm pretty sure every extract kit I've ever seen comes 5 ounces of corn sugar. It's just what they toss in there.

So far as I know, that's correct. So am I believe the extract kit or what some other sources are suggesting?

 

[Revvy]

Since carbing to style volumes are usually a range I tend to carb to the middle of the range, or slightly higher for most beer. I'm an American, I grew up with fizzy yellow, highly carbed beers. Although I'm a beer snob, I still tend to like a little more carb for my beer, it's just what I'm used to. Unless I'm lucky enough to get real cask ale or nitro pour in pubs.

 

[GenIke]

So far as I know, that's correct. So am I believe the extract kit or what some other sources are suggesting?

"correct" is relative. You will have bubbly beer either way. To have your beer end up true to style you need to use the calculator. I dont see hefe on tastybrew for some reason...?

If that was my beer I would shoot for the middle or mid/high end of the style range.

 

[Johnson1522]

I dont see hefe on tastybrew for some reason...?

I noticed that too. I was kinda guesstimating based on what some of the other wheat beers had.

Thanks for the input.