Carbing Apfelwein in a Keg with Table Sugar

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LowNotes

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Anyone ever tried this? I was thinking I could just rack to a keg at 2.5-3 months, toss in 2 cups of table sugar (or whatever the proper weight amount is, I would have to double check), attach CO2 and vent, just to get oxygen from the headspace and set the keg seals, and then wait 3-4 weeks for it to carb up, then cool it? At that point I could also fine-tune how much CO2 there is, so if it is slightly undercarbed I could bump up the pressure for a bit.

It just seems like it would be an easy enough way to carb it, and assuming it didn't impact the flavor in any major way would provide the same end result. Also, at $20/5lbs for CO2 I think it would be cheaper, as cane sugar is less than $1/lb.

Any thoughts/experience on this method?
 
Are you really concerned about saving $2-3 worth of co2 or do you not have enough gas hookups? If you have the keg system I wouldn't bother with the extra complexity, you'll also get some sediment.

In any case you should be able to carb with sugar in a keg.
 
It's a matter of simple convience. Would you rather save money using sugar or spend the extra few cents using CO2? Btw I have a converted O2 cylinder rated for CO2 that gets me about 8-10 kegs carbed, purged and use for line cleaning. Cylinder is 7lbs

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I guess I was thinking 50/50 between saving money and increasing the convenience of everything by reducing the number of trips I need to make to get the CO2 refilled. I guess I just don't see adding the sugar as being any more difficult than connecting it up to CO2 really? It isn't so much trying to pinch every penny, as "if both options function the same, and are equally difficult, why not choose the one that saves a little time and money in CO2 refills?" I just wanted to be sure that it would actually provide the same function first.
 

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