Can someone explain Beer Temp vs Priming Sugar?

[JoppaFarms]

I notice that on the northern brewer priming sugar calculator that there is a temperature value on there that changes the amount of priming sugar required.

Is this the temperature that the beer is at when the sugar is added, or is it the temperature that you will bottle condition the beer?

Why does temperature change the amount of sugar required?

 

[reverendj1]

Confusingly, that is the highest temperature your fermenting wort ever was. So, if your fermenter got up to 80* during week 2, but it is now 60* when bottling, you would use 80*. The reason for this is that CO2 absorbs into a liquid better at colder temperatures, so the colder your fermenter is kept, the less CO2 made during fermentation escapes, resulting in less priming sugar to make more CO2. This is the same idea as to why you want to put beer into the fridge for a couple days before pouring it. More CO2 dissolves into the beer, instead of staying in the neck of the bottle.

 

[kblankenship11]

Basically they are referring to the ambient temp your beer will be sitting in while they carb. The higher the ambient temp, the harder it is for Co2 to get into solution.

In my experience this applies more to kegging more than bottling. The bottles wont or would take ages to carb if you try to prime them with sugar at say, 37, unlike carbing using gas with a keg. I would just adjust the temperature based on the average temp in your house or basement, but you want to shoot for the upper 60's.

 

[Stauffbier]

Basically they are referring to the ambient temp your beer will be sitting in while they carb. The higher the ambient temp, the harder it is for Co2 to get into solution..

This is incorrect!

reverendj1 gave the correct advice!

 

[2bluewagons]

To the OP, would it kill you to seach/browse a bit?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/temp-affects-sugar-amount-390064/

This comes up often, here's a thread just a few down from yours that goes into a little bit more detail, and corrects some common misconceptions on this topic.

But reverendj1 sums it up nicely. The only thing I will add is that when I was still bottling I was always chasing this temp adjustemnt for dissolved CO2, and always coming up a bit short on the carb level. I switched to just using 5oz of corn sugar for ~5 gal every time and was finally satisifed with enough carbonation. Sometimes the simplest solution is best...

 

[Stauffbier]

To the OP, would it kill you to seach/browse a bit?

It probably wouldn't kill him anymore than it would kill you to familiarize yourself with the forum rules. Specifically No. 13!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_board_faq#faq_rules_regulations

 

[Bobby_M]

While he did kinda break the rules by suggesting a search, all is forgiven for actually providing a link to a large discussion and adding further clarification. The rule is really just about snarky replies like "use the search"...EOM.

 

[JoppaFarms]

To the helpful responses, thanks. I guess one is supposed to write "I searched but didn't find what I was looking for" in every thread that's posted on here to prevent someone from making that comment.

The temperature thing on Northern Brewer is rather confusing if it indeed means "highest temp your wort/beer was ever at while fermenting". But the "CO2 remaining" theory makes a lot of sense.

I appreciate the help.

 

[GrogNerd]

presuming by your forum name & avatar that you're a Flying Leatherneck?

thanks for your service!

taking pictures at Memorial Day service yesterday and took one of a Marine Lieutenant General with a rack so big I couldn't carry it, but his back was straighter than the brick wall behind him. he took the time to thank ME for MY service, me being a lowly PO3 former squid.

 

[Stauffbier]

presuming by your forum name & avatar that you're a Flying Leatherneck?

thanks for your service!

I was going to say the same thing!

Thanks USMCPayne!

Good luck on your bottle priming!

 

[Randy_Bugger]

The carbonation tool in Beersmith appears to contradict what is said in this thread.

It asks for three inputs:

- desired volume of CO2
- bottling storage temperature
- bottling volume

It works well for me. Never tried the Northern Brewer calculator. Maybe they give the same answer?

 

[reverendj1]

The carbonation tool in Beersmith appears to contradict what is said in this thread.

It asks for three inputs:

- desired volume of CO2
- bottling storage temperature
- bottling volume

It works well for me. Never tried the Northern Brewer calculator. Maybe they give the same answer?

I don't have Beersmith, so I can't verify, but if you look at their documentation, it says:

Beer Temperature - For forced (Kegged) carbonation, this is the temperature at which the keg will be carbonated. For bottled beer, this is the temperature of the beer when it is primed and bottled (not the storage temperature).

So, if that were true, you are probably using it incorrectly. The temp really isn't that big a deal though. The difference between 60* and 80* (a pretty big difference) is only about 1 oz. A lot of people (such as 2bluewagons) always use 1 oz a gallon. This is overcarbed for most styles. If you are carbing to style, it will probably be less than that anyway, so if you add an extra oz, you probably aren't adding enough to make bombs/gushers. Heck, I never account for trub when making my priming calculations, because I think priming to style leaves everything a tad undercarbed for my tastes.

 

[reverendj1]

But again, in their docs, they say it is the temp of the beer at bottling time, and this is where the confusion lies. It is not the temp at bottling time, it is the highest temp during ferment. To think of this logically, if after fermentation, I cold crash, bringing down my temp to 36*. I didn't just magically create a bunch of CO2 and put it back into solution. CO2 had already escaped due to the higher temps, and it isn't coming back unless more is added.

 

[Randy_Bugger]

The Beersmith calculator asks for bottle storage temperature not the temperature at the time of bottling like the documentation says. One of the many quirks found in Beersmith.

Lucky for me the two temperatures are usually the same. Although, sometimes I do bottle right after a cold crash and use 65F instead of 34F. It doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[GrogNerd]

I still go by Papazian; for a 5 gallon batch

¾ cup corn sugar OR 1¼ cup DME OR ⅔ cup table sugar

works for me

 

[kblankenship11]

This is incorrect!

reverendj1 gave the correct advice!

Seems like there are assumptions made with those calculators. I checked out that thread on the NB calculator, I stand corrected.

 

[JoppaFarms]

Hey guys, thanks for noticing and yes I am a flying Leatherneck! I appreciate the support, Semper Fi!