Priming sugar and carb level

[JohnT]

I'm about to bottle a Imperial IPA and this Carb calculator http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html
gives this result.
Seems low to me, I'm used to 4-4.75(by weight) for a 5 gal batch.


Recommended Priming Sugar:
Sugar Type Weight
Glucose (dextrose or corn sugar) 2.8 oz Sucrose (table sugar) 2.7 oz
DME 55% AA (eg: Laaglander) 6.5 oz
DME 70% AA (eg: Northwestern) 5.1 oz
DME 75% AA (eg: Munton & Fison) 4.8 oz

 

[Yooper]

I'm about to bottle a Imperial IPA and this Carb calculator http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html
gives this result.
Seems low to me, I'm used to 4-4.75(by weight) for a 5 gal batch.


Recommended Priming Sugar:
Sugar Type Weight
Glucose (dextrose or corn sugar) 2.8 oz Sucrose (table sugar) 2.7 oz
DME 55% AA (eg: Laaglander) 6.5 oz
DME 70% AA (eg: Northwestern) 5.1 oz
DME 75% AA (eg: Munton & Fison) 4.8 oz

That IS low! I wonder why it's so low- did you put in a high temperature or a low volume of c02? I'd use at least 4.5 ounces, as I want my IIPAs carbed!

 

[JohnT]

It asked for fermentation temp, I put in 66F. 2.0 for carb level. 4.75 gal. for a IPA

Thanks for the reply.

 

[TacoBrew]

2.0 carb level would do that.

 

[Yooper]

It asked for fermentation temp, I put in 66F. 2.0 for carb level. 4.75 gal. for a IPA

Thanks for the reply.

Why 2.0? That's nearly flat! Well, not quite flat, but more like I'd expect from an English bitter or British mild. Pretty flat by US standards!

I like my IIPAs well carbed, more like 2.5 to 2.6 volumes. Did you really keep the beer no higher than 66 degrees the whole time?

 

[Revvy]

I'm missing something on the tasty brew calculator, where is the DIPA style setting on the calculator? What style did you choose? Sounds like you chose something for a bitter.

 

[ajf]

I think that 2.0 volumes CO2 is at the lower end of the range, while 2.5 vols is at the upper end. If you enter 2.5 volumes instead of 2.0, you will get 4.1 oz corn sugar, which is much closer to what you are used to. (2.5 volumes is recommended as the upper level in Brewing Classic Styles).
If you look at the English Bitters on the same calculator, they specify 0.75 to 1.3 volumes. Those figures are fine for draught versions but totally inadequate for bottled versions.
I think the calculator is fine, but the volumes of CO2 recommended for some styles may be a bit low.

-a.

 

[JohnT]

The calculator sugests carb level of 1.5-2.3 for a IPA. You have to look for the IPA but its there.
And yes it was kept at 63F ambient for the 5 weeks in primary(in basment), so I bumped it up a couple degrees for fermentation temps.

 

[Yooper]

The calculator sugests carb level of 1.5-2.3 for a IPA. You have to look for the IPA but its there.
And yes it was kept at 63F ambient for the 5 weeks in primary(in basment), so I bumped it up a couple degrees for fermentation temps.

I am not one to argue with a calculator, but that's wrong! That's pretty darn flat, and if you want a beer with some carbonation typical of American styles, you need to shoot for 2.5 volumes.

I'd be really suprised if your beer never got above 66 degrees. That's pretty rare in homebrewing without a dedicated temperature control chamber. Even racking it and bottling it in a 70 degree room would raise the temperature a bit. My house is COLD- about 66 right now, but most people's homes are warmer.

 

[ajf]

Why 2.0? That's nearly flat! Well, not quite flat, but more like I'd expect from an English bitter or British mild. Pretty flat by US standards!

I like my IIPAs well carbed, more like 2.5 to 2.6 volumes. Did you really keep the beer no higher than 66 degrees the whole time?

2.0 is OK for a bottled English Bitter, but it's downright fizzy for a draught version.

-a.

 

[Yooper]

2.0 is OK for a bottled English Bitter, but it's downright fizzy for a draught version.

-a.

I agree- but he's bottling here, or did I miss something?

 

[JohnT]

If I input 2.5 it does give me 4.1oz. Closer to what I'd expect.
Wonder why it gives such a low recomended carb level for a IPA?

 

[JohnT]

I bumped up the carb to 2.5 and temp to 70.
It recomends 4.3oz of sugar, I'll go with that. It should be fine.

It just didn't seem right so I asked the experts, thanks for the help.

 

[ajf]

The calculator doesn't differentiate between draught or bottled.
As a wild guess, I would suggest that the calculator could have been developed by a flat beer loving Englishman, but it wasn't me.
I think if you find an alternative recommendation for the carbonation level that suits the style and your taste, then the calculator should be fine.

-a.

 

[Yooper]

The calculator doesn't differentiate between draught or bottled.
As a wild guess, I would suggest that the calculator could have been developed by a flat beer loving Englishman, but it wasn't me.
I think if you find an alternative recommendation for the carbonation level that suits the style and your taste, then the calculator should be fine.

-a.

this is off-topic, but I had to literally LOL at that. Thanks!