Priming sugar cubes...

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My box of Domino sugar cubes states 2.5g for each cube. I have found that to be just about right for 1 cube to a 12 oz. bottle. I generally bottle any excess after filling a keg.
 
The box of sugar cubes I buy at Walmart 1/2 tsp per cube is perfect. One per 12 oz bottle. $2.39 for a box of 500 or so.
 
Just drop 'em in the bottle and rack in. I use the 2.5g cubes also, one for 12oz and two for 22oz.

My carb level in the bottles became so much more uniform using the Domino sugar cube trick - simple to prime, and if you over/under shoot your bottle count it's not a big deal.

One of the best secrets for small batch brewing I learned on here...
 
Is this for real? How many people do this? I paid out the yin yang for oval shaped sugar cubes that said carb drops on the label when I accidently bottled with maltodextrine. This just seems waaaay to simple.
 
It's for real. If I'm bottling an entire batch I mix I'll boil water and corn sugar to put in the bottling bucket when I rack the beer before bottling. If I am kegging a batch I will fill the keg first directly from my fermenter and then put a bottling wand on the end of the siphon tube for filling bottles with the excess beer. I take a bottle, put a sugar cube in it and then fill the bottle. As long as my racking cane doesn't stir up the yeast/trub I can use the remaining beer to fill a few bottles.
 
sumbrewindude said:
Just drop 'em in the bottle and rack in. I use the 2.5g cubes also, one for 12oz and two for 22oz.

My carb level in the bottles became so much more uniform using the Domino sugar cube trick - simple to prime, and if you over/under shoot your bottle count it's not a big deal.

One of the best secrets for small batch brewing I learned on here...
Click to expand...

I was curious so I worked up the math on this. Domino's spec is 2.29 grams per cube.

Volume 0.09375 (12 oz)
Temp at Packaging 68 F
CO2 in Beer 0.8614872 Vol
Table Sugar 2.287 g
Target CO2 2.51 Vol

You are basically packing for 2.5 vols of CO2, which is appropriate for many styles of beer, but may be a little high/low for some (namely low for German wheat beers, and high for English ales).
 
Can't believe this is the first I've heard of this. Have to give it a try.


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whitehause said:
Just wash your hands well. At this point there is alcohol present, so it's harder to pick up an infection.
Click to expand...

This is all very intriguing. I normally end up packaging 2.5 gallon batches into a mix of liter bottles and 12 oz bottles. I do 1 gallons test batches from time to time as well.

While the 12 oz bottles pretty much would have to be pegged at 2.5 volumes it appears that a could get a rage of bottling volumes when using my liters. 2 cube would be 2 volumes, 2 cubes would be 2.6, 3 would be 3.2, and 4 would be 3.8.

I've got a wheat beer and a helles that will be ready soon. I'll have to give this a whirl with at least one of those batches. Do you notice any inconsistency in depending from the first bottle to the last since you're not homogenizing the mixture in the bottling bucket?
 
JohnSand said:
No variation. The amount of sugar is exactly the same in each bottle. Just drop in the cube.
Click to expand...

Sorry, by variation I mean with the beer itself, not the level of carbonation. I think part of the attraction of a bottling bucket is that the final swirling around with the sugar will homogenize the contents of the fermentor (if it had stratified at all). At homebrew volumes I'd doubt it would be issue. Just curious.
 
I have never used sugar cubes...I have primed with the regular sugar packets that are readily available at every coffee shop / fast food place. You just have to pour carefully into the bottle, but it is not that hard at all!

1 packet per 12 oz is about right IIRC. Not a great method if doing 50 bottles, but for a few it works nice and easy.
 
Stratification's not a thing for sugars that are already dissolved. There may be some yeast globs at the bottom of the bottling bucket if you entrain them while racking.
 
hannibalmdq said:
Sorry, by variation I mean with the beer itself, not the level of carbonation. I think part of the attraction of a bottling bucket is that the final swirling around with the sugar will homogenize the contents of the fermentor (if it had stratified at all). At homebrew volumes I'd doubt it would be issue. Just curious.
Click to expand...

I get it. I don't think so. Interesting question too. Sometimes I notice that hop and yeast floaties will settle in levels, forming a layer in the wort.
 
Just did this so hopefully it works as well and priming in the bottlin bucket


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GeorgiaMead said:
Just did this so hopefully it works as well and priming in the bottlin bucket


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Click to expand...

Def works don't worry. I just cracked a bottle of pale blond bottled 9 days ago and it's mostly carved up. Beer is essentially sugar in many forms and yeast
 
I bottled a wheat beer a few days ago using the cubes. They fit nicely into 12 oz long necks. Takes a little force to get them into my liter swing tops but it was totally manageable. It will be interesting to see how they carb up.
 
Also a few days after the cubes have been in the bottle gently turn it upside down to give it a stir. If I remember. There have been a few times I forgot.. It didn't seem to make a difference.
 

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