Used invert (candi) sugar to prime today

[Ó Flannagáin]

Bottled some beers yesterday and today. They were both belgian trappist ales so I used homemade candi sugar to prime. I've been having trouble decideding how much to use. I think* for a normal carbonation level I should use 4 ounces of corn sugar. Well, invert sugar is as fermentable as sucrose which I belieeeeve is as fermentable as corn sugar (dextrose). They're all known for fermenting really dry. I'm pretty sure strong trappist ales should have a moderately high carbonation level so I used 5.5 ounces on one batch and 5 ounces on the other. Here's to experimentation!

The cool thing is, I just boiled up the sugar/water syrup into clear candi sugar, added enough water to liquify and dissolve it again after it converted to invert sugar and then added it straight to the bottling bucket. I added when the bottling bucket was filling and had the first half gallon in it. Then I swirled it while it filled, so should have good diffusion and even carbonation through.

Anyway, we'll see and I'll be sure to report back!

[DrunkenSatyr]

Sounds great and I would love to hear how it goes!

[MrMarbleHead]

Any updates on those beers yet?

[Ó Flannagáin]

One is carbed, one isn't. The one I used 5.5 in is carbed up real nice, but I might like a little more, so probably gonna use 6 ounces next time.

The one that isn't carbed at all, I think I messed it up. When I was priming it, I cooked up the candi sugar and once it was the color I wanted just dumped it in the bottling bucket it as it was filling up. Well, that was a bad idea. As soon as the hot syrup hit the cool beer it turned into a hard ball. I thought I got it all to dissolve, but I dunno, i think I screwed something up. I'm probably just gonna pop the top on all those and squirt a little honey in each or something. It's an awesome beer, so I don't want to lose it. I also think it might have had an infection, but I"m not sure. There was some weird looking bubbles when i racked it to secondary, but not when I was bottling it.

So, next time I will use 6 ounces of table sugar, cook it into invert sugar, let that cool a bit, then add a little more water, dissolve the candi sugar into the water, dump that into the bottling bocket. That's what I did with the batch that is working.

[DrunkenSatyr]

Then Wiley Coyote will come screaming past you on a pair of acme rocket skates!