19 replies to this topic

[CaptRon]

So my buddy gave me this huge baggy of priming sugar and I have used it in a couple of brews that are not carbonating. Does priming sugar somehow become ineffective over time? I wouldn't think so as it is just sugar, but I am grasping here. Another thought is if it was Dextrin or something and he had it labeled wrong, so would Dextrin carb or not?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So my buddy gave me this huge baggy of priming sugar and I have used it in a couple of brews that are not carbonating. Does priming sugar somehow become ineffective over time? I wouldn't think so as it is just sugar, but I am grasping here. Another thought is if it was Dextrin or something and he had it labeled wrong, so would Dextrin carb or not?

maltodextrin (if that's what you are talking about) has a very low amount of fermentables AFAIK.

[Deerslyr]

So my buddy gave me this huge baggy of priming sugar and I have used it in a couple of brews that are not carbonating. Does priming sugar somehow become ineffective over time? I wouldn't think so as it is just sugar, but I am grasping here. Another thought is if it was Dextrin or something and he had it labeled wrong, so would Dextrin carb or not?

My first thought on reading your post was that it was some form of unfermentable... but I was thinking lactose. If you have some, mix some up with water, put it in a mason jar and throw in some regular old bread yeast and see what happens. If it starts fermentation... then I don't know what to tell you. But I suspect it won't ferment.

[shaggaroo]

Priming sugar should be stable... sugar, i.e. sucrose, dextrose, shouldn't really degrade...

Edited by shaggaroo, 13 August 2009 - 06:18 PM.

[3rd party JKor]

taste some. you should be able to tell if it's sugar.

[CaptRon]

taste some. you should be able to tell if it's sugar.

Yep, definitely tastes sweet. I think I'm going to do what Deerslyr suggested to make sure it is fermentable. Going to piss me off if it is not.

[Deerslyr]

Yep, definitely tastes sweet. I think I'm going to do what Deerslyr suggested to make sure it is fermentable. Going to piss me off if it is not.

have you started this experiment yet?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

taste some. you should be able to tell if it's sugar.

is the priming sugar (not sure what kind of sugar it is) less sweet tasting than normal sugar? I tried using it in lemonade and it didn't do the job...

[Deerslyr]

is the priming sugar (not sure what kind of sugar it is) less sweet tasting than normal sugar? I tried using it in lemonade and it didn't do the job...

Priming sugar is usually corn sugar. I tasted it the first time and it tasted sweet to me. Seemed the big difference was that the particles are much finer and seem to dissolve instantly. Kind of reminded me of the sugar they use in Pixi Stix if you remember those. Not sure why it wouldn't do the job for your lemonade though.

[CaptRon]

have you started this experiment yet?

Uh no.. Got home from work last night and the mini-me decided that he was going to pitch a fit for the whole evening. I will definitely do it this weekend though.

[3rd party JKor]

You sure it's not coke? Do you see the feds parked outside your house right now?

[Deerslyr]

Uh no.. Got home from work last night and the mini-me decided that he was going to pitch a fit for the whole evening. I will definitely do it this weekend though.

Ah yes... the "mini me". Mine is old enought to come out into the garage and check things out every now and then while I am brewing. He loves watching the grinding of the grain, but otherwise leaves me alone. He turns 6 in November. He says that when he's old enough, he wants to help. Looking forwrd to the day.I forgot to modify my suggestion... maybe you should put it in a 12 ounce bottle and slap an airlock on just to be sure you see the "visible" signs. It occurred to me this morning.

[CaptRon]

Ah yes... the "mini me". Mine is old enought to come out into the garage and check things out every now and then while I am brewing. He loves watching the grinding of the grain, but otherwise leaves me alone. He turns 6 in November. He says that when he's old enough, he wants to help. Looking forwrd to the day.I forgot to modify my suggestion... maybe you should put it in a 12 ounce bottle and slap an airlock on just to be sure you see the "visible" signs. It occurred to me this morning.

Yeah, mines 4 months right now - so all plans are currently tentative in the dogg's house. ;)I've got a couple of screw top growlers that I was going to do this with, and take before and after gravity readings to see what it does. Might get a small airlock too though. Wait, this actually might be a good opportunity for me to use my stir plate that I made. AAHhhh - too many options!! lol

[CaptRon]

You sure it's not coke? Do you see the feds parked outside your house right now?

Whats funny about that is that when he gave it to me I had it sitting on my passenger seat in my truck and it looked like a big ol key of coke. I was kind of hoping to get pulled over and get questioned about it. Would have been fun explaining that it was priming sugar for beer making. Wouldn't have been very funny at all if it turned out to be coke. lolMy buddy don't do that stuff so I was very safe in that regard.

[Deerslyr]

Yeah, mines 4 months right now - so all plans are currently tentative in the dogg's house. ;)I've got a couple of screw top growlers that I was going to do this with, and take before and after gravity readings to see what it does. Might get a small airlock too though. Wait, this actually might be a good opportunity for me to use my stir plate that I made. AAHhhh - too many options!! lol

The stopper that I use on my bucket fermenters fits nicely into a 12 ounce bottle. IF it was me, and my buddy gave me an "unfermentable" and passed it off as priming sugar, and I had to do this test... I wouldn't waste the time on the stir plate. I'd like to think that the precious time I used to make a stir plate wouldn't be wasted on some lactose project. Frankly, I'd be afraid I'd chuck it across the room! I say, keep the project as simple as you can. You should know in a matter of hours what's going on.

[CaptRon]

Sound advice, I got a little carried away there.

[Deerslyr]

Sound advice, I got a little carried away there.

BTW... hope you don't rely on BART for work, or otherwise have to go into the City. Life would be hell for you if you had to come Monday, what with the impending strike. Fortunately, my commute only takes me into Pleasanton, where the line begins!

[CaptRon]

BTW... hope you don't rely on BART for work, or otherwise have to go into the City. Life would be hell for you if you had to come Monday, what with the impending strike. Fortunately, my commute only takes me into Pleasanton, where the line begins!

You should see my Facebook status. And I only work 5 minutes from the office.

[Deerslyr]

You should see my Facebook status. And I only work 5 minutes from the office.

This is OT... I'm on FB too. If you want to connect on FB, PM me your info. Up to you if you want to. if you don't, no big worries.BTW, found out that my LHBS gives 5% discounts if you belong to a club (He's in the Mad Zymurgists), but being on the Brews-Bros was a bit dubious for him. He said he'd consider it, but I'm thinking of joining MZ anyways.

[CaptRon]

Awesome...I don't need to do the experiment because I popped one of the bottle open and it was carbonated. Needs to carb up more, but it is getting there. So crisis averted.So now I am going to post another thread about how much priming sugar you guys use as a good amount. I weighed 5oz out for this one, hopefully that was enough. Chime in on the other thread that will be there in a few. Thanks for all the help guys!