So I’ve been yielding less than 5 gallons out of the last 2 batches I’ve produced. In the end I have
figured I just need to add more water during my mashing and sparging processes. However, I now
have a 2-2.5 gallon batch of a belgian pale ale that is currently ready for bottling.
What I’m wondering is if I need to cut the amount of priming sugar solution I would use in half
since I have half of what the normal batch should be. Wouldn’t this help prevent exploding
bottles? I figured if I used the amount of priming sugar for a 5 gallon batch it would be too much.
There are a number of priming rate calculators online that will help you dial in the correct amount of sugar to use at any volume. They also account for the amount of residual CO2 already in solution from fermentation. Here is one example:
How much water or beer would you boil the sugar in? Cut that in half too? Also, if I have a Bourbon Porter that finished at around 7.5% is it necessary to add champagne yeast at bottling? If so, how much for a 3.5 gallon batch?
I don’t even measure the water. Maybe about a cup either way. Just need enough to get it into solution. I wouldn’t add champagne yeast to any beer. You can always add half a pack or so of US-05 or other dry yeast at bottling for bigger beers if you want to be on the safe side for carbonation.
I talked for an hour at the NHC about bottle conditioning…the amount of sugar to add is the critical part! The standard amount of 2/3 cup corn sugar (aka dextrose) for 5 gallons usually works; if you only have 2.5 gallons, you would use 1/3 cup. The amount of water you dissolve in is not too important–but it should be boiled to sterilize it (and cooled before adding to the bottling bucket). If your beer finishes dryer, you’d need to add extra sugar; if it finishes sweeter (as measured with a hydrometer), add less sugar. Commercial breweries dial in the sugar dosing with great accuracy; there’s a way to try three or more sugar dosing concentrations in a 5 gallon batch.
