First Brew

[Peterock]

1.5 cups of DME for priming 5 gal. might be correct. However, I would suggest you use sugar (corn or cane), 3/4 cup for 5 gal. DME will work, but you will get a krausen ring in your bottles (or so I have read). Being your first batch, it might be a little unsightly and/or disturbing.

Where do I buy corn sugar? I looked in all gorcery stores in my area and found nothing. Let me guess......I need to buy it from a brew supplier (gouge)I was at LBS and asked for corn sugar for priming he told me to use DME. Will it work? Yes but I don't want to use it if it's not going to be Right! I'm SICK of bottling already and I haven't even done it yet.

 

[Tom]

Yes you can. But, its more expensive than corn sugar. I would NOT advise table sugar. This can leave a cidery taste.
LHBS is the only place I know where you can get it. Maybe Asian market?

 

[Hugh_Jass]

Where do I buy corn sugar? I looked in all gorcery stores in my area and found nothing. Let me guess......I need to buy it from a brew supplier (gouge)I was at LBS and asked for corn sugar for priming he told me to use DME. Will it work? Yes but I don't want to use it if it's not going to be Right! I'm SICK of bottling already and I haven't even done it yet.

Corn sugar is simply dextrose. Highly fermentable short chain sugar.

You can use any fermentable sugar. I've even heard of people using jolly rogers candies (not that I'd recommend that). when you bottle, in order to carbonate the beer, you add more sugar for the yeast to digest. the yeast give off CO2 and because the beer is in a closed environment, the CO2 dissolves into the solution. this is the reason the amount of sugar is important. adding too much or too little sugar will cause the beer to be over-carbed, under-carbed or worst case scenario, bottle bombs.

Have a look here for more info.

 

[Peterock]

Thanks guys,
I guess I'll just use the extra DME I have...In the appropriate amount, obviously! I'm def gonna have to look into that CO2/priming chart.

 

[pkeeler]

[cane sugar] This can leave a cidery taste.

While this is all I heard too, 10 years ago, it simply has not been backed up by any modern sources. Cane sugar is fine (no pun intended) for priming. In fact, I prefer it because it is cheaper than the other two sources by far and much easier to find. John Palmer's theory is the yeast home brewers used in the 80s caused this effect (cidery taste). Modern high quality yeast metabolizes cane sugar with no strange flavors.

 

[ChuckE]

While this is all I heard too, 10 years ago, it simply has not been backed up by any modern sources. Cane sugar is fine (no pun intended) for priming. In fact, I prefer it because it is cheaper than the other two sources by far and much easier to find. John Palmer's theory is the yeast home brewers used in the 80s caused this effect (cidery taste). Modern high quality yeast metabolizes cane sugar with no strange flavors.

Agreed.

The phobia against cane sugar is yet another bit of conventional wisdom that's bunk.

True, too high a percentage of cane sugar vss other fermentables does give a cidery taste, but at this amount- nada.

 

[LarryW]

Peterock,
You should get Charlie Papazian's book The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing and all of your questions will be answered.
Good luck and have fun! (And don't worry)