How to Prime Sugar for Beer Making

The addition of sugar is an essential step in the beer-making process.

Sugar is an essential element of the fermentation process when brewing beer at home. To avoid issues with batch infection, the sugar should first be primed. Priming is a simple process and doing it yourself will save money you might spend on specialty products that accomplish the same goal. This recipe will result in enough primed sugar for a five-gallon batch of your own tasty brand of home-brewed beer.

Things You'll Need

• ¾ cup corn sugar
• 2 cups water
• Small saucepan
• Stove
• Sanitized stirring utensil

Instructions

1. Stir the water and corn sugar together in the saucepan with the sanitized utensil.

2. Place the saucepan over medium to medium-high heat on the stove and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.

3. Reduce heat on the stove to medium low. Boil the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Remove the saucepan from the stove and allow the mixture to cool before using in the brewing process.

Tips & Warnings

• If corn sugar is not available, other sugars may be substituted and used in the same process. Try honey, molasses or cane sugar (1 cup); brown sugar (2/3 cup); and maple syrup or dried malt extract (1¼ cup). Each will lend a slightly different flavor to the finished product, so feel free to experiment and find your favorite.

References

• BeerTools.com: Resources for Brewers; Step 2 Priming
• Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies: How Do I Prime My Beer Using Other Sugars?

Resources

• How To Brew -- By John Palmer: Chapter 11 Priming and Bottling