Priming sugar
Priming sugar for 2.4 volumes of CO2 at 68F
A 5 gallon batch that peaked at 68F needs 116.9 g of corn sugar (4.12 oz) to reach 2.4 volumes of CO2, the range associated with American pale ale and IPA.
The beer already holds 0.861 volumes of dissolved CO2 at 68F, so only the remaining 1.539 volumes have to come from priming sugar.
5 gallons to 2.4 volumes, beer at 68F
| Sugar | Grams | Ounces | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn sugar (dextrose) | 116.9 | 4.12 | Standard |
| Table sugar (sucrose) | 106.3 | 3.75 | Standard |
| Dry malt extract | 171.9 | 6.06 | Standard |
Rows marked Standard come from a published equation, constant or manufacturer specification. Rows marked Convention are widely repeated brewing practice with no governing document behind them. The difference matters, so this site labels it rather than blurring the two together.
Before you do this
Bottle conditioning stores real pressure in glass. Prime only after gravity has been stable for several days, weigh the sugar rather than scooping it, and keep bottles in a closed box or crate while they condition.
Bottling gear
Prices are those returned when this page was last built and change often.
North Mountain Heavy Duty Bench Bottle Capper
All metal bench capper compatible with two cap sizes, which seats crowns consistently across a whole batch.
FastRack Colt Strong Bench Bottle Capper
Adjustable metal bench capper that handles both standard and Belgian bottles.
Ferrari Super Agata Bench Capper
Adjustable bench capper, a long standing homebrew standard.
FastRack Red Baron Bottle Capper
Handheld two lever capper for 26mm crowns, the cheapest capper that works reliably.
North Mountain Hammer Bottle Capper
Simple hammer-style capper, slow but nearly indestructible.
FastRack Amber Beer Bottles 12 oz (24 pack)
Pry-off crown finish longneck amber bottles. Amber glass is what blocks the light that skunks hopped beer.
FastRack Amber Beer Bottles 12 oz (48 pack)
Forty eight amber longnecks, which is roughly what a five gallon batch fills.
FastRack Amber Beer Bottles 12 oz (96 pack)
Ninety six amber bottles, enough to keep two batches in glass at once.
North Mountain 12 oz Amber Bottles with Caps (24)
Case of amber longnecks supplied with 48 crown caps.
AOZITA 16 oz Swing Top Bottles (8 pack)
Flip top bottles that need no capper at all, though they must be checked for a sound gasket before every use.
YEBODA 16 oz Amber Swing Top Bottles (6 pack)
Amber flip top bottles, which combine no-capper convenience with light protection.
Fermtech ProFiller Bottling Wand
Spring tip bottling wand that fills from the bottom and stops when lifted, which keeps oxygen out.
Fermtech Spring Bottle Filler with Tubing
Spring bottle filler supplied with food safe NSF certified tubing.
Stainless Steel Spring Loaded Bottle Filler (14 inch)
Stainless bottling wand with NSF tubing and a cleaning brush, which tolerates hot cleaning.
Ferroday Bottling Bucket Spigot (2 pack)
Replacement spigots for a bottling bucket, the part that always fails first.
Related on BrewGearCalc
- Priming sugar calculator
- Carbonation levels by beer style
- Why bottles burst and how to prevent it
- Priming sugar for 2.4 volumes of CO2 at 70F
- Priming sugar for 2.4 volumes of CO2 at 65F
- Priming sugar for 2.4 volumes of CO2 at 72F
- Priming sugar for 2.2 volumes of CO2 at 72F
- Priming sugar for 2.8 volumes of CO2 at 68F
- Priming sugar for 2 volumes of CO2 at 68F
Frequently asked questions
- How much priming sugar for 5 gallons at 2.4 volumes?
- 116.9 grams of corn sugar, which is 4.12 ounces, assuming the beer reached 68F at its warmest since fermentation. Temperature matters because warm beer holds less dissolved CO2, so it needs more sugar to reach the same final carbonation.
- Why does the temperature of the beer change the sugar?
- CO2 solubility falls as temperature rises. At 68F the beer still holds 0.861 volumes from fermentation itself. Priming only has to supply the difference between that and your 2.4 volume target. Using the fermentation temperature instead of the warmest temperature the beer reached is a common way to over-carbonate.
- What happens if I use too much priming sugar?
- Over-priming is one of the two causes of burst bottles, the other being bottling before fermentation finished. Excess sugar keeps producing CO2 until the pressure exceeds what the glass can hold. Weigh the sugar rather than measuring it by volume, confirm stable gravity first, and store bottles somewhere a failure would not cause injury.
Researched from published brewing formulas, manufacturer specifications and verified owner reviews. This is general guidance, not professional advice.