Adding sugar

Jimbob130

Can I add sugar to my bottles to add more fizz when making elderflower champagne.

HBO_Staff

Welcome, you can use sugar to prime bottles including Elderflower Champagne, if making it fizzy though just make sure the bottles are suitable and nice and strong, and that you don't use too much sugar - if over-pressurised there is nowhere for the excess to escape so the bottles will break

Jimbob130

Thanks. I will be using champagne bottles and around 10g of sugar per bottle.

HBO_Staff

Another technique is to bottle just before fermentation is complete so that it then pressurises the bottles, this can be done instead of adding sugar

Jimbob130

If I add finings will this stop all the fermentation. And if I add sugar to the bottle after I put finings in will it stop the sugar from working. Sorry to be a pain my first attempt at home brew champagne.

HBO_Staff

Adding finings will help to clear the brew and reduces the amount of sediment suspended in the liquid, you will then often find that carbonation can be reduced or take longer as there is less yeast in the brew when you add the priming sugar - you end up with a clearer brew but the carbonation time can be increased. Finings wont stop al the fermentation, using a fermentation stopper such as Potassium Sorbate will do this though

Jimbob130

I also added a year nutrient to the mix.
Will this stop the yeast ?

HBO_Staff

Yeast nutrient is designed to help the fermentation, the manufacturers of one type state:
'Yeast Nutrient can be added to Country/ hedgerow wines (non grape) to supplement, encourage yeast growth and to increase the yeast's tolerance to alcohol. This yeast nutrient will ensure a rapid and complete fermentation'

Jimbob130

The recipe I used said to put in concentrated grape juice which I did and to add yeast nutrients

HBO_Staff

In that case follow the recipe, the nutrient is used to help it to ferment

Jimbob130

Ok. Thanks for all the advice. Hope it turns out ok

Jimbob130

I've just read that adding sugar and extra yeast at the bottling stage will help to carbonate my champagne. Is this ok to do ??

Jimbob130

Also. Adding corn sugar at bottling will carbonate my wine. But where can I buy it ??

HBO_Staff

If you add sugar to any brew when bottling to make it carbonated just make sure the bottles are nice and strong, such as swing top etc, and store out of the way in case they build up too much pressure. Some recipes for Champagne say to bottle it just before fermentation is complete and that will carbonate it too. We don't stock corn sugar just brewing sugar, if using with wine just be aware that often wines use fermentation stopper to stop it from fermenting any further, this may mean that the yeast has been killed off so there is nothing to carbonate the wine, there are books on making sparkling wines which cover this and other issues too if needed, or you should be able to find some recipes online too

Jimbob130

Hi. Thanks for the info. This is not a wine kit its elderflowers. Picked myself and fermented. But want to make it clear and then carbonate in champagne bottles.

HBO_Staff

There is a recipe we include with elderflowers here which may help, it is the second recipe down on the list:

http://www.home-brew-online.com/recipes-i49

Jimbob130

Thank you. That's great

GrahamC

I have accidentally added about 400g of brewing sugar to my barrel. Have I killed my beer?

HBO_Staff

Hi GrahamC, the sugar you add is to prime the barrel and create carbonation, the issue you may have is that the sugar will probably ferment and may produce additional CO2 which will build up pressure in the barrel. Usually any excess pressure is vented by the safety release in the barrel lid, because you have added quite a bit more than usual it will be worth checking on the barrel regularly and if it seems to be getting over-pressurised or starts to bulge just slacken the lid off slightly and vent any excess gas out if needed. It may also mean that your brew will be quite lively when dispensed, so you may end up with quite a bit of froth in your glass, but if poured carefully and allowed to settle hopefully it will be OK and settle down

GrahamC

OK, thank you, maybe I'll get some beer after all. As sugar turns to alcohol, does this mean my beer will be very strong?

PS this is my very first attempt at home brewing......

HBO_Staff

It is easily done so don't worry, next time you wont have the same issue. The brew will be sweet until this sugar has fermented out, and as you rightly say this will increase the alcohol strength too. You have added around 300g too much depending on the brew, if it is a full 40 pint batch then it wont increase the strength a massive amount, and once fermented probably wont affect the taste, any issues though just let us know