Cream Ale Priming Question

My 5 gallon Cream Ale is almost ready to be primed. Typically I batch prime, then bottle. Well, my wife bought me the new 1.75 gallon cannonball keg system. With that system I can now force carb that portion of the batch. What’s the best way to work around this scenario? I would like to use force carb on about 1.5 gal in the new cannonball, then batch prime the rest like I’m used to. I worry there’s no real way to be accurate in that fashion. I’m open to any and all ideas. Thanks in advance.

Mark your bottling bucket with an accurate means of measuring (I have used a quart Pyrex measuring cup) and rack the beer into it first. Then, what ever remains you can keg. This way you can measure for the correct amount of priming sugar. With force carb you simply set the regulator to your desired PSI at a specific temp, so volume doesn’t matter.

It’s been three years since I bottled my last batch of home brew, what’s the best site to calculate the proper amount of sugar? I’ll just base it on 3.5 gallon and go from there.

I appreciate that help!

Never mind, I found NB’s calculator. Again, thank you for this.

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Saved me from posting the link. :wink:

Since it’s been awhile remember to gently stir in your priming sugar and slowly stir every 6-8 bottles.

Domino sugar cubes… Flars has it figured out… Sneezles61

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@sneezles61 is right, but the name is domino dots regular sugar cubes won’t fit into neck of bottle. He’s also right about @flars he turned me onto that method of adding priming sugar…

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Alright, I appreciate everyone’s feedback. I’ve received my Cannonball Keg and will have my CO2 tank filled by the end of the day. The thought has crossed my mind that I really would like to use this Cannonball Keg. If all else, to get comfortable with it. This Cream Ale has fermented for 4 weeks, probably a little longer than I wanted, but everything looks great. Would it be a terrible idea to sanitize all tubing and equipment, syphon into my Cannonball Keg. This will hold 1.75 gallons. I can force carb that beer, consume it. Here’s the questions, would it be a bad idea to not bottle any of the rest of the beer and to use it to syphon into the keg another 2 times? Obviously that puts my remaining beer fermenting at least another 2-4 weeks depending on carbonation and consumption. It also exposes the fermented beer to three separate syphon attempts. But it would also allow me to use the cannonball keg three times on the same 5 gallon batch, getting more comfortable with my new gadget. Any thoughts?

It’s not a terrible idea, I’ve heard worse. It would be a lot of work, and as you said, would require very careful attention to technique and sanitation. As far as the beer which is apparently done fermenting, keeping it cool now would hopefully extend its “shelf life”.

I’m with Voodoo… keeping it cool/cold… Perhaps there are some sealing containers you could find to put the rest “in waiting”… in? then put in the fridge? Sneezles61

If I force carb, the beer should be carbonated in 3 days correct? Right now my carboy is in a basement bathtub, sitting at 63 degrees at the max.

Thats a misnomer… It’ll be carbed, BUT, not totally dissolved INTO your brew… It may come up quicker, but the quality isn’t that of the one that you’ll set and forget… Like the big shooters do, a bright tank with an aerating stone in the bottom and alot of CO2. Sneezles61

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The only thing I don’t like about this plan is exposing the beer to O2 over 3 ra kings and continuing to increase the head space. If you have the ability after racking trickle some CO2 in the headspace to limit O2 exposure.

I appreciate all of the responses. In reality, this is my first exposure to kegging. I probably should stick to 1 gallon batches in the future when wanting to use the cannonball keg.

Once you get the kegging piece down, you may not want to bottle! Another idea is to keg what your keg holds and bottle the rest. Its a fun hobby, do enjoy! Sneezles61