Help Please! Sugar dillema

[Tweek]

Ok so not my finest moment but I tossed a bag of priming sugar in the same box that I had a bag of chemical, perhaps pbw? I dont remember which. well they look the same and smell the same. I dont think I want to taste the chemical. I really want to bottle today but am far too lazy to go get new sugar. Any ideas of how to tell which is which? There has to be a little chemistry project I can do to find out.

Thanks for your help

[Beerconnoisseur]

Depending on where you live, you could mix up a small solution of each (along with some food coloring), and place each outdoors in different places, where ants can access each. The ants will probably be fonder of the sugar solution than the PBW solution and form a trail.... may take a little while, but it's one perfectly safe way to know.

You could also taste a VERY small amount, and rinse your mouth afterwards. Someone must have consumed undissolved PBW at some point in their beer, without too many adverse effects.

For future help, when you order from MoreBeer, they always include a label on each chemical/sugar/hops/ingredient package. Didn't appreciate it as much before, but I do now.

[brewmonkey]

Mix a small amount in water and pour it over your hands. The one that leaves a slimy film behind is the PBW. PBW also has larger grains then corn sugar does.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by Tweek
Ok so not my finest moment but I tossed a bag of priming sugar in the same box that I had a bag of chemical, perhaps pbw? I dont remember which. well they look the same and smell the same. I dont think I want to taste the chemical. I really want to bottle today but am far too lazy to go get new sugar. Any ideas of how to tell which is which? There has to be a little chemistry project I can do to find out.

Thanks for your help

If know the weight of the sugar - you might be able to do a gravity comparison to tell.

[Tweek]

thanks for the ideas guys. I decided to go to the store and get some winter brews instead. I think tomorrow Ill try BMs trick and see what I can come up with.


Cheers!