Another question about the Tap-a-draft

[ray m]

This is actually a question about priming. I am about 1.5 weeks away from inaugurating my Tap-a-draft set up. I plan on only using two Tap-a-Draft bottles, which hold 6 liters or so each, and then putting the remaining brew in 12 oz. bottles. I would like to prime the whole batch of beer like I always have done. The tap-a-draft instructions call for using 1/2 cup of corn sugar for priming, but that is for filling all 3 tap-a-draft bottles (I have also read in threads that 1/3 cup is enough). If I use this amount, I am concerned that the beer that I put in the 12 oz. bottles will not have enough priming sugar, and sufficient carbonation will not be achieved. Does anyone out there have any suggestions, or has anyone out there been faced with & solved a similar dilemma? Thanks in advance for any help.

[fuji6100]

I do the exact thing you are doing (2 tap a draft bottles, and then 14-16 twelve ounce bottles)

This is what I do. The tap-a-draft homepage recommends a tall heaping tablespoon of sugar per 6L pet bottle This is slightly less than the 1/2 cup per 5 gallons, but I works fine for me. I put this sugar directly in the PET bottle. Then I let the PET bottles carbinate for about 10 days then put them in the fridge for about 4 more. After that, I take off the cap, quickly place the tap-a-draft on. Then pop in your C02 and you are ready to rock!

As for the remaining beer, I figured that if 3/4 cup was what I used to use for bottling the whole thing, 1/4 cup would be enough for the rest since I had about a third of my original volume left.

hope that helps!

[ray m]

Thanks for the quick reply, Fuji. How did the carbonation on the regular 12 ouncers turn out, or are they still in the conditioning phase & you don't know yet?

[fuji6100]

The first batch I put in my tap-a-draft I force carbinated (took about 3-4 days) because I couldn't wait to use it. This latest batch is about 12 days in the bottle so I'll be testing it in a few more days. I'll be sure and let you know!

As far as the 6L PET bottle, it was VERY hard (indicating it had carbinated well) after 10 days so I went ahead and put it in the fridge (I used a heaping tablespoon of corn sugar). My older batch is about gone so I anticipate being able to tap into this one in under a week :)

[b3s]

i have a similar setup. i do two bottles and twelve 16-oz. ez-caps. i just use the 1/2 C corn sugar for the whole lot as i'm not one for lots of foam from my bottles. this provides just enough carbonation to have a bubbly feel and yet not have a large head. but that's just my preference, ymmv.

[ray m]

These replies help me tremendously---a thousand thank yous!!