Beer Priming Sugar Calculator
Calculate the exact amount of priming sugar for homebrewed beer.
Accounts for residual CO₂, beer temperature, volume, and sugar type.
Priming Sugar Amount
How Priming Sugar Works
After primary fermentation is complete, beer is flat — all the CO₂ has escaped. Adding a small, precise amount of sugar before bottling gives the remaining yeast just enough food to produce carbonation inside the sealed bottle.
Residual CO₂
Beer always contains some dissolved CO₂ from fermentation. The amount depends on the highest temperature the beer reached during fermentation.
Residual CO₂ (volumes) = 3.0378 − (0.050062 × T°F) + (0.00026555 × T°F²)
CO₂ Volumes by Style
| Beer Style | Target CO₂ (volumes) |
|---|---|
| British ales (cask) | 1.5 – 2.0 |
| American ales | 2.2 – 2.7 |
| European lagers | 2.4 – 2.6 |
| Belgian ales | 2.8 – 3.5 |
| Wheat beers (Hefeweizen) | 3.3 – 4.5 |
| Champagne/Méthode | 5.0 – 6.0 |
Sugar Types
- Table sugar (sucrose): 100% fermentable, most common. Use 4.0 oz per gallon per volume CO₂.
- Corn sugar (dextrose): slightly less sweet, easy to dissolve. Requires ~11% more by weight than table sugar.
- Dry Malt Extract (DME): adds a slight malt flavor. Requires ~60% more than table sugar.
- Honey: natural choice for meads and specialty beers. Variable fermentability (~75%).
Pro Tips
- Dissolve priming sugar in ~1 cup of boiling water, then cool before adding to beer.
- Mix gently after adding — stirring too hard can oxidize the beer.
- Condition bottles at room temperature for 2–3 weeks before chilling.
- Store a “tester” bottle to check carbonation progress.