How much sugar to add to 23 litres of beer?

How Much Sugar to Add to 23 Litres of Beer?

When brewing 23 litres of beer at home, getting the sugar balance right is key—especially if you're aiming for a pleasant mid-strength brew. A good starting point is using a standard 1.7kg home brew kit, which often contains malt extract and other fermentables. To this, most experienced home brewers recommend adding between 250g and 500g of additional fermentable sugar, such as dextrose or cane sugar.

This extra sugar boosts alcohol content and influences carbonation, but it's crucial not to overdo it—especially at bottling time. Too much sugar during bottling can lead to overcarbonation, and in worst-case scenarios, glass bottles may explode. That’s not just a messy problem—it’s a safety hazard.

The key is patience. Always wait until fermentation is completely finished before bottling. You can check this using a hydrometer; if the gravity reading stays stable over two or three days, fermentation is likely complete. Once that’s confirmed, you can safely add a measured amount of priming sugar—usually around 3 to 5 grams per litre—for consistent, safe carbonation.

For a 23-litre batch, that means about 70g to 115g of priming sugar added at bottling, not during the initial ferment. This is separate from the 250g–500g used earlier to boost alcohol. Mixing up these stages is a common beginner mistake.

In short: Use additional fermentable sugar during brewing to shape strength and flavour, but save a small, controlled amount for bottling. Timing and precision matter more than quantity. When done right, your 23-litre batch will be crisp, well-carbonated, and worth celebrating—safely.