I just tasted my second Northern Brewer Irish Red Ale and both were very fizzy. This was a one gallon kit which included NB's Fizz Drops which I had not used previously and the beer has no head but is almost as fizzy as a soda, anyone have this issue or know what is wrong? The beer has been in bottles for over a month and the one I just drank was in the fridge for a week. Not sure if the drops are too blame or if something else is wrong. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. It tastes fine so I don't think it has anything to do with an infection.
NB Fizz Drops???
- Thread starter dkeller12
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
philipCT
Brewniversity student
- Joined
- May 10, 2013
- Messages
- 771
- Reaction score
- 171
Well I for one, am very disappointed with the Fizz Drops. I was getting great, consistent results using a priming sugar solution mixed into the bottling bucket and now I'm kicking myself. Here's why I won't use them again:
-pain in the ass dropping one in each bottle
-I don't like the idea that I'm handling each drop right before dropping it into the bottle - potentially dirty process
-I bottle primarily in 22oz bottles so you have to add two per bottle (2xPIA)
-I imagined they might promote higher consistency - but they are actually different shapes and sizes
-More than anything else: the results SUCK!!!:
-one 12oz bottle I put up was good.
-one 22oz bottle I put up was so bad I just poured it out - SUPER FLAT!
-one 12oz bottle I put up had no head and very little fizz
So, the results were poor and inconsistent. Bummer. And the brew is really pretty good so I'm pissed to have wasted some of this batch.
I'm thinking I may just open them all back up, pour it all back into the bottling bucket, mix in some priming sugar and go for another 2 weeks of bottle conditioning.
Any thoughts about any of this? Other experience with Fixx Drops?
-pain in the ass dropping one in each bottle
-I don't like the idea that I'm handling each drop right before dropping it into the bottle - potentially dirty process
-I bottle primarily in 22oz bottles so you have to add two per bottle (2xPIA)
-I imagined they might promote higher consistency - but they are actually different shapes and sizes
-More than anything else: the results SUCK!!!:
-one 12oz bottle I put up was good.
-one 22oz bottle I put up was so bad I just poured it out - SUPER FLAT!
-one 12oz bottle I put up had no head and very little fizz
So, the results were poor and inconsistent. Bummer. And the brew is really pretty good so I'm pissed to have wasted some of this batch.
I'm thinking I may just open them all back up, pour it all back into the bottling bucket, mix in some priming sugar and go for another 2 weeks of bottle conditioning.
Any thoughts about any of this? Other experience with Fixx Drops?
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 236
- Reaction score
- 28
Well this tells me whether or not I should buy some of these 
kingogames
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
- Messages
- 160
- Reaction score
- 15
I agree with the last two posters. Very inconsistent results, but in my experience, mostly way over carbed. I thought it was something wrong with my process, but I guess others are having the same problem, so that's good to know. I'll be continuing on with priming sugar since you have more control and there are some great calculators out there. That was the main reason I was using the carb drops because I was scared about calculating the priming sugar wrong, but as I've seen on here, it seems pretty easy, and like I said, you get more control over the results.
kingogames
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2013
- Messages
- 160
- Reaction score
- 15
That't true, I find the Coopers one are better than the NB ones. Sorry NB, I love almost everything else you sell!
I have used both the northern brewer drops and the coopers. I prefer the coopers drops.
I keep them on hand for the times where I brew batches that are larger than 5 gallons so I can bottle whatever does not fit in the keg without the hassle of attempting to figure out how much sugar you need for 3-12 bottles.
I keep them on hand for the times where I brew batches that are larger than 5 gallons so I can bottle whatever does not fit in the keg without the hassle of attempting to figure out how much sugar you need for 3-12 bottles.
ObsidianJester
Well-Known Member
I've used lots, I would guess perhaps 15 to 20 containers of them.
And I've noticed many of the same things others have, somewhat inconsistent carbonation, and generally very over carbonated.
So what they end up being used for me is quick and easy carbonation. For experimental batches and when I'm in a hurry I'll use these. When I get a recipe dialed in I will go back to standard carbonation.
And I've noticed many of the same things others have, somewhat inconsistent carbonation, and generally very over carbonated.
So what they end up being used for me is quick and easy carbonation. For experimental batches and when I'm in a hurry I'll use these. When I get a recipe dialed in I will go back to standard carbonation.
geoffey
Well-Known Member
Funny to hear this. I've purchase 3 containers of the NB fizz drops and they've always worked perfectly. It's just sugar (mostly), and the size can't differ THAT drastically from piece to piece. Maybe your beer want finished fermenting and that caused overcarbination?
Ive heard better about coopers than NB myself but my lhbs was out of coopers(or they stopped making them she said I think-think shes wrong about that), so I chose Brewers Best carbonation drops when I did a 5 gal primary batch straight in my bottle bucket. They worked good,maybe a little more carb than I like but Ive overcarbed my beers worse before. I only got them for the sole reason of making my first large 5 gallon batch staight in my bottleing bucket-it was great-very little bottleing effort.
How long did you give them, did they fully disolve also?
AbsoZed
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2013
- Messages
- 56
- Reaction score
- 0
I had no trouble fitting them into a standard 12oz bottle, though I had the same thought when I first saw them. However, as far as I can tell, they're worse than priming sugar for sure. I got carb, but almost NO head. This time round I'm using priming sugar with an ounce of heading powder from NB. I'm sure this one will turn out better.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 236
- Reaction score
- 28
The only issue I see with carb drops is that you can't dial in the carbonation you want. Whatever the formulation is, that's what you get.
I prefer different amounts of carbonation based on style - porter vs pale ale, for example.
I like them for their convenience and use them as such. I keep the ones I get in kits and use dextrose instead...then toss in drops when I'm feeling lazy and need to bottle a small batch.
I prefer different amounts of carbonation based on style - porter vs pale ale, for example.
I like them for their convenience and use them as such. I keep the ones I get in kits and use dextrose instead...then toss in drops when I'm feeling lazy and need to bottle a small batch.
Similar threads
