Carbonation drops?

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LittleBroBrews

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Hi Folks,

I didn't know where to ask this question so figured I would put it under bottling.

I use carbonation drops when I bottle to carbonate the brew I usually use 1 drop per 330ml bottle and two drops per 500/750ml bottle.

All the beer in the 500 and 750ml bottles tend to come out a little flat so should I be adding slightly more carbonation to these? Or how do I fix this flat problem?

What would you recommend safe levels of carb for bottling?
 
Couple of questions I've heard others ask when it comes to carbing issues:

1: How long are you letting the bottles sit before trying one?

2. What temperature are you storing the bottles?

3. What type of beer are you referring to?

The 330ML bottles turn out perfectly fine?
 
They sit in the fermenter cabinet at around 16-19 degrees usually for a few weeks then get shifted to the shed which can get cold overnight not sure exactly how cold.

The last one I waited a month before cracking it open, then thought not long enough so left for a further month and still very little to no carb another month and still the same.

The latest has been a stout, but prior to that English pale ale and IPA.

The 330ml bottles are usually fine it's just the 500 and above that struggle.
 
Is there a rule or amount of carbonation per bottle? Or is it calculated from the FG?

I read online that someone put four of the coopers carb drops into a 500&750ml bottle, would that not explode the bottle?

Could someone help me quickly because I am about to bottle tomorrow and I don't want flat beer again.
 
Is there a specific reason you are not using priming sugar mixed in just before bottling? 1/2 a cup per 5 gallons I think. I use the carb drops once in awhile but that is only because I keg 98% of my beer but occasionally want a 6 pack or so from a batch.

BTW: Your beer should take about 3 weeks total to carb in the bottle. You should have it at room temperature until then. You might also try swirling the bottles every week while carbing if you use the tabs. Are you sure the tops are sealing correctly on the larger bottles? If they are flips, flips are notorious for not sealing well.
 
Slipgate said:
Is there a specific reason you are not using priming sugar mixed in just before bottling? 1/2 a cup per 5 gallons I think. I use the carb drops once in awhile but that is only because I keg 98% of my beer but occasionally want a 6 pack or so from a batch.

BTW: Your beer should take about 3 weeks total to carb in the bottle. You should have it at room temperature until then. You might also try swirling the bottles every week while carbing if you use the tabs. Are you sure the tops are sealing correctly on the larger bottles? If they are flips, flips are notorious for not sealing well.
Click to expand...

I don't own a bottling bucket, I siphon direct from fermenter to bottle. Could I mix priming sugar direct into secondary then siphon to bottle? Or is there a particular way or steps that need to be followed to use a priming sugar. Sorry a bit of a newbie.

Caps seem to be sealing correctly as there is small amount of carb there can hear a small hiss when opened but zero head and very very little bubbles when in the glass the bubbles that are there end up disappearing by the time the glass is empty though making the beer flat.
 
I would get another food grade bucket from Lowes/Walmart and siphon into that, batch prime, and siphon into bottles (matter of fact that's what I did for awhile). While you at Lowes you can pick up a spigot and build your own bottling bucket.
 
neo71665 said:
I would get another food grade bucket from Lowes/Walmart and siphon into that, batch prime, and siphon into bottles (matter of fact that's what I did for awhile). While you at Lowes you can pick up a spigot and build your own bottling bucket.
Click to expand...

Could I just add priming sugars direct into primary?
 
Not really, you will stir up the trub and get a bunch of crap in your beer. Just get a bottling bucket. It makes life so much simpler!
 
The problem is you're carbing & conditioning your bottled beers too cold. 16-19C is 60.8F-66.2F. Def too cold for proper carbonation. When beer is bottled,the lower ranges of fermentation temps while in the fermenter stall out in the bottles. I also understand it's winter time in AU right now.
The bootles need to be around 70F (about 21C) or a bit more to properly carb & condition in the normal time frame.
 
I'm in NZ and have the same problem mate... Get those bottles some place warm.

My latest stalled batch I put in the hot water closet... carbed up nicely.

Another thing I like to do is have a test bottle which is plastic... You can get a better understanding on how carbonation is going by feeling the bottle as it will start soft and then get hard after the conditioning process is complete.

Good luck!
 
I had a similar problem. One drop for 330ml bottles worked a treat and even the 2 drops for the 750ml bottles was perfect but the 500ml bottles i was advised by a few sites to only use one drop and it was almost flat when i tried it. I’m gonna try and break a few of them and go in the middle with one and a half. I also keep mine at a higher temperatur, definitely above 20 degrees.
 

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