Carbonation in the secondary - Can you help?

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NewTexian

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I've had a stout in the secondary for the past month. Average temp is about 70 degrees.

It's visibly conditioned already in the carboy. When I moved it, it developed a decent sized head at the top of the carboy. Although it dissipates somewhat quickly, this concerns me.

So... the question is... does that mean, it's not really "done" and ready to bottle, or should I go ahead and bottle it, without priming it? I'm not interested in having bottle bombs in my house, if the stuff will be overconditioned in the bottles.

The hydrometer says that it's done. It reads 1.010 almost on the dot. The carbonation in the secondary has me a little concerned, though. Along with the yeast trub trace on the ridges on the sides of the carboy. I ***really*** don't want to have popping bottles.

Am I missing something? I don't recall my other batches having that much carbonation evident before bottling.
 
Since CO2 is a byproduct of fermentation you will always have some residual carbonation in the batch. The colder the temps, the more CO2 stays in solution. Use an online priming calculator for the style and prime according to the style and you will be fine. :tank:
 
The priming calculators take into account,style,ferment temp,& volume to give priming sugar amounts to a number representing volumes of co2.
Otherwise,you'll always have some dissolved co2 in the beer from being in a closed vessel. Even though there's an airlock present,a certain amount of pressure keeps varying amounts of co2 dissolved.
 
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