Does bottle size affect carbonation?

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Robusto

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Hi all-
I’m new to all this home brew stuff (but have been a life long beer lover). I am getting ready to take the plunge and brew up my first batch, but I have a bottling question. Does the size or shape of the bottle affect the time, amount, or quality when it comes to carbonation? I have about 60 Grolsch swing top bottles that I have been saving up. They are 16oz I think. However, storing 50 something bottles in the fridge could be challenging. The bigger bottles could be nice. I have seen 2 liter “Growlers” that might be nice, but then I would have to find some thing to do with 2L of beer…. Hummm, 2 pizzas?

Thanks for the help-

Fred
 
I get the feeling that they may have some effect. I know that when i tried to do a calculation for priming my 5 gallon keg that it used about half the sugar that I would use if I were bottling in 12 oz bottles.

In your case though 4 oz difference is going to have little to no effect on the amount of priming sugar. 1 oz/gallon of beer. I suspect the same goes for the 2 liter growlers as well.

:tank:
 
3 weeks minimum @ 70 degrees, regardless of bottle size. If you plop those bottles in the fridge, it's going to take longer for them to carbonate properly.

As an aside, growlers aren't meant for long term storage- the glass can't handle the pressure and can explode.
 
I notice that my 22's and 16's take longer than my 12's, I usually bottle a couple of 6'ers of 12's for competitions and tastings alongside my usual pints, and the 12's are done at least a week before the others...I figure it just means that the yeasties have more to eat through...
 
I notice that my 22's and 16's take longer than my 12's,
Simple. It's the ration of contact area just like in a keg. The c02 will need to pressurize the head space (Which takes LESS TIME) in a bigger bottle (More Yeast and sugar, roughly the same head space) but then it has to force that c02 into solution through the same contact area...thus it takes longer.
 
Simple. It's the ration of contact area just like in a keg. The c02 will need to pressurize the head space (Which takes LESS TIME) in a bigger bottle (More Yeast and sugar, roughly the same head space) but then it has to force that c02 into solution through the same contact area...thus it takes longer.

Finally, the answer I was looking for!!!!!!

I knew it from my own bottling experiences but wasn't sure why!!!

Thanks BK.
 
thanks for the quick replies. So, if I have this correct, the 12oz bottles will carbonate faster? I know that I need to be patient, and I will be, but it would be nice to have a few samples to "test". he he he
 
Simple. It's the ration of contact area just like in a keg. The c02 will need to pressurize the head space (Which takes LESS TIME) in a bigger bottle (More Yeast and sugar, roughly the same head space) but then it has to force that c02 into solution through the same contact area...thus it takes longer.

Ok, that makes sense. But why does Beersmith call for about half of the sugar for priming in the keg for a batch vs priming in 2+ cases of 12 oz bottles?

:tank:
 
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