Trick to tell carbonation in bottles without opening one!

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hoppyhowie

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Hey all, I did a quick search and didn't see this anywhere, but if it is then I apologize for the repost. This is an easy trick to track your brew's carbonation...

All you need is an empty water bottle.

When you are bottling your brew, siphon some into the empty water bottle until it is about half full or less. Then take the bottle, squeeze out all the air until the liquid reaches the lid. Then close the cap and your bottle should stay "crushed up" for lack of a better term. (bottle on the left in the picture)

Once your beverage begins to carbonate, the air will begin to fill up the bottle and push out the sides. Depending on how much liquid you put you, your bottle will expand until it seems like it will almost explode! I've never had this happen but if you're worried just open the cap and let out the air and you'll know its close or ready. (BTW finished carbonation is bottle on right in picture)

This way you don't have to open any full bottles in anticipation! For all of those who say you're still wasting some good beer, I do drink my tester but I'm guessing its not good for you haha. Alright, well enjoy and let me know if you have any other tricks of the trade!

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Very good idea... There is always a few ounces you can never get at the bottom of the bottle bucket. Now, they serve a purpose.
 
Good point. I just never have soda bottles, and if you don't put too much in the water bottle (< half) you should be fine.
 
I think this is a great way to get a gauge on where your possible carbonation is, but really this doesn't tell you that the beer is carbonated. The beer needs to absorb the c02 to be carbonated. You can't tell this without opening and tasting.

Obviously since the bottle expands, it's more of a signal than a glass bottle presents. So this could be helpful. Just be careful you aren't interpretting a beer with foam for a carbonated beer, the two are very different.

And as others have said, use a soda bottle...the water one will probably bust at some point.
 
It's a good snapshot, but it's not all that accurate. Hate to rain on folk's parades, BUT it may show that indeed there is carbonation in the bottle, but not that it is FULLY carbed yet.

Plenty of folks have started threads on here over the years say "My soda or water bottle felt rock hard after 1 week or 2, but when I went and poured the beer, it still wasn't fizzy, and/or still had no head." A bottle can be rock hard when there is co2 present but won't feel any harder when ALL the necessary co2 is present.

There's really no magic trick to determine carbonation, average grav beers still tend to need a minimum of 3 weeks when at 70 degrees, DESPITE whether or not it feels hard at 1 or 2 weeks.

AND hardness, still won't tell you if a beer is CONDITIONED or not. It still may be perfectly hard/carbed, and STILL taste like it needs more time.

Just like airlocks or brewing with a calendars and not a hydrometer, there RARELY is a "sign" for something that is ever 100% accurate.

Take it with a grain of salt if your bottle feels hard and it's only been a few days or a week, more than likely the co2 hasn't gone into solution fully yet.
 
I think this is a great way to get a gauge on where your possible carbonation is, but really this doesn't tell you that the beer is carbonated. The beer needs to absorb the c02 to be carbonated. You can't tell this without opening and tasting.

Wow, great minds think alike, we wrote this at the same time. :mug:
 
Wow, great minds think alike, we wrote this at the same time. :mug:

Haha, you learn something after a few years of seeing Revvy spout the same things over and over (plus personal experience). I'm sure my three paragraphs were just a shortened version of something I saw you write many times over :mug:
 
Do you add priming sugar for this?

Of course, you add it to the batch then take a sample, how else is the beer to bottle carb? ;) I agree with Revvy and TheMan, it shows a ballpark but it doesn't mean everything is "all clear".


Rev.
 
Yooper introduced me to the idea of using a plastic bottle. Unfortunately she did it after like my 3rd batch... :mad: lol

I use a 16 oz Gatorade bottle and when I can't squeeze it anymore, it is time. Hasn't failed me yet.

And Revvy... I have never had to wait "3 weeks @ 70 degrees" yet. ;)
Most of my beers have been sufficiently carbed after 7-10 days. I have only been doing 2 week ferments though and then bottling. If I didn't cold crash all my beer at that point and drink it all within 1-2 weeks maybe I would have bottle bombs but hasn't happened yet (crosses fingers).
 
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