Any way to tell...

I was wondering if there was any other way besides opening a bottle to tell if the beer has carbonated. My brew has been in bottles for approx 8 days. I tried a half full bottle after 4 days and it was totally flat.

If i do pop a beer open and it is flat can I recap the beer? Not a big fan of flat beer. I know i should let it condition for 3 weeks but I like to test it out once a week after it is carbonated.

You can recap it, but I wouldn't go throught the trouble.

You're right about the three weeks. But tasting along the way isn't bad either. It will train your taste buds to know when the beer is actually ready and not just carbonated. I've had brews carb in a week and others take more than three. Go ahead and taste if that's what you want to do. If you want good beer, give it the three weeks.

If your beer has fully cleared before you bottle, the yeast sediment on the bottlom of the bottle is somewhat of an indicator. If your beer hasn't fuly cleared, then the stuff on the bottom is more than just yeast sediment and isn't necessarily indicative of carbonation.

I let it clear for about a week and a half in secondary. Didnt use irish moss or any clearing supplement. There is a sediment on the bottom but it doesnt seem to be too stationary there. If I pick up the bottle and move it around the sediment starts distributing itself through the beer.

Get a few plastic 1L or smaller bottles and fill one when you bottle a batch. Put the cap on tightly & then you can test for carbonation by squeezing the bottle.

david_42 said:

Get a few plastic 1L or smaller bottles and fill one when you bottle a batch. Put the cap on tightly & then you can test for carbonation by squeezing the bottle.

Click to expand...

Great idea for my next batch!

chask31 said:

I tried a half full bottle after 4 days and it was totally flat.

Click to expand...

Well 4 days is hardly enough for any beer to carbonate, much less a bottle with 50% headspace.....

Fatabbot said:

Well 4 days is hardly enough for any beer to carbonate, much less a bottle with 50% headspace.....

Click to expand...

I know...I counted wrong that day...I thought it had been closer to a week and I wanted to taste.

Today the beer was slightly carbonated, so at least I know it is on the right track.

I've used the plastic bottle route before, and it does turn rock hard after a few days...not sure if that means it's done carbing or just getting there, however. I've bottled in regular 20 oz soda bottles rather than bigger ones, figgering there was a 50-50 chance it wouldn't quite be right when I cracked it, so why waste a whole liter, right?

I'd read that any plastic bottle that came with a carbonated beverage in it is safe for bottling, but it seems kinda cheesy, dunnit?

Although, my plan, if I ever really get a recipe I love, is to do up batches and bottle as 2-liters for convenience sake. That should work out to 1 pint for the missus and 3 for me. Planning is everything.