last bottle only 3/4 filled. will it carb?

This weekend I bottled my 5 gallon batch and in doing so, I only had enough to fill the last bottle about 3/4 of the way (in a standard 12oz bottle). I would say it filled just to the bottom of where the neck starts, so a pretty huge head space.

I figured that if I do let it sit at room temps for about a month and then refrigerate it (or freeze it long enough to really bring the temps down enough), will that allow enough of the C02 to absorb into the liquid?

I know I can wait and just find out, but I am curious what has happened with others not filling a bottle to its normal amount.

It should carb, but I would expect oxidation.

expect low carbonation.

Actually, it's more likely to overcarb than regular bottles. I can't remember the science, but it has to do with a smaller amount of liquid in a bottle with more headspace.

So, drink that one first!

What yooper said!

I most likely wouldn't have capped that one, just downed it right then.

+1 to the Yoop (what is your score now?)

Yeah watch opening that one, it may be a gusher!

YooperBrew said:

Actually, it's more likely to overcarb than regular bottles. I can't remember the science, but it has to do with a smaller amount of liquid in a bottle with more headspace.

So, drink that one first!

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I'd think the opposite. If your normal bottles has 2 volumes of CO2 - Doesn't that just mean that you are effectively dissolving 2 bottles worth of CO2 at normal atmospheric pressure into the beer? That is the amount of CO2 produced from the priming sugar in one bottle of beer. Less beer means less CO2 that will be produced and a lower final pressure within the bottle.

I could maybe see it working out as being overcarbed if you used carb tabs that produced the full amount of CO2 with more headspace and less beer, but I think there the extra pressure would just fill the headspace.

Unless dissolved CO2 takes up less "space" compared to the gas form...which might be the real answer.

It depends on how you primed the bottles. If you dissolved priming sugar in the bottling bucket and then bottled, it won't be a gusher. They will all have the same percentage of dissolved sugars. But if you used carb tabs..look out, it will be gusher or maybe a bottle bomb. Let it carb covered with a towel for 2 weeks or so, then place it in the fridge and use it as a 'tester' to gauge when your other bottles are done.

woollybugger2 said:

I most likely wouldn't have capped that one, just downed it right then.

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You did all the hard work, enjoy the fruits of your labor :cross:

I used to have a couple of shorty bottles around for just such a situation.