Prefered bottle orientation?

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Rbeckett

Rbeckett

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When bottle carbing a brew is there a requirement that the bottles are standing or laying to achieve the best results. I just bottled 2 cases of Hanks Hefe from Midwest and my new Keezer/ferm chamber can only accept bottles laying on there sides on the shelves that are not used by the pail or Corny kegs. I have looked around quite a bit and have not seen a definitive direction to pursue in this particular instance. My thought is that since it allow more surface area of the unfilled part of the bottle it might allow the CO2 a little more area to dissolve into solution. On the other hand that is also a large area to expose to air too. Just wondered if any one has any empirical evidence to support or defer me from laying bottles on there sides when bottle carbing.

Thanks!!!
Wheelchair Bob
 
For the purposes of carbonation, there is no benefit in orientation, as the CO2 is being produced in the liquid where it will be absorbed if sufficient pressure or low enough temperature is present to increase the saturated gas volume.

I prefer not to lay bottles on the side as I do not believe all bottle caps are created equal, and some may not age well with continuous beer contact - but that is a hunch and I have not sought facts to support it.

If they will only fit in the chamber on their side, then I wouldn't spend much time worrying about it.
 
Rbeckett said:
When bottle carbing a brew is there a requirement that the bottles are standing or laying to achieve the best results. I just bottled 2 cases of Hanks Hefe from Midwest and my new Keezer/ferm chamber can only accept bottles laying on there sides on the shelves that are not used by the pail or Corny kegs. I have looked around quite a bit and have not seen a definitive direction to pursue in this particular instance. My thought is that since it allow more surface area of the unfilled part of the bottle it might allow the CO2 a little more area to dissolve into solution. On the other hand that is also a large area to expose to air too. Just wondered if any one has any empirical evidence to support or defer me from laying bottles on there sides when bottle carbing.

Thanks!!!
Wheelchair Bob
Click to expand...

I have not tried what you are outlining, so my thoughts are just speculation. My guess is that with more surface area the beer may absorb the CO2 a little quicker, however even that will be determined by the rate of fermentation within the bottle. As technically the headspace volume will be the same on side or standing up, it would tell me pressures of CO2 should be the same. The amount of CO2 should ultimately be determined by the amount of priming. With all that said, I would anticipate no additional carbonation as that is defined by priming amounts, and at best maybe a slight quicker carbonation (but I suspect it will be about the same due to bottle fermentation time).

You should put a few bottles from this batch upright if you can swing it and see if you notice any difference.
 
My only concern doing this would be the sediment on the sides getting into the pour.
 
If you condition them on their sides, then the sediment would be on the side of the bottle. At some point (when you go to pour a glass), you're going to turn it right side up and probably kick up some sediment and end up with more of it in your glass than most people usually like. It would seem to defeat the purpose of the "homebrewer's pour."

Edit: oops, didnt type fast enough.
 
freelunch said:
If they will only fit in the chamber on their side, then I wouldn't spend much time worrying about it.
Click to expand...

This is the right attitude though. Do what you can and it'll be fine.
 
I agree that it's mostly about making it easier for the trub to get into the glass. And co2 absorption is also temperature dependant. Warmer,it absorbes slower,cooler equals faster.
 
When bottle carbing a brew is there a requirement that the bottles are standing or laying to achieve the best results. I just bottled 2 cases of Hanks Hefe from Midwest and my new Keezer/ferm chamber can only accept bottles laying on there sides
Click to expand...

My question is why are you carbing up bottles in your keezer. You want them at 70 to carb up.
 
I believe Saison Dupont (going off memory here but its one of the French/Belgian farmhouse breweries) bottle age their beers on the side like this, because it is supposed to give the beer greater contact with the yeast and allow the yeast to "clean" up better. I don't have any input on the carbonation standpoint, but it will result in sediment on the sides of the bottle.
 
Long term I would worry about your bottle caps. I know the outside of them will rust after a week submerged in cooler water, not sure how the underside of the cap will react to constant beer exposure.
 

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