uneven priming

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drathbone

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I used priming sugar (dextrose) on my amber the same way I always have. Dissolved by boil about 4oz into 2 cups water, poured into primary, racked with a slight angle on the siphon hose to mix the wort into the priming solution in the bottling bucket.

For some reason, I tested some of the beers (I bottled them last Friday), 2 of them were super over carbed, and 2 of them were fine. Anything I could have done wrong? I used the same process I always have. The only difference is the temperature in the conditioning room might flux from 60-70 degree throughout the day. I used Safale US-33 so it should be within range to carb. Could this affect individual bottles? Any chance I should be concerned about bottle bombs? Any way to fix this?
 
Most common cause is uneven mixing. Even though you "swirl" when racking onto the priming solution it's still a good idea to gently stir with a sanitized spoon. Stir slowly/gently to ensure everything is mixed but try not to agitate which adds oxygen.

It is possible to have isolated bottle infections but unless you are inconsistent with your sanitation the most likely cause is uneven mix of the priming sugar.
 
You are pouring the priming solution into the primary fermenter?

I would only do that if I didn't have a bottling bucket. I start racking into the bottling bucket...after it starts going, I pour in the priming solution and continue racking. After everything is transferred, I gently stir with a sanitized 24" stainless spoon.

I don't think you'll have bottle bombs. I think everything will even out over time...it's only been like 5 days, right?
 
You bottled them last friday, they are nowhere near close enough to worry about it...why did you waste 2 beers?

Mixing's not the issue, patience is...the liquid of the priming solution, really DOES mix fine on it's own. The natural motion of the beer filling the bucket and rising up really is enough motion to integrate it together just fine.

You are mixing a small amount of liguid to a larger volume of liquid, and it's going to distribute itself equally just fine. It's not like we are adding dry sugar to our bottling bucket and mixing that with the beer....the two liquids mix together and the sugar water dillutes just fine.

Inconsistant carbonation, simple means that they are not ready yet. If you had opened them a week later, or even two, you never would have noticed. Each one is it's own little microcosm, and although generally the should come up at the same time, it's not an automatic switch, and they all pop on.

But they all will pop on when the time is right.

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.

Temp and gravity are the two factors that contribute to the time it takes to carb beer. But if a beer's not ready yet, or seems low carbed, and you added the right amount of sugar to it, then it's not stalled, it's just not time yet.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience." ;)


A tiny difference in temps between bottles in storage can affect the yeasties, speed them up or slow them down. Like if you store them in a closet against a warm wall, the beers closest to the heat source may be a tad warmer than those further way, so thy may carb/condition at slightly different rates. I usually store a batch in 2 seperate locations in my loft 1 case in my bedroom which is a little warmer, and the other in the closet in the lving room, which being in a larger space is a tad cooler, at least according to the thermostat next to that closet. It can be 5-10 degrees warmer in my bedroom. So I usually start with that case at three weeks. Giving the other half a little more time.

Give you bottles a little roll on a table to re-suspend the yeast, and stick them back in the over 70 closet ofr at least another week, or two..and they ALL will be carbed up just fine.

I've never had an issue like that, and I don't stir. I've come to believe that's one of the rationalization new brewers come up with rather than looking at the fact that they simply weren't ready yet.
 
Sorry I poured priming in the bottling bucket. Thanks for the info everybody.
 
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