Is there a way to test carbonation without opening a beer up?

[ToddPacker69]

So I have wasted many of beers by opening them too early, and finding that they are not carbonated. I have waited 2 weeks and a half, and it is cold in my house at night, but still there is barely any carb. It there a way to test carb without opening a beer up?

And dont worry I still drink them when they are flat.

 

[amandabab]

not cheaply. You can get gauges for test bottles but there is no way across a whole batch.

 

[spokaniac]

I like to bottle at least one PET bottle in each batch. That way you can just squeeze it to check the carb level. Once it gets nice and firm, you can throw it and some glass bottles in the fridge for a day or two and start drinking.

 

[jmprdood]

Ditto. I bottle a couple in PET and when they are firm, clear and the sediment is tight, I chill for a couple of days and - good to go.

Cheers!

 

[ToddPacker69]

pet bottle? Like plastic bottle

 

[spokaniac]

Yes, plastic ones. Ive used an old A&w bottle I cleaned real good and it works fine.

 

[ToddPacker69]

now thats a good idea. I wish I did that. I guess the next batch.

 

[Krazykripple]

I've always used PET bottles and it's pretty easy to tell when they're ready. I'm switching to glass slowly but I think I'll keep a few plastic ones for this purpose.

 

[CGish]

Yes, plastic ones. Ive used an old A&w bottle I cleaned real good and it works fine.

^ This ...

I use emptied plastic water bottles from Walmart. Just rinse them and dip them in sanitizer along with your bottles. I squeeze all the air (headspace) out of mine so I can watch them grow

 

[Tiredboy]

Using a clear plastic bottle also means to get to monitor colour and clarity (what I do).

 

[homebrewdad]

So I have wasted many of beers by opening them too early, and finding that they are not carbonated. I have waited 2 weeks and a half, and it is cold in my house at night, but still there is barely any carb. It there a way to test carb without opening a beer up?

And dont worry I still drink them when they are flat.

For one thing, you are almost certainly opening them too soon!

Three weeks at 70 degrees is the baseline for normal gravity beers. Bigger beers or cooler temps take longer to carb up.

How cold is cold? If the beer is getting below 60ish degrees, odds are excellent that your yeast is going dormant, and it will take drastically longer for them to carb up. Get them somewhere warmer!

Once fully carbed, you'll want to place them in the fridge for a couple of days to help dissolve more CO2 into solution.

 

[malkore]

Just remember that 'an empty plastic Pepsi bottle' is not a PET bottle. PET bottles are thicker and higher pressure.

One way to guestimate your current bottles is to look at how much sediment is in the bottom. if the bottom isn't hazed over with sediment, they aren't done conditioning.

 

[CBXBob]

Man do I learn here, one plastic bottle per batch, what a fantastic idea!
I also love to see where members are posting from, Kingston Jamica! Fantastic!