Screwed up bottling…perhaps.

[Architect-Dave]

So, I made my priming solution of 3/4 cup corn sugar and water. After boiling, I added to bucket and racked the beer on top. I did not realize that I left the spigot open and saw that I lost about a cup or so of the mixed beer and priming solution. I did not think much about it until after I finished bottling everything. Now I am concerned there is not enough sugar in the beer to properly carbonate properly. I am guessing that I lost about 1/4 to 1/2 of the priming solution (maybe). Anyone have this happen before? Such a dumb move on my part…first time making this is take in over 40 batches…

 

[Broken Crow]

Given that there's no easy way to tell how much blending occurred before it reached the spigot, how low the carbonation turns out will relate to the batch size..a full 5G would be less carbed than 3G. Is it in a style that can still satisfy with lower than intended CO2 vols? You pretty much need to wait till you crack the first bottle before contemplating anything drastic like pouring them out and trying again or opening to thow in carb drops.

 

[Architect-Dave]

Given that there's no easy way to tell how much blending occurred before it reached the spigot, how low the carbonation turns out will relate to the batch size..a full 5G would be less carbed than 3G. Is it in a style that can still satisfy with lower than intended CO2 vols? You pretty much need to wait till you crack the first bottle before contemplating anything drastic like pouring them out and trying again or opening to thow in carb drops.

The beer is a British Golden Ale. So, it does not have to be spritzy. I will wait a few weeks and if it is undercarbed, i can add a little corn sugar to the bottles and then re-cap them and let it ride. Thank you for the response!

 

[Broken Crow]

Small tip you may or may not know: If you have to open and re-cap, first get them as cold as you can without freezing and do what you need to as quickly as you can.... the colder they are kept, the less foaming will occur.

 

[Architect-Dave]

Small tip you may or may not know: If you have to open and re-cap, first get them as cold as you can without freezing and do what you need to as quickly as you can.... the colder they are kept, the less foaming will occur.

Cool - thanks for the tip!

 

[day_trippr]

Another tip - for the next batch: include one small resealable soda bottle as your "conditioning canary".
When you can't barely squeeze that plastic bottle the carbonation should be "done", and you can sample that bottle to confirm it...

Cheers!

 

[Architect-Dave]

Another tip - for the next batch: include one small resealable soda bottle as your "conditioning canary".
When you can't barely squeeze that plastic bottle the carbonation should be "done", and you can sample that bottle to confirm it...

Cheers!

That is brilliant!

 

[bike2brew]

I never liked priming the batch in a bottling bucket because it required transfer from the fermenter and seemd like it would be an addtional risk of oxidation exposure. Consequently I bottle prime directly and also have more direct control over the carbonation. Previously used carb drops but have recently switched to using measured volumes of table sugar with good success. I found that carb drops varied in weight but perhaps not significantly and that this had potential to affect carbonation of individual bottles. I think the level tsp reduces that variance so each bottle carbs to comparble levels. I used 1/2 tsp and it was ok. Last week I increased to 3/4 tsp so looking forward to tasting the effect.

 

[Architect-Dave]

So, for $#!@‘s and giggles, I put one bottle in the fridge this morning. I opened it up and the beer is fizzy. It has been 6 days. So, I am thinking that in another two weeks the beer should be just fine.

 

[whoaru99]

Did you stir well after racking on the primer or rely on the racking itself for the mix?

 

[Architect-Dave]

Did you stir well after racking on the primer or rely on the racking itself for the mix?

My procedure is to add the priming solution to the bottom of the bottling bucket and the rack into that solution. I gently stir with a sanitized mash paddle as the beer is racking into the bucket about mid way so that it mixes thoroughly.