Your runts...

[jiggs_casey]

Does anybody else do this?

Last year, I started saving that 'last half bottle' that's left over from bottling. I figured I'd start a collection. These are my 'runts'...

 

[chapa]

Nope, I always just drink it if I can't fill it all the way! not a bad idea though. You oughta label them!

 

[passedpawn]

They never see a cap when I bottle. The runt gets sacrificed to the brewing gods right away.

 

[jiggs_casey]

Nope, I always just drink it if I can't fill it all the way! not a bad idea though. You oughta label them!

That's a thought! I gave up trying to label the bottles a long time ago! I hated trying to get them back off. Maybe I'll 'retire' these bottles with labels attached...

 

[acolman]

Always get finished off right down the pipe. Bottling I'm usually half in the bag so it's a great way keep that rolling!

 

[kicknbrew]

Hey, that's a great idea!

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

The "runts" are the ones that get drank about 2 weeks after bottling to see how carbonation is coming along.

 

[Sheldon]

+1 with Riverfrontbrewer!

 

[Mose]

That's a thought! I gave up trying to label the bottles a long time ago! I hated trying to get them back off. Maybe I'll 'retire' these bottles with labels attached...

If you use milk as the adhesive the labels come right off in a quick warm water rinse. Of course it'll also fall right off in a coolerof ice, so only good part of the time. I print my labels on regular paper, cut coat the back with a little milk by setting the back of a label on a plate that has a thin film of milk and apply to the bottle. If you get to much milk it'll look wet and wrinkle. Not hard and I wipe it off with a towel and let her sit. After doing it once or twice it's easy and you don't have to sacrifice the cleaning time for bottles. Good luck.

And yes I sometimes have a runt laying around. It's usually the first in the fridge to check if the batch is carbed.

 

[Rotgut]

The "runts" are the ones that get drank about 2 weeks after bottling to see how carbonation is coming along.

Same here.

 

[woodstone]

Always get finished off right down the pipe. Bottling I'm usually half in the bag so it's a great way keep that rolling!

Yep, fridge, cool, down the pipe.

 

[midastouch]

My buddy saved every runt as you call it, and for new years he had beer pong with each cup featuring a different home brew! it was interesting, everyone wanted to have to drink so they could try each one!

 

[dukedog]

The "runts" are the ones that get drank about 2 weeks after bottling to see how carbonation is coming along.

I'm new to all this so this might be a dumb question but wouldn't that be an inaccurate way to determine how your other beers are carbing up?

To me it seems like the extra headspace would mean there is more capacity for the CO2 to go into the headspace instead of being forced into the beer, with the result being a bottle of beer than that is less carbonated than a fuller bottle.

 

[SumnerH]

I'm new to all this so this might be a dumb question but wouldn't that be an inaccurate way to determine how your other beers are carbing up?

To me it seems like the extra headspace would mean there is more capacity for the CO2 to go into the headspace instead of being forced into the beer, with the result being a bottle of beer than that is less carbonated than a fuller bottle.

Usually the only thing I really care about is "is it carbing?"--if there's any carb in there, then I know it'll be fine in another couple weeks or so. It's when you crack the runt 3-4 weeks in and there's no sign of any gas that you start to worry.

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

I'm new to all this so this might be a dumb question but wouldn't that be an inaccurate way to determine how your other beers are carbing up?

To me it seems like the extra headspace would mean there is more capacity for the CO2 to go into the headspace instead of being forced into the beer, with the result being a bottle of beer than that is less carbonated than a fuller bottle.

What Sumner said....I don't need the beer to be carbed (but it will be somewhat), I am looking for that strong "pfffft" when I pop the top.

 

[ayoungrad]

I drink the bit that's left.

Also, regarding labeling... I think I saw it on this site somewhere but I've been making labels for the bottle caps. No worries about getting the labels off. They come off with the caps.