Belgium Double bottling trick

[Jpeverini]

Hey Brew'migos...

Just brewed my first belgian double, so I am really pumped. Its fermenting like crazy due to all the sugar belgians use.

So, I plan to leave it in the primary for 2 weeks, then rack to a secondary for about 2 - 3 weeks.

When I bottle, I plan on using about a cup of dextrose because of the higher gravity. Does this sound right? I have heard that higher gravity beers need a little more bottling sugar to help carbonize properly. Is this what you have found with your belgian doubles? Anyway, hope you all had a good brewing weekend!!

 

[Edcculus]

If you are putting it in regular bottles, go with the prescribed amount. It only takes high ABV beers longer to carbonate, not more priming sugar. The more sugar you use, more CO2 is created in the bottle. Normal bottles can go to about 3 volumes before they explode.

 

[Jpeverini]

Thanks for the help. A couple follow up questions;

1) If I used larger (22oz) bottles, would I use more dextrose?
2) So because they take longer to carbonate, I just have to bottle age longer?
3) What do you mean by going three volumes before exploding. I am unfamiliar with the term "3 volumes." thanks for the help!

 

[PT Ray]

1) If I used larger (22oz) bottles, would I use more dextrose? No

2) So because they take longer to carbonate, I just have to bottle age longer? Yes

3) What do you mean by going three volumes before exploding. I am unfamiliar with the term "3 volumes." thanks for the help! It's a unit of measurement for CO2. Here's some info: http://brewery.org/library/YPrimerMH.html

 

[Jpeverini]

great link. Thanks for the help, I will read up on it!

 

[mitch171]

Belgian's also tend to have a higher CO2 Volume. I have one in a keg I am conditioningto 2.8 volumes.