Bottle conditioning and once it's done

[DrDance]

Good morning HBT!
I'm still a newbie and have enjoyed making the 5 batches I have under my belt. What a great hobby!
My question is about bottle conditioning...
I always fill a few PET bottles as I've found them extremely helpful with knowing when the beer is carbed properly. My question is this...
Once the beer has reached its "carbed perfection" can I just throw the beer in the fridge and call it a day?
Is there any benefit to leaving it out?
If I'm concerned that I may have over-primed it, once it's carbed enough can I put the bottles in the fridge to halt the yeast doing its thing and, perhaps, avoid a bottle bomb[emoji378]?

 

[kh54s10]

I don't know the true effect of putting them all into the fridge. I do about 6 at a time. I haven't noticed any downside to leaving them warm until I want to chill them for drinking. Some beers need some aging. Dark heavy beers. IMO it is best to keep them at room temperature.

Cooling over-primed bottles might keep them from exploding. But, fermentation might continue though very slowly.

 

[Revvy]

If you chill them you cut off any bottle conditioning they may need by putting the yeast to sleep. Remember carbing is not the only step in the process, there is still letting the beers that need it time to mature. Some beers don't come into their own for anywhere from 5-6 weeks past bottling day to months....

 

[DrDance]

If you chill them you cut off any bottle conditioning they may need by putting the yeast to sleep. Remember carbing is not the only step in the process, there is still letting the beers that need it time to mature. Some beers don't come into their own for anywhere from 5-6 weeks past bottling day to months....

Yeah, that is the one thing I thought about...the maturing. I figured the carbonating would stop, but at the cost of some mellowing of the flavours. Ah well... might just have to drink it sooner...DAMN!

 

[GoeHaarden]

Yeah, that is the one thing I thought about...the maturing. I figured the carbonating would stop, but at the cost of some mellowing of the flavours. Ah well... might just have to drink it sooner...DAMN!

I don't think it would hurt if you took them back out of the fridge, gave them a little swirl, and then start aging them again at room temperature. I don't think I've ever done it that way, but warming the yeast back up should wake them into action.

 

[Lefou]

As a noob, I did the PET bottle trick to estimate carbonation levels in my first ales. Had a few left over from my Mr. Beer kit and it was a handy learning tool.
Low ABV, light colored ales you drink young are the best to start with because darker beers with higher alcohol levels may need some aging to mellow the hops and carbonic acid bite ... so they're a bit more complicated to gauge when you first start out bottle conditioning.

I've gone to Domino sugar cubes because I consider the glucose tabs overly expensive. If your beer is done right the yeast won't care because table sugar is just as edible for them as glucose. One sugar cube per 12oz. and two per 22oz., bottle condition 3-4 weeks at room temp is my general rule. Haven't had an issue with bottle bombs, though I have had beers foam over .... LOL because I've opened them too soon without refrigerating prior to drinking, but never any bottle bombs.

 

[Rhaop]

As a noob, I did the PET bottle trick to estimate carbonation levels in my first ales. Had a few left over from my Mr. Beer kit and it was a handy learning tool.
Low ABV, light colored ales you drink young are the best to start with because darker beers with higher alcohol levels may need some aging to mellow the hops and carbonic acid bite ... so they're a bit more complicated to gauge when you first start out bottle conditioning.

I've gone to Domino sugar cubes because I consider the glucose tabs overly expensive. If your beer is done right the yeast won't care because table sugar is just as edible for them as glucose. One sugar cube per 12oz. and two per 22oz., bottle condition 3-4 weeks at room temp is my general rule. Haven't had an issue with bottle bombs, though I have had beers foam over .... LOL because I've opened them too soon without refrigerating prior to drinking, but never any bottle bombs.

1 sugar cube give you decent carbonation? I had to recently add extra priming sugar to some under carbed porters, i added a heaping 1/2tsp of table sugar and it seemed to get me close, if there is any carbonation at all like my porter at warm temps that sugar makes the bottles foam big time lol you gotta cap quick