Bottle conditioning using Prime Dose tablets

[Stealthcruiser]

Looks like one of those "airport smuggler" X-rays.

 

[NorthRiverS]

I've used these, they work fine.....

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/fermenters-favorites-fizz-drops-8-oz.html

NRS

 

[eulipion2]

Reviving a dead thread, but I have a tripel that undercarbed. Chilled the bottles in the freezer (to retain existing carbonation), then added a Prime Dose capsule to each bottle, and returned the beer to 75F. It's been almost a month, and the bottles look like anti-pollution ads of plastic bags floating in the ocean. Has anyone figured out a timetable of when these things will fully dissolve?

 

[bnairuni87]

I had the same problem. I will not use them again.

 

[Conejwsr]

I have used the Prime Dose capsules. The first 2 or 3 times I used them, they worked just fine. Now the last 4 batches I have done the capsules didn't dissolve. The first two of the four batches were being stored in a friend's basement (65 f) so I didn't know that it had happened, so the second two batches I am keeping at home, conditioning at around 70-72 f. Lets hope the warmer temps will allow them to dissolve.

 

[geoffey]

If they haven't dissolved within a couple hours at 70f I'd contact Northern Brewer and ask for a refund.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[eulipion2]

Well, I had two bottles I was using to test carbonation levels, poured them out, and the undissolved caps clogged the neck. When poured out I had these intact condom-like capsule halves floating around in the beer. Looked gross, felt gross (accidentally tried to drink one...)

I think for the rest of the batch I'm going to open the capsules and dump the contents into the beer.

 

[ocluke]

I wish I would have read this thread before bottling 2 batches of 2+ year aged sour beers this weekend. I really hope the vegetable capsules not dissolving isn't par for the course. One of the bottles was a magnum in a style that requires high carbonation, so that bottle required 12 capsules. That's going to be a lot of vegetable capsule to chew through!

I was going to contact the manufacturer with some questions about them, but my best Google ninja skills pull up nothing for "McKenzie Brothers" with "Prime Dose" in the city of "Roseville, MN." I find it curious that there is no phone number, website or email address for the company on the packaging.

 

[eulipion2]

I wish I would have read this thread before bottling 2 batches of 2+ year aged sour beers this weekend. I really hope the vegetable capsules not dissolving isn't par for the course. One of the bottles was a magnum in a style that requires high carbonation, so that bottle required 12 capsules. That's going to be a lot of vegetable capsule to chew through!

I was going to contact the manufacturer with some questions about them, but my best Google ninja skills pull up nothing for "McKenzie Brothers" with "Prime Dose" in the city of "Roseville, MN." I find it curious that there is no phone number, website or email address for the company on the packaging.

I think you'll be fine. Apparently it was just one batch. And of course it was the one batch that I got mine from. I'm sure if you bought yours recently they'll dissolve completely.

 

[teddy4xp]

Bought mine through northern brewer and they gave me a refund because mine never dissolved. There are several lots that had issues during manufacturing...caused the capsules to be too thick

 

[Eric_The_Dead]

Bottled an Imperial IP on 11/29/14. Ended up with an ABV of 9.1%. Tasted fantastic at bottling time (albeit flat and warm...to be expected). Been checking them intermittently for conditioning and as recently as last week still just barely carbonated. Zero to no head (even when poured aggressively into glass) and still quite flat. Thinking I have a problem here I opted to try the Prime Dose capsules to remedy my issue. In reading the issues folks had with the capsules not dissolving I decided to carefully separate the capsules and pour the contents into each bottle. My first bottle was a 16 oz grolsch style bottle. Added the contents of three capsules...no issues. Opened the next bottle (same style as first) and added the contents of one capsule...immediately the beer began to bubble and flow out of the bottle like a volcano. I immediately re-capped it before I lost any measurable amount of beer. I got similar results as this latter experience with a 22 oz bottle and a standard 12 oz bottle (both were standard capped bottles and added contents of only one capsule in each). Stopped at that point because seems to me the bottles may in fact be conditioned. Took one bottle out and placed it in fridge to check later and letting the rest sit for a couple weeks to check again. Any feedback?

 

[Craig_g]

Sometimes they never dissolve. They do not affect flavor. But do not look good. Kind of a pain.

 

[eulipion2]

Bottled an Imperial IP on 11/29/14. Ended up with an ABV of 9.1%.

Sometimes bigger beers take a while to carbonate. I have a quad that took around 3-4 months to fully carbonate. The yeast are exhausted at the end of a big ferment, and the high alcohol doesn't make it any easier on them. If you're having gushers you may have overcarbed, or maybe your priming sugar wasn't evenly distributed. Did you stir it into your beer or dump it in at the end of racking?

 

[Eric_The_Dead]

Thanks for the feedback eulipion. I've brewed several big ABV beers including a quad which came out great (was about 12% ABV). The quad was carbed after three months of conditioning. Not sure what went wrong with the IIPA. Dumped the priming solution into the bottling bucket before siphoning beer and gently stirred the beer before bottling (at least I think I stirred...I always take Charlie Papazian's advice by relaxing, not worrying and having a homebrew or two!). Had thought my problem was because I stored the bottles in a corner of a room that did not get much heat (we had a brutally cold winter here in upstate NY). I moved them to a warmer area about three weeks ago. Chilled one last night as I mentioned in my first post and when I poured it, it was still flat as a pancake. I went ahead and plopped one capsule in the remaining 12 oz bottles (without separating as had been my method that caused the gushing experience noted in my first post). Checked this morning and had no exploders which was a fear I had and still have. Looks like the capsule is dissolving. I'll be sure to check back here and provide updates.

 

[ocluke]

Bottled an Imperial IP on 11/29/14. Ended up with an ABV of 9.1%. Tasted fantastic at bottling time (albeit flat and warm...to be expected). Been checking them intermittently for conditioning and as recently as last week still just barely carbonated. Zero to no head (even when poured aggressively into glass) and still quite flat. Thinking I have a problem here I opted to try the Prime Dose capsules to remedy my issue. In reading the issues folks had with the capsules not dissolving I decided to carefully separate the capsules and pour the contents into each bottle. My first bottle was a 16 oz grolsch style bottle. Added the contents of three capsules...no issues. Opened the next bottle (same style as first) and added the contents of one capsule...immediately the beer began to bubble and flow out of the bottle like a volcano. I immediately re-capped it before I lost any measurable amount of beer. I got similar results as this latter experience with a 22 oz bottle and a standard 12 oz bottle (both were standard capped bottles and added contents of only one capsule in each). Stopped at that point because seems to me the bottles may in fact be conditioned. Took one bottle out and placed it in fridge to check later and letting the rest sit for a couple weeks to check again. Any feedback?

If the beer is even lightly carbonated, pouring the contents of the capsule will cause it to gush because the sugar will act as a nucleation site for the CO2 in solution. Dropping an unopened capsule should be okay, but then you'll have undissolved vegetable capsules in your beer.

 

[natefrog255]

Yeah I don't think I'd get these again. I don't feel like they carb quite enough. They are easy to use but not quite sold on how they work. I'd use 3 in the bottle next time but don't want to risk exploding bottles.

 

[natefrog255]

I have used the Prime Dose capsules. The first 2 or 3 times I used them, they worked just fine. Now the last 4 batches I have done the capsules didn't dissolve. The first two of the four batches were being stored in a friend's basement (65 f) so I didn't know that it had happened, so the second two batches I am keeping at home, conditioning at around 70-72 f. Lets hope the warmer temps will allow them to dissolve.

I'm afraid to use them. I had good luck with them dissolving albeit my carb has been a little on low side, but seems like people have had issues with these especially as they get older. I hate to just pitch them as they are expensive but also hate to waste beer I made if I suddenly don't have luck with them.

 

[natefrog255]

Do these capsules expire?

 

[MaxStout]

I have to give credit to anyone who can take an ordinary commodity and parlay it into something that fetches $10 a bottle. Pure marketing genius.

I'll stick with bags of cheap sugar and a scale.

 

[natefrog255]

I have to give credit to anyone who can take an ordinary commodity and parlay it into something that fetches $10 a bottle. Pure marketing genius.

I'll stick with bags of cheap sugar and a scale.

Right. They are convenient but I only bought as had a gift card. I did end up using these and we'll see what happens. The one bottle I looked at seemed like they dissovled. I'll post a result in a few weeks.

 

[natefrog255]

So all of mine actually carbonated pretty well and I did not have any issues with the capsule not dissolving. If I had one complaint I feel the trub that would normally stick pretty firm to the bottom of the bottle would be floating in my beer. It was more of an aesthetics thing , but was tentative to have others try with the thought they wouldn't like particles floating around.