Bottle size affects carbonation rate, yes?

[lone_wolf]

Senores e senoritas
long story short, ever since starting on this home brewing journey about 6 months ago, I have had carbonation issues that I feel were rooted in the use of flip-top bottles (ie despite the fact I bought them new, I think some of the swing/bale mechanisms were faulty out of the box). Always had about 1/2 dozen bottles in a 2 dozen batch with zero carbonation after 3-4 weeks.
..anyway (sniff) on that basis I started saving my empties (mix of 330ml and 500ml bottles) and bought a bench capper, the idea being to a) bottle a batch across a mixture of capped and swing top bottles and assuming my assumption was correct b) migrate away from the swing tops.
In a perverse twist of fate though, while I am still opening some duds from the flip top bottles - the goddamn capped bottles are showing even less signs of carbonation. So heres my theory:
(firstly, priming dose was 100g of corn sugar for 5 gallons)
secondly, the basic theory of bottle carbonation is that fermentation restarts in the bottle, produces CO2 which fills the headspace in the bottle to critical mass at which point it starts to diffuse back into the beer. right?
So with this in mind I'm thinking that given the headspaces in a 330ml, 500ml and 750ml bottle are about the same, but the quantity of yeast in each is quite different, larger bottles would (might?) carb up faster than smaller ones - or is that offset by the larger volume of beer that requires carbing.
Its a bit of an academic discussion as I am thoroughly sick of the bullsh*t and unpredictability that you get for free with bottle carbonation and plan to go to kegs soon enough, but an answer to this could be useful at those tough dinner party gigs.. thoughts?

 

[VegasBrew]

A larger bottle has a larger headspace. It takes longer to fill that space with co2 thus longer to carb. If you are having un-even carb levels, about 2 weeks into bottle conditioning, turn your bottles upside down a few times to mix the yeast a bit. Also, make sure your beer is at least 70-75 degrees, this will help the yeast work. You may be having a problem mixing the priming sugar evenly. I don't know the grams co version off the top of my head but I use 3/4 cup per 5 gallons when bottling, 1/2 a cup when I use my mini kegs. Make sure to disolve your priming sugar in a cup of water heated on the stove, this should help get it equal throughout the 5 gallons. Another option is priming pellets, normally one pellet for 12 oz and two for 22 oz bottles.

VB

 

[Revvy]

A larger volume sized bottle usually needs more time to carb AND condition. I have some pints, 22 oz bombers and other sizes that I often use, but since I enter contests I usually also do a sixer or two of standard 12 ouncers for entering. And inevitably the 12 ouncers are done at least a week faster than the larger bottles....some times two weeks ahead of time...

Also the rule of thumb is 3 weeks at 70 degrees for a normal grav 12 ounce bottle....to carb and condition....It takes longer for the yeasties to convert the larger volume in the bigger bottles to enough co2 in the headspace to be reabsorbed back into the solution...A ration I don't know how much...

Big Kahuna gives a good explanation here...

Simple. It's the ration of contact area just like in a keg. The c02 will need to pressurize the head space (Which takes LESS TIME) in a bigger bottle (More Yeast and sugar, roughly the same head space) but then it has to force that c02 into solution through the same contact area...thus it takes longer.

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.