carbonation

[ruffiano31]

I brewed my first batch of brew recently. It is a Pilsner. It's very good, but only some of the beers have lots of carbonation. Most do not have enough carbonation. I added the priming sugar by boiling 3/4 cup of corn sugar in 2 cups of water. I let it cool down and then put it in the bottling bucket. I then syphoned the beer from the carboy into the bottling bucket, waited about 10 minutes, then bottled the beer. Is there a better way to do it? Should syphon the beer first, then add the priming sugar and stir? Should I add more sugar?

 

[Pappers_]

No, you did it right, in terms of the amounts and adding the priming solution first.

Three thoughts:

1. Some of the bottles may need more time and/or a higher temperature to fully carbonate - you might make sure they are 70 - 75 degrees and give them some more time

2. The priming solution may not have been mixed through the beer thoroughly - usually I make sure the racking tube is at the very bottom of the bottling bucket, so that the beer is racked through the priming solution, mixing the two. Some people also gently stir the mixture before bottling.

3. It could be something with your bottles - for example, if you washed your bottles with a detergent of some sort, some may not have gotten rinsed as well as others.

I suspect time will take care of your problem - and they'll end up pleasantly carbonated.

Jim

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome
I agree with Pappers, warm the bottles up and give it some time.

 

[ruffiano31]

thanks for the responses guys! I use iodophor solution, which is non rinse. Maybe i didn't let the bottles dry enough before adding the beer...could that it harder for the beer to carbonate in the bottles? I just finished a batch this weekend and added closer to one cup of priming sugar...I hope the bottles don't explode!!!

 

[Revvy]

thanks for the responses guys! I use iodophor solution, which is non rinse. Maybe i didn't let the bottles dry enough before adding the beer...could that it harder for the beer to carbonate in the bottles? I just finished a batch this weekend and added closer to one cup of priming sugar...I hope the bottles don't explode!!!

No, you've done nothing wrong....you just have stored them at too low a temp... the mantra is 3 weeks @ 70 if it's not at 70 it will take a loooooooooonnnnnnnnggggggggggg time.

It's a game of patience...nothing more.

On a different note, you should let your sanitizer dry, starsan and iodophor are no rinse, WET contact sanitizers...meaning you just pour out the excess and add your beer on to the wet glass..//