flat beer... 32oz bottles

[alcoholicwhitetrash]

So i made my 1st ever batch of beer, most bottles turned out VERY good, but some were flat. I bottled it in 40oz malt liquor bottles (st ides) with the original screwcaps, and threw one (big) teaspoon of corn sugar in each bottle. That batch is gone now.

The 2nd batch i'm brewing i plan on bottling it in 32 brown Pacifico bottles, to avoid possible air leaks from the 40oz screwcaps. My question is do they make carbonation drops for 32oz bottles? Or what kind and how many should i use to have high carbonation? I want to avoid flat beer that's all!

Any help is super appreciated, Thanks!

 

[cswis86]

How much beer are you bottling? I would suggest buying priming sugar (dextrose) and using this priming calculator to determine how much sugar you need for your batch:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

All you need to do is dissolve the sugar in about a cup of water in a small saucepan, boil and add it to your bottling bucket. Siphon the beer on top then you can start filling your bottles. This will ensure even carbonation between all of your bottles. I normally aim for 2.2-2.5 volumes of CO2.

 

[alcoholicwhitetrash]

Thanks, making 5gal, how much priming sugar would i need for that? Priming sugar is corn sugar right?

i was hoping i could do it without the bottling bucket, because i don't have one, and use carbonation drops for each 32oz bottle...

 

[brew_darrymore]

Thanks, making 5gal, how much priming sugar would i need for that? Priming sugar is corn sugar right?

i was hoping i could do it without the bottling bucket, because i don't have one, and use carbonation drops for each 32oz bottle...

Which brand of carbonation drops are you using? Do you know the weight of one carbonation drop?

 

[cswis86]

Yup, priming sugar is corn sugar (dextrose). According to the calculator you'd need 4oz for a 5 gallon batch. How are you bottling now without a bottling bucket? Are you just siphoning it directly into the bottles? Bottling buckets are cheap and will make your life a lot easier.

 

[kristiismean]

brewers best is 1 for 12oz 2 for 22, for 32 maybe 2.5?

that said, I used 1 for a 16oz bottle and it was fine, so i would figure 2 would be just fine for a 32 oz.

 

[alcoholicwhitetrash]

I'm, trying to avoid getting a bottling bucket if possible, and yes i siphon the beer straight to the bottles.

All I'm trying to figure out, is what kind of carbonation drops and how many to use per bottle. I had bad luck with corn sugar...

 

[alcoholicwhitetrash]

brewers best is 1 for 12oz 2 for 22, for 32 maybe 2.5?

that said, I used 1 for a 16oz bottle and it was fine, so i would figure 2 would be just fine for a 32 oz.

I'm going to try this, Possible bottle bomb with 2.5?

 

[kristiismean]

I'm going to try this, Possible bottle bomb with 2.5?

I think 2 would be perfect with little to no risk. I don't think that .5 is going to offer any added benefit.

 

[Soulshine2]

I'm, trying to avoid getting a bottling bucket if possible, and yes i siphon the beer straight to the bottles.

All I'm trying to figure out, is what kind of carbonation drops and how many to use per bottle. I had bad luck with corn sugar...

I have my bottling bucket up on the kitchen counter. I sit on a chair with my box of sanitized bottles in front of me in the box. attached to the bucket spout is a 2 ft length of 3/8 clear tubing and the bottling wand at the end. While I'm bottling I can see if theres any air (end of the bucket) or any sediment I can stop before it goes into the bottle.

 

[kh54s10]

My advice is to get the bottling bucket. It makes priming so easy. Add the priming sugar to the bucket while siphoning the beer is with the tubing curled around the side making a vortex. This will mix the priming solution well. It is also more accurate that trying to prime bottles individually when using sugar or partial priming tabs.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=94812

I also suggest not using twist off bottles. Some have good luck using them, others have leaky caps and flat beer.

 

[alcoholicwhitetrash]

Yup, priming sugar is corn sugar (dextrose). According to the calculator you'd need 4oz for a 5 gallon batch. How are you bottling now without a bottling bucket? Are you just siphoning it directly into the bottles? Bottling buckets are cheap and will make your life a lot easier.

Ok i'm getting a bottling bucket. So i need a scale to weight the 4oz of sugar?

Could i measure it in a measuring cup instead? if yes how much would that be?

 

[z-bob]

I bottled some beer in 1 liter swing-top bottles using 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Turned out really good. It also works using two 4 gram sugar cubes but you might have trouble fitting them down the neck of the bottle (those work great in 1L plastic soda bottles) Three of the smaller 2.3 gram sugar cubes (Domino Dots) might work... I haven't tried that.

1 liter should be close enough to 32 ounces.

 

[bleme]

Whether you use corn sugar or table sugar or carbonation drops, it is all just sugar. It will have tiny effect on taste but they all carb exactly the same. My preferred calculator is this one, just because it has so many sugar options: https://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

And this is my scale: http://a.co/4PPILxl

 

[cswis86]

Ok i'm getting a bottling bucket. So i need a scale to weight the 4oz of sugar?

Could i measure it in a measuring cup instead? if yes how much would that be?

Measuring by weight will be more accurate but you can use a measuring cup. Just use this calculator:

https://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

 

[bleme]

BTW, a gram scale can really change your life. I bought mine for beer, but I am converting all my bread recipes to weight now as it makes a huge difference in repeatability. I've used it for all sorts of things I never even thought of before.