I think I primed with maltodextrine

[gcdowd]

So after I primed and bottled my ipa, I moved on to my porter. The porter was a kit and came with 4oz corn sugar for priming, 4 oz maltodextrine for body. Getting ready to add the maltodextrine to my boil and oops...I have two packs of corn sugar. This can only mean that I added the freakin maltodextrine to prime my ipa. Knowing that it is unfermentable, I think I got flat ipa in my bottles. So mad. Anyway, ipa is a week into the bottle, and I want to open one to ensure that there is in fact no carbonation. Is it safe to assume if I hear no pssst sound that I did what I thought I did? If so, I may just grab some carb drops and open the bottles and place them in. Any idea if this will work?

 

[Revvy]

Actually at only 1 week in the bottle I wouldn't expect anything....regardless of whether or not you carbed with sugar of malto-dex.

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.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.


Temp and gravity are the two factors that contribute to the time it takes to carb beer. But if a beer's not ready yet, or seems low carbed, and you added the right amount of sugar to it, then it's not stalled, it's just not time yet.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

You need to wait til the three weeks are up to know for sure...

But since beers are rarely carbed up at only one week even when you do it right, you really don't know.

 

[MalFet]

The carb drops will work fine.

You can have an infinity of "patience", but if you added maltodextrine, you certainly won't get any carbonation from it.

 

[unionrdr]

If you're sure you did indeed use the maltodextrin,then you need to prime it. Carb drops will work ok.

 

[Revvy]

The carb drops will work fine. If you added maltodextrine, you certainly won't get any carbonation from it.

IIRC maltodextrrine is partially fermentable. Or am I thinking of that blended stuff like heading powder or Mr beer booster. But i thought there was some fermentability with Maltodextrine.

 

[Revvy]

If you're sure you did indeed use the maltodextrin,then you need to prime it. Carb drops will work ok.

But if you think there the possibilty that you added corn sugar, I wouldn't add any more sugar til you know for sure, which means waiting it out til at least the normal 3 weeks. Otherwise bottle bombs could happen.

 

[MalFet]

IIRC maltodextrrine is partially fermentable. Or am I thinking of that blended stuff like heading powder or Mr beer booster. But i thought there was some fermentability with Maltodextrine.

I know some bacteria will eat maltodextrine, but my understanding was that yeast could not metabolize it.

 

[Zeal]

IIRC maltodextrrine is partially fermentable. Or am I thinking of that blended stuff like heading powder or Mr beer booster. But i thought there was some fermentability with Maltodextrine.

It's about 5 percent fermentable.

 

[rhamilton]

Hopville shows maltodextrin @ 43 PPG

 

[AnOldUR]

Malto-Dextrine
Notes:
Malt based sugar that is less than 5% fermentable. Increases the body and mouth-feel of the beer and adds slight sweetness.

.

 

[gcdowd]

Ok all, thanks for the input. I know a week is too early to tell so I'll wait to open one. If I did what I think I did, would you all agree that carb drops are the way to go?

 

[Revvy]

Ok all, thanks for the input. I know a week is too early to tell so I'll wait to open one. If I did what I think I did, would you all agree that carb drops are the way to go?

Yes. But you need to make sure there aren't other fermentables in there before adding more.

 

[gcdowd]

Yes. But you need to make sure there aren't other fermentables in there before adding more.

For sure, I'll give it the three weeks. Thanks Rev.

 

[heeler]

Just a quick question for Revvy since hes in this thread.... can I carbonate in the bottle with DME, would it provide a diff. taste or should I just stick with corn sugar. Looked but could'nt find this answer. Thanks in advance.

 

[gcdowd]

Btw, anyone have a preference of which carb drops to get? I have never used then...

 

[hopsalot]

Just a quick question for Revvy since hes in this thread.... can I carbonate in the bottle with DME, would it provide a diff. taste or should I just stick with corn sugar. Looked but could'nt find this answer. Thanks in advance.

You can but it takes much longer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/dme-primer-91095/
read this

 

[Yooper]

Btw, anyone have a preference of which carb drops to get? I have never used then...

I've used the Munton's carb tabs. They worked fine, and the "dosage" is on the package- like 3 for a 12 ounce bottle or something like that.

 

[hopsalot]

Btw, anyone have a preference of which carb drops to get? I have never used then...

Muntons

 

[unionrdr]

I used to use cooper's,1 per 12oz bottle works fine.

 

[gcdowd]

A final question here regarding the carb drops. What kind of sanitation should be performed? Can I just soak the unopened bag in star san and wash my hands and do my hands in star san as well? Don't want to introduce any nasties. Thanks!

 

[passedpawn]

A final question here regarding the carb drops. What kind of sanitation should be performed? Can I just soak the unopened bag in star san and wash my hands and do my hands in star san as well? Don't want to introduce any nasties. Thanks!

Yeah, you could do that. I've used them with my nasty pigly wiglys without an issue. No issue, that is, except the carb tabs seem to leave quite a bit of residue in my bottles. I'd never use them again on anything I cared about.

 

[gcdowd]

Yeah, you could do that. I've used them with my nasty pigly wiglys without an issue. No issue, that is, except the carb tabs seem to leave quite a bit of residue in my bottles. I'd never use them again on anything I cared about.

I wouldn't be using them if I didn't already screw up my priming....blah. Oh well, live and learn, and in my case I need to learn to read the label before using it.

 

[gcdowd]

Just an update. The three weeks in the bottles has come and gone. I popped one open the other day and voila...carbonation. No need for the drops, score! Anyway,I don't know if they just didn't send me maltodextrine and gave me an extra corn sugar but it seemed to carb ok. I know FG was reached because I took many readings at 1.012. Thanks all for the advice.

 

[Elweydoloco]

How about the taste? I imagine a little sweet?

 

[gcdowd]

How about the taste? I imagine a little sweet?

Actually not really. I hopped it considerably so it is nicely balanced.