Tips on better carbination in bottles.

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bniesen

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
346
Reaction score
2
Location
Verona
I bottled and APA about a month ago, stored the entire batch in the same room at the same temperature. About half the batch carbinated perfectly while for some strange reason the other half did not. I add the priming sugar solution to the secondary right before bottling. My guess is that I need to stir in the priming solution in a different carboy. Any other ideas?
:drunk:
 
Are all of the bottles the same type or brand?

I've found that Sam Adams bottles, for example, give me a different carb level than Bass due to differences with the lip. While you can get them to work better with a bench capper, it's still a slightly noticeable difference.
 
It sounds like your priming sugar wasn't mixed throughout...I combine my priming sugar while racking into the bucket and then carefully mix it while not introducing any air into the beer. Some folks dissolve the sugar in some water to make it easier to incorporate.
 
It's usually recommended to boil a small amount of water and dissolve the sugar in there (for sanitation), then dump the sugar-water in your bottling bucket (or whatever) before you rack your beer on top.

I don't know exactly what bucket, etc. you are using for bottling, but I pour the sugar-water in my bottling bucket and then siphon my beer from secondary to the bottling bucket. The swirling action you get will mix the sugar pretty evenly.

If you don't use a bottling bucket, I guess you could use your racking cane or something to gently stir the sugar around.
 
One more thing you might consider....krausening

I krausened (sp?) my latest batch of BM's Cenntennial Blonde and it carbed in less than a week!

All I did was make a starter like you usually would but I paid a little more attention to the OG...I just made it the same as the beer. Then I pitched my yeast (dry nottingham) and let it ferment for a day or so. When I bottled I just poured the starter into my sanitized bottling bucket, keeping mind to NOT pour in the trub at the bottom of the flask. Then it was just bottling as usual.

Give it a try, faster more uniform carbing without TOO much more hassle
 
I actually prefer the Krausening technique. I have always just dumped the solution (sugar water or wort) right into the secondary before bottling. Drinking flat beer sucks so I am going to try to add the sugar water/wort to a different carboy (no buckets here) and rack from the secondary then bottle. I figure it will mix better that way without having to worry about disturbing the trubb or introducing oxygen. Kind of sucks, it was way too bitter when I first tried it (the bottles that had carbination) but I let it sit for another 2 weeks and everything came together (except carbination) very nicely. I liked to tip on another thread about the "wing" style bottle capper and how they wear out. I have an older one and a newer one. I actually used the older one on this batch, maybe its too old. Do glass bottles really loose their sealing ability with age and use?? I find it hard to believe. I have invested in a few of the Party Pigs but the wife insists on bottles.:tank:
 
Alamo:
Assuming you are adding new yeast, how do you get away from adding too much yeast before you bottle. I would think that would impart a yeasty flavor or "yeast bite". Don't get me wrong I like your idea.
 
You are indeed adding new yeast but if your starting off with clear beer you won't have 'too much' yeast really...

As far as yeasty bite...just don't drink the yeast :drunk:
 
Back
Top