Uh oh stupid mistake priming

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Beau815

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Ok so I already made the mistake of making 6.2 gallons out of my 5 gallon kit because I thought it would boil down to 5 gallons from 7.5 like someone told me. Anyways... so its going to be a bit weaker not a huge deal... so i bottled 2 weeks ago and used the 5ox of priming sugar... Im an idiot. I didnt add extra priming sugar... i just sampled a beer and its good but its def lacking carbonation. Anyone ever try popping all the caps off adding sugar and recapping? Or is that a bad idea?
 
I think you'll be fine if you use new caps and keep your sanitization up to snuff. I think there's a product called carb tabs (little dextrose drops) you can add individually to each bottle. This would make your measurement problem simpler.

edit: scratch that - poor reading comprehension. Do what irregular pulse said, leave it alone.
 
If you could do it sterily and evenly add the same amount of sugar, I don't see what could be bad about it. But it does sound like a recipe for disaster. Just my noob .02.
 
But im scared about the extra 1.2 gallons in it... you dont think that wont effect it that much? I mean it does have tiny bubbles rising but no head at all and a pretty flat mouthfeel. If I don't uncap them as you suggest, would you recommend shaking them hard to build up more pressure and then let sit for a few more weeks? Sure it will stir sediment but i have time wait for it to settle. Do you see any benefit in shaking?
 
I wouldn't exactly shake them, but you've got nothing to lose by rolling them to resuspend the yeast, and giving them another week or two at 70*. At least you should get all the carbonation you can from the sugar that's in there. I've done the same thing myself, after enough time they carbed up OK. Still a little light, but definitely drinkable.

The problem with uncapping them and adding more sugar is that you'll lose what pressure you do have in the headspace, making it hard to judge just how much you need to add to get it back to where it was and then a little more. I don't think I'd try that.
 
The extra gallons are a problem in that the beer is watered down, but it was a big beer to begin with, so that's probably OK.

The priming sugar is no big deal at all. I never use 5 oz. per 5 gallons. Some styles use closer to half that amount. It's a matter of taste: I prefer more 'British" levels. But your slightly lower amount shouldn't be much of an issue.
 
Ok cool... it wasnt too big a beer at the beginning... I had a SG of 1.040 which i guess is still drinkable... I feel better that some people only use 2.5 oz to carb! I can always say I made it that way on purpose to be more like an English beer. Ill roll them to re suspend. Thanks
 
If,(AFTER you have waited and carb is still low)You decide to add carb tabs,you can refrigerate your beers overnight before removing the caps and minimize your loss of pressure in the headspace.Been there,done that!
 
If you go popping caps and trying to change stuff you will end up with a mess.

By my calculations, 5 oz of corn sugar and 6.5 gallons(probably less bottled) will give you 2.2 volumes of CO2 which will be just fine. Leave them at room temp another couple of weeks, even a month if you can stand it and you will find a nice carbonated beverage.
 
thanks a lot majortom, im going to do just that. Your calculations make me feel alot better. I did tip them upside down a few times to re-suspend yeast... they wont be opened til June 12th.
 
Sadly I must say that experience has told me that you're screwed. You didn't use enough priming sugar for cardbonation and your brew is going to be missing that key ingredient...carbonation. Rolling them or popping the tops and adding more sugar just wont work (I speak from experience).

Sorry....you're just going to have to drink mostly flat beer. And it gets worse...every sip of that flat beer you're going to think about how awesome the beer would be if it were properly carbonated.
 
Ill listen to the others who say 1.2 gallons isn't a ton more and that some don't even use 5oz of priming in 5 gallons but 2.5oz. So ill have an English style beer. It wasn't extremely flat after 2 weeks so i'm sure it will get better with another month...
 
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