A question about Oatmeal Stout and the perfect carbonation

[user 47626]

Hello everyone, I'd like to ask a question.
For my initial whole-grain brewing attempt, I'm considering an oatmeal stout. However, I'm concerned about achieving proper carbonation.
Previously, I attempted to brew a dark ale using malt in a tin and was advised by the staff at the brewing store to prime my bottles with the sugar cubes they provided. Despite following their instructions, the resulting ale was overly carbonated and unenjoyable to drink.

Thanks for your help.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Hiya, hopefully can be some help, i found the carbonation drops to be abit bit much for a bitter or stout etc. People prime their bottles differently when bottling. Some decant the beer into a bottling bucket with a boiled sugar solution in the bucket, stir and fill bottles from there. I boil sugar in 200mls of water and vary the amount of sugar to the style, for an oatmeal stout I would boil perhaps 60g of sugar in 200mls and use a syringe to squirt 5mls of the sugar solution into each 500ml bottle. I should say I usually have between 35-40 bottles to fill.

 

[Sadfield]

The level of priming is personal preference, but there's some rough guides with this calculator.

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

 

[Donegal john]

The sugar cubes might not have been the only factor in the beer being over carbonated.
Did you check the beer had actually finished fermenting before you bottled ? Ie. A stable hydrometer reading 3 days in a row ?
If it hadn’t finished then adding sugar and bottling could have added to the fizzyness
Did you have any gushers ?

 

[Sandimas]

And how much sugar was in each cube? I always prime with half a teaspoon of sugar per bottle and leave in the warm for 2 weeks, it works for me.

 

[user 47626]

The sugar cubes might not have been the only factor in the beer being over carbonated.
Did you check the beer had actually finished fermenting before you bottled ? Ie. A stable hydrometer reading 3 days in a row ?
If it hadn’t finished then adding sugar and bottling could have added to the fizzyness
Did you have any gushers ?

Thanks for your reply.

No, I didn't test it three days in a row. I waited until I couldn't see any carbonation coming through the airlock. Remember, I'm a complete noob to this, lol

 

[Donegal john]

Thanks for your reply.

No, I didn't test it three days in a row. I waited until I couldn't see any carbonation coming through the airlock. Remember, I'm a complete noob to this, lol

How long was it fermenting for ?
First thing to remember is no airlock activity does not mean it’s finished

 

[user 47626]

I can't remember, a week or maybe over. I'm currently trying to get a gas bottle for my burner as my kettle came with a gas burner and i haven't used it yet and want to do a whole grain brew and planning on doing an oatmeal stout.

 

[Jordang]

Bottle without any sugar? Would give a lovely low carb level

 

[Martin Kernick]

Bottle without any sugar? Would give a lovely low carb level

I'd almost advocate that, depending on the levels of residual slowly fermented sugars left in the beer. Stouts, for my taste, develop an unwanted tang as the level of dissolved CO2 gets higher. It'll be the carbonic acid, I'm sure. I would always want bottles to have some level of priming, but I'd be tempted to keep it on the very low side for a stout.

 

[moto748]

My practice is to prime each bottle with a syringe of measured sugar solution. For oatmeal stouts, I actually prime more than any other style I brew. But it's still not a lot: around 2.5 g of sugar per 500 ml bottle.