Beer has too much gas to bottle and cloudy

[Misteron]

Hi All,
I have recently started making wine and thought I would try my hand at a beer kit so decided on a Coopers Mexican. Brewed it short to around 21Lts added 1K of Dextrose, fermented at around 20C, SG was 1.050 and after 6 days it had dropped to 1.008, retested 2 days later still at 1.008 so assumed the fermentation had finished. Now comes the problem, bulked primed with 200g of dextrose, left it for 24 hours and started to bottle but far too gassy to be able to fill the bottles and still cloudy. Did I do something wrong? did I miss something out?

All replies gratefully received.

Ron.

 

[Pezza24]

When you batch primed and left it overnight the sugars then started to ferment again which is what causes your carbonation in the bottle. That's why it was too gassy.

 

[Misteron]

Thanks for the reply Pezza24, is there a solution?

 

[Pezza24]

I'm not sure to be honest. Someone with a better understanding will hopefully be along shortly but you may have to let that sugar ferment out again and then do another batch prime but bottle it a lot sooner. That's assuming theres still enough yeast left hanging around to get to work on the sugar in the bottles.

 

[Banbeer]

Thanks for the reply Pezza24, is there a solution?

Keep it in your bottling bucket until it stops fermenting as above and try to cold crash it in a cool place for a few days after and then bottle it again repeating the batch prime.

 

[buddsy]

Once you batch primed I have read you should let it stand for about 45 minutes before bottling.

This is quite a good vid of the process.




buddsy

 

[Misteron]

Thanks Banbeer, I'll give that a try

 

[Sandimas]

I think you've used way too much priming sugar, I normally use 80-90g per batch, half a teaspoon per bottle which is about 4g per bottle.

 

[Misteron]

I used the Northern Brewer Priming Sugar Calculator Darrelm, 21Lts .86% Co2. Came out at 197.4g

 

[Rodcx500z]

200grams in 21L is asking for bottle bombs, the most i have ever used is 100grams

 

[The Baron]

Listen to experienced forum brewers rather than info from other sources as they are notorious for giving wrong/sometime right and conflicting advice.
I too think 200g is way too much as on a average brew I use 1/2 a level teaspoon of sugar which is approx 100g ish
I would let it ferment out a day or too at ferment temp then cold crash or put it in a cold garage for a few days then bottle with a smaller amount
Ps do make sure you let the first lot of bottling sugar ferment out or you will be adding further sugar when you do bottle it which may cause over carbing or potential bottle bombs.
On this occasion I would put the bottles in a beer crate if possible or failing that a strong cardboard box with a old towel or something similar to it just to be safe then if any explosions it will be contained. I am only erring on that side as you are new and if you follow the instructions advised it should not be a problem but better be safe
good luck it is all part of the learning process

 

[Misteron]

Thanks for the advice Baron.

 

[Drunkula]

https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/
Use that calculator. With 200g of dextrose you get 3 volumes of co2. That's approaching wheat beer carb levels. I like 2.3 volumes for anything that isn't an old man pint and 3.3 for wheat beers.

When you batch prime are you dissolving the sugar in boiling water first? Don't listen to any of that crap about letting it cool before adding it, there's no need. I gently swirl the beer but only at the top then dribble the solution in down the side of a long spoon and then leave it 15 minutes plus while I get stuff set up to bottle.

 

[Misteron]

Hi Drunkula, Thanks for the reply, it's a Mexican Bottled Beer so thought it would need to be a little higher in gas. I'm using Dextrose which tends to dissolve almost immediatly but didn't boil any water for it, just gently swirled it in as it was added. Do you think 3 volumes of gas would be too high for PEP bottles?

 

[terrym]

Hi Drunkula, Thanks for the reply, it's a Mexican Bottled Beer so thought it would need to be a little higher in gas. I'm using Dextrose which tends to dissolve almost immediatly but didn't boil any water for it, just gently swirled it in as it was added. Do you think 3 volumes of gas would be too high for PEP bottles?

No PET bottles are quite resilient.
What the others have said is the best advice you will get.
- if you batch prime bottle as soon as you have dosed with priming sugar, so make up a solution with the sugar, add to the bucket and then transfer your beer onto that, and give it a gentle stir (without entraining air) at the end to thoroughly mix in; no need to wait, get it bottled straight away
- use the BF calculator, in my view 200g, for 20 litres of beer is too much
- leave your current brew to ferment out again and then bottle, personally I would add sugar solution direct to the bucket, gently stir in and then go ahead and bottle rather than carry out another transfer

 

[531Man]

..... and UK users would be best to stick to metric based calculations where available.
If I am correct, both Brewers Friend and Northern Brewer website calculators use US pints and gallons, which are only 4/5 the UK Imperial volumes, so all weights and measures will be that proportion wrong. Then you will be under-priming.

 

[Misteron]

Hi 53Man, there's the option to change from gallons to litres.