Bottling

[cooperscrazy]

Hi everyone, how many carbonation drops in a 500ml PET bottle please? Thank you

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Throw the carbonation drops away and use brewing sugar or granulated sugar.

 

[cooperscrazy]

Does it work better mate?

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Carbonation drops contain..sugar gelatine and naybe some citric acid, they just sit at the bottom of the bottle and slowly dissolve, mostly leaving a lump of gunk in the bottom of the bottle. They were invented/designed for "ease of use". Im not saying they don't work, but surely 1/4 of dextrose monoglutamate is easier

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Sorry Monohydrate

 

[Covrich]

If you have the facility to do so I would strongly recommend batch priming pref into a FV which has a spigot on which you can attach a bottling wand/ stick..

put the priming solution into the bottom of the FV, siphon your beer onto it and it will swirl and mix perfectly, then bottle with the stick..

 

[joe 90]

buy yourself a small funnel to fit the top of the bottles as it saves a mess
and prime with halve a teaspoon of granulated sugar in each bottle:

 

[MyQul]

If you have the facility to do so I would strongly recommend batch priming pref into a FV which has a spigot on which you can attach a bottling wand/ stick..

put the priming solution into the bottom of the FV, siphon your beer onto it and it will swirl and mix perfectly, then bottle with the stick..

+1 for batch priming - trying to get sugar in the bottle with a teaspoon even with a funnel I find always causes some some mess

you can batch prime with just a syphon and a bottle wand you don't necessariy need a FV with a tap/spigot

 

[pms67]

Weigh your drops.and add them to a little bit water then throw it in fv, i use 6g per litre

 

[Pandodle]

I would agree with everyone above, get rid of your carbonation drops and try to batch prime in another FV. Makes life so much easier when bottling. I used the drops for my first brew and they did nothing but sit in the bottom of the bottles. Ended up with rather flat beer with no head and very little carbonation at all.

If you don't have another FV try using a measuring spoon and a bag of sugar. I did this for my second brew and it worked far better than the first.

 

[cooperscrazy]

Thanks everyone. Really helpful. Think ill go with 6g per litre and mix in same fv prior to bottling

 

[DoctorMick]

Make sure you mix very gently, last thing you want to do is mix up all the sediment. I'd probably let it settle for half an hour before bottling too.

 

[Noah]

I will never, ever bottle prime again. Batch priming is way better and gives far superior results. I wouldn't rush to bottle after batch priming either, I've left it overnight before where there's been little activity in the S.V., which gives the yeast time to wake up again before bottling .

 

[woosiep]

Well to answer your question - I always check 2 in for a 500ml bottle. I tend to make lively IPA style brews so always worked well for me. Im sure its a ridiculously expensive way of carbonation though...

 

[willycoolj]

I watch YouTube and Craig from craigtube who has been making beer for a long time says fill the bottle up then add two carbonation drops then put lid on and shake bottle, they will desolve

 

[pms67]

I watch YouTube and Craig from craigtube who has been making beer for a long time says fill the bottle up then add two carbonation drops then put lid on and shake bottle, they will desolve

That's an old video your watching there.
Craig hasn't bottled beer In a long time ! He kegs it all now and I have spoken to him and he recommends batch priming.
Honestly if I had to bottle prime I would chuck it (give it up)
Each to their own though :

 

[klaus]

If you don't have another FV try using a measuring spoon and a bag of sugar. I did this for my second brew and it worked far better than the first.

From when our children were little I kept a few medicine spoons that came with Calpol, I use the smaller one (2.5 ml??) and works perfect with each bottle. Never tried carbonation drops, I just use the white granular sugar, cheap and always in the larder.