carbonation help for Mexican beer

[Spanish_brewer]

So I'm ready to bottle my Mexican cerveza. I will be using different bottles sizes. for half pint I will use 4g of sugar as recommended on the instructions. could I use the same amount for 33cl bottles to carbonate? I am afraid that the bottle caps pop off during the process.

Thank you

 

[abeyptfc]

just fire a half teaspoon in every bottle and you'll be fine if its a mix of 500ml and 330ml bottles. the lids will be fine. you should get some coopers carb drops. :thumb:

 

[bottler]

Bottled mine last night, using 1 level teaspoon per 500 ml bottle.

 

[Spanish_brewer]

Thanks a lot.

I have been advised against using coopers drops and I will use sugar cubes (4g each). That's why I was asking if the same amount of sugar would be appropriate for different quantities

 

[abeyptfc]

I've been using them for nearly 3 years now, never had any problems with carbonation. they are well worth it, it saves time and saves making a mess having to put an equal amount of sugar in every bottle.

 

[mattrickl06]

I would say ditch the 330ml bottles they are such a faff, after the sediment lay-off there will only be a half pint at most to pour into your glass. Use pint bottles or 660ml and share if you have to. Either way it takes ages to bottle em all

 

[bottler]

Yep 500ml is the size i use mostly, and have a few 660. I have 10 grilsh swing top bottles that are 440 ml and id love a lot more of them.

 

[alawlor66430]

Just batch prime and everything will be equal, that's the easy way to do it anyway

 

[ScottM]

4g in the 330's might be a tough too much, even for me lol.

You could try it, but I wouldn't be surprised if you got a pint full of head.

 

[ScottM]

I've been using them for nearly 3 years now, never had any problems with carbonation. they are well worth it, it saves time and saves making a mess having to put an equal amount of sugar in every bottle.

They are hopeless in lagers and anything that's properly carbonated rather than just a fizz.

I used them on my first brew over a year ago, mexican cerveza funnily enough, and it was WELL under primed. I've been bulk priming ever since (apart from one brew that I did with a tsp).

They are also VERY expensive, especially when you consider that to get a lager to a decent level you need 2 per 500 bottle.

 

[mattrickl06]

I've been using them for nearly 3 years now, never had any problems with carbonation. they are well worth it, it saves time and saves making a mess having to put an equal amount of sugar in every bottle.

They are hopeless in lagers and anything that's properly carbonated rather than just a fizz.

I used them on my first brew over a year ago, mexican cerveza funnily enough, and it was WELL under primed. I've been bulk priming ever since (apart from one brew that I did with a tsp).

They are also VERY expensive, especially when you consider that to get a lager to a decent level you need 2 per 500 bottle.

I was going to reply but as Scott has said this then I dont need to -

I used carb drop in mexican cerveza and had to re-open every bottle and re-prime with my trusty caster sugar to get any kind of fizz.

I would recommend a big bag of caster sugar which will last for 5 or so brews.


And batch priming is great, consistency is key :ugeek:

 

[Spanish_brewer]

I have sugar cubes for consistency. each one 4 grams. Regarding the 33cl bottles those are the ones I have a long with the pint ones so I will use them. That was my concern

 

[Spanish_brewer]

By the way you talk about batch priming, how would I do that? Is this easier?

 

[bottler]

I have sugar cubes for consistency. each one 4 grams. Regarding the 33cl bottles those are the ones I have a long with the pint ones so I will use them. That was my concern

You cant be consistant with sugar cubes and different sized bottles, just use sugar, teaspoon, half teaspoon and a funnel. 3 minutes will do 4o bottles?

 

[abeyptfc]

By the way you talk about batch priming, how would I do that? Is this easier?

you would normally transfer the beer to a fresh fermenter, boil your priming sugar in a little water and add into new fermenter and give a gentle stir then bottle from there, the aim is to end up with the same carbonation in every bottle.

 

[Spanish_brewer]

What about experimenting with brown sugar an honey? anyone has tried these?

 

[abeyptfc]

What about experimenting with brown sugar an honey? anyone has tried these?

yeah its been tried before, I don't think it makes too much difference as far I've heard because it all ferments out. alot of people have primed their coopers stouts with treacle and said it was fantastic. thats the thing with brewing you can try anything you want, there's no proper right or wrong way to do it. with honey, you don't know for definite how much sugar you are getting out of it for carbonation so it would be quite hard to judge.

 

[ScottM]

By the way you talk about batch priming, how would I do that? Is this easier?

If you have another FV it's definitely the way to go. I've not primed bottles individually since converting (other than the one time I mistakenly used ALL FVs at the same time lol).

As already said, measure out the required amount of sugar and add to a little boiling water (50:50 is fine). I generally brew lagers and fizzy ciders so I go with 4-5g per pint. 4g per pint would be 160g (which is the minimum I would use with the cerveza), I simply put a mug on top of my scales, zero it then pour in sugar till I hit 160g. I then boil my kettle and pour the boiling water over the top, stirring till dissovled. I let that cool a little while I rinse out and sterilise my bottling bucket. Once ready I pour the sugar solution into the bucket, syphon from my secondary into the bottling bucket over the sugar and once finished give a gentle stir (no splashing). This ensures that the sugar is evenly distributed througout your whole batch and it's done in the one go.

Another great benefit is that it gets you off of the sediment at the bottom of the primary/secondary so you don't need to worry about that when bottling. I take my sediment trap OFF so that I can get every last drop out of the bucket... anything left over is what gets taste tested

 

[Andyhull]

I simply put a mug on top of my scales, zero it then pour in sugar till I hit 160g. I then boil my kettle and pour the boiling water over the top, stirring till dissovled. I let that cool a little while I rinse out and sterilise my bottling bucket. Once ready I pour the sugar solution into the bucket, syphon from my secondary into the bottling bucket over the sugar and once finished give a gentle stir (no splashing). This ensures that the sugar is evenly distributed througout your whole batch and it's done in the one go.

I shall be following this method tonight (hopefully) when i keg and bottle (8 bottles) my Wherry.
I would have got a pan on the hob with the sugar and water in it and bring it up to the boil :nono:
From now on i shall use the ScottM priming method. :clap: :

 

[ScottM]

I simply put a mug on top of my scales, zero it then pour in sugar till I hit 160g. I then boil my kettle and pour the boiling water over the top, stirring till dissovled. I let that cool a little while I rinse out and sterilise my bottling bucket. Once ready I pour the sugar solution into the bucket, syphon from my secondary into the bottling bucket over the sugar and once finished give a gentle stir (no splashing). This ensures that the sugar is evenly distributed througout your whole batch and it's done in the one go.

I shall be following this method tonight (hopefully) when i keg and bottle (8 bottles) my Wherry.
I would have got a pan on the hob with the sugar and water in it and bring it up to the boil :nono:
From now on i shall use the ScottM priming method. :clap: :

Nothing wrong with using the hob at all. Some people use that method as they worry about the solution not being hot enough due to cooling on contact with the sugar. I've not had any issues so I tend not to worry about it. The solution will still be around 80 degrees, which is fine for pasteurising so I'm not bothered.

Oh, I know you probably aren't but, you don't need to prime a barrel with as much as 160g (unless it's a corny of course).