Carbonation issues.

[sdt7618]

Hi all.

Having issues getting gas Ito my beers. Have done about 5 kits now. And whilst some pour with a nice head, it rarely lasts and the beer tends not to "fizz".

Could it be that I am leaving to much space in the bottles, and being over cautious on bottle bombs?. Normally leave an inch or so on a plastic coopers bottle and a bit more in one litre plastic tonic bottles.

Both get 4 grams sugar per 500ml. Use little sachets so it easy and even. Am about to bulk prime but, at 4g and at least 40 bottles that 160 grams which should be loads.


Any suggestions before I bottle my next kit.


Cheers.

 

[Flatline9]

Are you using a bottling wand when you bottle? I've always used one of these and fill the bottle to the brim, then remove the wand. This leaves about 3/4" of headspace and I usually have good levels of carbonation.

More specifically, if you use this online calculator http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/ you can figure out exactly how much sugar you need to prime with for the desired levels of carbation for the beer style you are brewing. It also takes into account the temperature at which you store your beers.

I personally have never had a bottle bomb and have read that they are quite rare. As long as you don't bottle before primary fermentation is over, don't add excessive levels of priming sugar and you keep good sanitation, you'll be fine.

Hope the link helps

 

[Fil]

are you fridge chilling them? cold will help the retention of condition as dissolved co2,

generally low conditioned beers are served at cellar temps 11-13c where the lower condition is forced out of solution by the warmer temps..

if you prefer a chilled cold beer consider conditioning to a higher level perhaps.

 

[sdt7618]

Are you using a bottling wand when you bottle? I've always used one of these and fill the bottle to the brim, then remove the wand. This leaves about 3/4" of headspace and I usually have good levels of carbonation.

More specifically, if you use this online calculator http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/ you can figure out exactly how much sugar you need to prime with for the desired levels of carbation for the beer style you are brewing. It also takes into account the temperature at which you store your beers.

I personally have never had a bottle bomb and have read that they are quite rare. As long as you don't bottle before primary fermentation is over, don't add excessive levels of priming sugar and you keep good sanitation, you'll be fine.


Hope the link helps

Just got a wand now so will try this next time. Good idea with the fill to the top and remove.

 

[Soton]

I see you are using plastic bottles, I stopped using them as I found anything I bottled in them lacked any real co2, I use to bottle some beer in plastic bottles and some in glass beer bottles sealed with a crown cap and the glass bottled beer was great every time but the plastic bottles tended to seem flat

 

[Halfacrem]

I see you are using plastic bottles, I stopped using them as I found anything I bottled in them lacked any real co2, I use to bottle some beer in plastic bottles and some in glass beer bottles sealed with a crown cap and the glass bottled beer was great every time but the plastic bottles tended to seem flat

+1 I gave up using Plastic bottles as I also struggled with carbonation. The same batches that failed to carbonate in plastic fizzed up perfectly in glass swing top bottles. I've never had problems since ditching the Coopers PET's, though others have never had problems with using them.