Help needed! Carbonation/priming question

[WrexhamTom]

Hi,

Relatively new to brewing and trying a Mangrove Jack Pink Grapefruit kit for the first time.

I used the kit as instructed and 1KG of Coopers Brew Enhancer 2.

Currently in the middle of the fermentation process and I haven't got a clue about bottle priming/carbonation.

Do i have to additionally prime the beer for carbonation when i bottle it or will the Brew Enhancer be sufficient? Nothing was said on the pack about carbonation drops or additional sugar.

Many thanks in advance! Hope this makes sense - I can't seem to find a conclusive answer anywhere on the internet!

 

[An Ankoù]

To be honest, I don't know these kits. But the principle of priming is the same for all beers: ferment the beer out until you get a constant hydromoter reading for three successive days. And that reading should be somewhere around your anticipated final gravity (probably indicated in the instructions) then prime your bottles with ordinary table sugar- depending on the beer style- I reckon about 6g per litre or 3 g for a half-litre bottle. Then seal the bottles and leave in a warmish place for a couple of weeks and then in a cooler place for another 4. There's a priming calculator on Brewer's Friend if you want to give it a go until you get a bit more experience.

 

[labrewski]

Yep add a half teaspoon of normal table sugar per bottle does perfect i use a childs medicine spoon that has the 2.5 ml and 5 ml the smaller 2.5 full does one bottle perfect no need to but drops

 

[labrewski]

Also ive done this kit frw times takes 21 days in fermentation and 10 days in bottle to be drinkable

 

[WrexhamTom]

Also ive done this kit frw times takes 21 days in fermentation and 10 days in bottle to be drinkable

At what point did you add the dry hop pellets? 7 days?

 

[BeerisGOD]

Üŵ

At what point did you add the dry hop pellets? 7 days?

Not done this kit but 7 days sounds ok for most batches to add hops. The minimum anyway

 

[cushyno]

So many kits, so many different experiences with them. With a kit that comes with hops it's best to wait until the SG is well down, close to the suggested FG before adding hops. You could even wait until the fermentation is pretty much finished before adding hops. Number of days isn't important, it's all about how complete the fermentation is.

For example, if you have pitched your yeast and kept the temperature low for 10 days, it may have only dropped to 1.025, so there's a long way to go. If you add hops at that point you may be waiting another 10 days for SG to drop to 1.010 and the vegetal/grassy tastes of the hops will become too great.
However, if you're all fermented out at 7 days, leaving it on the yeast for another week will do little noticeable harm before adding hops. If you're unsure, wait for 2 weeks before adding dry hop, then you're in a better position to decide how long you want to leave it before bottling. You have the option of 3, 4, 5 days and you're not waiting for fermentation to finish. Use your hydrometer!

 

[terrym]

+1 on what @cushyno said

 

[labrewski]

I add hops for last 4 days of fermentation

 

[Keruso]

I

Hi,

Relatively new to brewing and trying a Mangrove Jack Pink Grapefruit kit for the first time.

I used the kit as instructed and 1KG of Coopers Brew Enhancer 2.

Currently in the middle of the fermentation process and I haven't got a clue about bottle priming/carbonation.

Do i have to additionally prime the beer for carbonation when i bottle it or will the Brew Enhancer be sufficient? Nothing was said on the pack about carbonation drops or additional sugar.

Many thanks in advance! Hope this makes sense - I can't seem to find a conclusive answer anywhere on the internet!

i'm going to get arrested by the forum carbonisation drop police for saying this, but last time I bottled (which is rare because I keg) I used carbonisation drops, one in each 330ml bottle. Two weeks in the warm, then a few days to chill and they were spot on. Yes expensive way to add sugar but real easy,

 

[Major_Incident]

Ha...funny...priming police!! I'm going to do another batch of Coopers Canadian Blonde...I'm bottling into 500ml bottles. How many carbonation drops should I use?
I've seen 1 for 330ml, 2 drops for 1 litre but what about 500ml?

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

Why not just batch prime? Less hassle.

 

[Major_Incident]

Thats ok for kegging right? but what about bottling?
If I was to batch prime, would I take the beer off the sediment and put into another barrel?

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

Thats ok for kegging right? but what about bottling?
If I was to batch prime, would I take the beer off the sediment and put into another barrel?

Yeah, you just transfer the finished beer to a new bottling bucket. You add 6g/liter sugar to it. So say you've made 20liters of beer, take away the litre you loose when transferring off the yeast to the new bucket, boil some water and add ca 120g sugar. Then add the sugar water to the beer in the bottling bucket. Batch primed. Then you bottle from that bucket.
Keep in mind that this way makes it easier to add o2 to your beer. You don't want air in it. It can oxidise, which makes it loose shelf time or in worse cases makes the beer taste like cardboard. No splashing the beer when transferring, no splashing when mixing in the sugar (don't forget to mix in the sugar!!)
Easy peas y and you don't have to add sugar to al your bottles. Also... That little heads pace you have on the bottle when it's filled. That's air. Many people turn their bottles upside down to mix in the sugar. Don't.

 

[Major_Incident]

Well, I have just bought a second barrel with a tap! I also decided to buy carbonation drops DOH!! never mind, they're not expensive.
With this Coopers Canadian I primed with just half a teaspoon of table sugar, the result wasn't brilliant as far as carbonation was concerned and no head!
While you're here...Prime with table sugar or would you use something else?

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

Well, I have just bought a second barrel with a tap! I also decided to buy carbonation drops DOH!! never mind, they're not expensive.
With this Coopers Canadian I primed with just half a teaspoon of table sugar, the result wasn't brilliant as far as carbonation was concerned and no head!
While you're here...Prime with table sugar or would you use something else?

Yeah table sugar is fine. 6g per litre is fine for most beers. Had the same issue early days with carbdrops. With the second barrel with the tap it's even easier. Just connect the wand to the tap. (if you don't have a bottling wand, get one. You'll thank me later)

 

[Major_Incident]

I was meant to buy a bottling wand but forgot, I'm kicking myself about that so I'll thank you for reminding me lol!!
Ok, so maybe I'll give it a go....on your head be it!!!! And maybe on my beer!!!

 

[Keruso]

Ha...funny...priming police!! I'm going to do another batch of Coopers Canadian Blonde...I'm bottling into 500ml bottles. How many carbonation drops should I use?
I've seen 1 for 330ml, 2 drops for 1 litre but what about 500ml?

Some will say one isn’t enough, but two is too many, I would use one but give it a full two weeks in the warm to carbonate.

 

[Major_Incident]

Some will say one isn’t enough, but two is too many, I would use one but give it a full two weeks in the warm to carbonate.

I'm going to attempt the batch method I think. I think I'd agree with you about the carb. drops, 1 is not quite enough but 2 too many...interesting they say about 1 for 330 and 2 for a litre but nothing said about 500ml, maybe there have been mixed reactions.
My problem for my first batch of Canadian Blonde was that half a teaspoon barely carbonated the beer, so no head.. I'm hoping that with 120gms of sugar in the beer before bottling will kick it up a bit. I think I only used 80 grams last time, half teaspoon at a time into 20 bottles.

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

I'm going to attempt the batch method I think. I think I'd agree with you about the carb. drops, 1 is not quite enough but 2 too many...interesting they say about 1 for 330 and 2 for a litre but nothing said about 500ml, maybe there have been mixed reactions.
My problem for my first batch of Canadian Blonde was that half a teaspoon barely carbonated the beer, so no head.. I'm hoping that with 120gms of sugar in the beer before bottling will kick it up a bit. I think I only used 80 grams last time, half teaspoon at a time into 20 bottles.

You'll see. 120g is enough. 80 is pushing lov carbed stout territory. Good luck. It's going to be fine. Hehe