Priming 500ml flip top bottles

[Scottyburto]

Thanks for the useful tips! I have no PET bottles, but can see that getting a few would be handy at least. Also the syringe idea.

I've used empty 500ml San pellegrino sparkling bottles in a pinch. I'm sure you could use sprite also, only suggest these for the colour. Not sure if it makes any difference anyway. Did the job and the beer didn't taste any worse for it.

 

[joiner_8]

I've put them back in the brew fridge at 21 degs the fridge will reach that eventually all the bottles were well chilled in the garage ill update the post in a week or so, I suppose you have to try something

 

[Ben034]

Yeah as above, raise the temperature a little. Give it another week or two. I've had issues with slow carbonation before, usually with lagers though which will have less yeast in suspension. If it has carbed at least slightly, give it some more time. Perhaps you're at the threshold of alcohol tolerance for the yeast strain. What yeast is it by the way?

 

[joiner_8]

It was the yeast supplied with the bulldog evil dog double ipa kit

 

[Scrattajack]

The Bulldog site says it's a "US West Coast craft beer yeast".

 

[Thinbo]

Are your bottles from Brew2bottle too?
I’ve got 2 lots of swing tops, some I’ve picked up second hand and some new ones from b2b. In my last batch I used a mix, and the b2b bottles had much lower carbonation than my second hand ones, I wonder if they leak a bit when they pressurise.

(I batch primed and used bottles in a random order so cant see it being related to my process)

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

I'm a half teaspoon guy, always use the same one (for last 10 years!) mostly use pet bottles, lidl did 500ml bear in plastic, when they come up I buy a case. Before hand just std coke bottles. Only ever had 1 explode. (68 days pilsner bottled to early, got mixed up with the batches doah, label the buckets) I tend to bottle in1 l bottles though.

 

[Edison]

I usually keg these days, but still bottle three to keep for later. I fill all the 500ml bottles, add 1/2 level measuring cooks teaspoon of caster sugar with a funnel, then crown. They then sit in the kitchen (~19c) for 2 weeks before going into long-term storage.
I hate bottling so anything that keeps things as simple as possible is good for me. I doubt I would notice the difference in carbonation of 0.5g per bottle either way.

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

totally hate bottling (hence the 1 l bottles) but, after 5 brews in a corny keg each one only providing froth I gave up. The guy across the street has it now, will have to ask him how he is getting on with it.

 

[Edison]

totally hate bottling (hence the 1 l bottles) but, after 5 brews in a corny keg each one only providing froth I gave up. The guy across the street has it now, will have to ask him how he is getting on with it.

We're you having problems with corny kegs? They take a bit of tuning your setup (don't bother with a party tap or post fitted tap) but well worth sticking at it IMO.

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

I tried a few things, party tap (rubbish), 5m dispensing tube froth, put keg outside and run the tube vertical, froth, forced carbonation, froth, natural carbonation, mucky froth.
The only way I got it to work for me was to dispense flat beer into bottle and finish it off in a soda stream (worked sort off )
I ended up using it to dispense wine.

I guess kegs were just beyond my comprehension

what tap do you use?

 

[RummerMan]

The advice to do a test bottle is worth its weight in gold.

This is great advice. You can also do rapid testing and do what ye olde farmers used to do and split test. So divide a test batch up and try varying amounts on each and then see which one is best. So you can put slightly more ingredients in each and see which one turns out to your satisfaction.

Just make sure you mark them all up correctly and make notes on what each test is for, else you could create the perfect brew and not be sure what version it is.

 

[Nicky P]

I have recently brewed aa bulldog evil dog double ipa and bottled it on the 17th of January adding 1 carbonation drop to each botttle.
I then put them back into the brew fridge at 20 Degs, I put one on the fridge yesterday and opened it last night it is still cloudy and very slightly carbonated, i have now removed them from the brew fridge and placed them in my cool garage ill leave them a week and try again.

Mmy question is, is 1 carbonation drop enough for a 500ml bottle the drops are from brew 2 bottle.

I don't think one is enough. I generally use 2 drops per 500ml bottle and it's been perfect. I would pop another one in per bottle, then have them at 20C again for two weeks.

 

[Edison]

I tried a few things, party tap (rubbish), 5m dispensing tube froth, put keg outside and run the tube vertical, froth, forced carbonation, froth, natural carbonation, mucky froth.
The only way I got it to work for me was to dispense flat beer into bottle and finish it off in a soda stream (worked sort off )
I ended up using it to dispense wine.

I guess kegs were just beyond my comprehension

what tap do you use?

I have three Perlick 630ss-304 faucets built into a chest freezer. The kegs are sat at 9c with ~12psi of CO2 pressure and 1m of 3/16" reduced diameter beer line. Pours a perfect pint in 20-30s. If you were only using 3/8" line and/or a CO2/N1 mixed gas that could have been the problem.

 

[xozzx]

For those buying carbonation drops for the consistency, try something like this



If you know the correct weight of sugar you should use then just weigh how much sugar fills a level spoon and use the closest one and a funnel. Probably just as easy as sugar sachets too, and cheapest method of all.

I tried a few things, party tap (rubbish), 5m dispensing tube froth, put keg outside and run the tube vertical, froth, forced carbonation, froth, natural carbonation, mucky froth.
The only way I got it to work for me was to dispense flat beer into bottle and finish it off in a soda stream (worked sort off )
I ended up using it to dispense wine.

Kegs are definitely the way to go. It takes a little time to tune it in but after that it is soo much easier. I find approx 1m 3/16" tubing, 12psi and 8C work great. First pour usually a little frothy as the taps are warm but after this I get a perfect pint in about 20-30 secs

 

[Scrattajack]

I generally use 2 drops per 500ml bottle and it's been perfect.

Are the drops you're using 3 grams like the OPs?

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

@Edison - yip 3/8" line only ever used co2, fancy faucets! The mrs would never allow me space for a beer fridge! She goes mad when I cultivate yeast in the samsung!

On carbonation I'ts a subjective thing (unless your at the stage of beer bombs)
for me a level teaspoon of tate and lyle for 500ml works a treat, if its a wee bit more or less in each bottle it doesn't make that much difference

 

[xozzx]

yip 3/8" line only ever used co2, fancy faucets

Probably too late now if you got rid of them but 3/16" lines would almost definitely have solved your problem. You need about 20m of 3/8" to reduce foaming properly.

 

[moto748]

I quite like bottling! I rather enjoy the routine of it; for me, it's an integral part of beer-making! I just finished off bottling the weissbier (did half of it yesterday, I see it as an advantage that with bottling, you can conveniently split the job, I did three demijohns yesterday and two today). But each to their own.

I may try either carbonation drops or syringe method, but half a teaspoonful of caster sugar has generally done me OK.

 

[joiner_8]

Are the drops you're using 3 grams like the OPs?

Yes they are 3 grams