# Carbonation Drops



## Rowy (8/10/11)

As you can see I'm a new guy to brewing but I have read a heap on this site. I notice that some members on this site are pretty anti carbo drops. I have been using them. Only put down three brews so far but would be keen to know if there are problems. Obviously the fors are that they are easy. What are the againts?


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## Spork (8/10/11)

They are not a very consistant size, giving you unequal carbonisation from one bottle to the next. Also cost more than good old fashioned sugar.


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## DU99 (8/10/11)

cost..sugar and dextrose are cheaper..with priming sugar you can hit any level of carbonation you want
you can make slight adjustments to the quantity of priming sugar, like adding less to a stout, for instance.
I tend to bulk prime if i make a batch of bottle beer..


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## Rowy (8/10/11)

I had the first couple ofbeers from my first brew last night (4wks). I did notice that one of the bottles was not as carbonated and did not keep the head that the others did. I was pretty happy though and as I experiment a bit I hope to get better. At the moment I love it!


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## jbowers (8/10/11)

Nothing wrong with them. If you enjoy the carbonation level they give you, then by all means keep using them.

Some people want more control over their carbonation level than they give you, so they bulk prime using more or less sugar to get the carb desired. I did that, but i'm back to carbonation drops due to their simplicity and the fact that I don't bottle much any more so priming a whole batch isnt really an option.


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## Tanga (8/10/11)

Nothing wrong with them, per se, but they can be a bit hit and miss. If you use the 750mL bottles sugar cubes are more accurate (and cheaper). Everyone will tell you about bulk priming, and if you have a spare fermenter or bottling bucket that's all good. If not, don't stress. The Carn drops will be fine.


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## Rowy (8/10/11)

This site is freekin great! Heaps of advice Fxxx all criticism. Thanks people.


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## ShredMaster (8/10/11)

Also, with bulk priming you can use ANY size bottle and achieve the same carbonation but with the drops you are basically limited to 330/375ml or 750ml bottles.

my 2c.

Cheers,
Shred.


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## Cloth Ears (9/10/11)

I use my kitchen scissors to cut 'em in half for the 640ml bottles. If I didn't use carb drops, I'd have to by real boiled lollies


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## Matt Browne (9/10/11)

Is the ratio 2 sugar cubes per 750ml bottle?


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## soundawake (11/10/11)

Correct.


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## Feldon (11/10/11)

soundawake said:


> Correct.



Incorrect. 

Just one sugar cube per brown Pet bottle.


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## Cloth Ears (11/10/11)

Feldon said:


> Incorrect.
> 
> Just one sugar cube per brown Pet bottle.



2 carbonation drops or one sugar cube for each PET or 'standard locg neck' beer bottle.

I found some nice looking 640ml bottles down at the Oakleigh shop, so I use a little less.


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## stux (11/10/11)

I always find the beer tastes like fairy floss if its been carbonated with carb drops


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## redunderthebed (14/10/11)

I'm lazy anything that makes brewing easier and doesn't ruin the beer i'm all for i've made some top batches with carbo drops and i'll pay the extra $ for 'em.


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## Spork (14/10/11)

redunderthebed said:


> I'm lazy anything that makes brewing easier and doesn't ruin the beer i'm all for i've made some top batches with carbo drops and i'll pay the extra $ for 'em.



I'm lazier.
Bulk prime FTW.
Although I'm so lazy I'll soon be kegging...


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## hando (14/10/11)

Stux said:


> I always find the beer tastes like fairy floss if its been carbonated with carb drops



Lol sounds like a good way to get the kids to help out in the brewery.


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## redunderthebed (15/10/11)

Read up on bulk priming i'm going to try it it would make my brew day alot easier.


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## shavey147 (15/10/11)

Bulk priming for the flexibility factor of being able to adjust carb level to whatever style you're. Dewing. Also makes it a lot easier if you're using bottles other than 375 / 750ml


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## Spiesy (26/2/12)

Chasing a bit of info on carbing bottled beer. I'm kegging at the moment, but would like to bottle the 1-2L that doesn't fit into my 19L keg - wasting beer is just a sin, right?

I've picked up some Grolsch 450ml bottles that should do the trick. Being that I'll probably only be filling 2-3 bottles post ferment, is there a basic rule for amount of sugar required per volume of beer to achieve a certain style? I like a bit of carbonation throughout my beer. They're mainly American Ale's that I'm producing, but unlike the American's - I prefer some bubbles in my glass (if it helps, I have my gas regulator set to around 13psi for my kegs).

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## roverfj1200 (26/2/12)

I have used just the one carb drop in a 750ml bottle and found the carbonation fine when using headstart glasses.

Cheers


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## yum beer (26/2/12)

one drop in a 450ml she be pretty good.


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## Spiesy (26/2/12)

cheers blokes.


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## RobboMC (29/2/12)

Spiesy said:


> Chasing a bit of info on carbing bottled beer. I'm kegging at the moment, but would like to bottle the 1-2L that doesn't fit into my 19L keg - wasting beer is just a sin, right?
> 
> I've picked up some Grolsch 450ml bottles that should do the trick. Being that I'll probably only be filling 2-3 bottles post ferment, is there a basic rule for amount of sugar required per volume of beer to achieve a certain style? I like a bit of carbonation throughout my beer. They're mainly American Ale's that I'm producing, but unlike the American's - I prefer some bubbles in my glass (if it helps, I have my gas regulator set to around 13psi for my kegs).
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated.




I used to mix up a small amount of dex into solution, say 100g into 200ml of boiled water; then I would 'inject' the calculated amount into a bottle before filling with a plastic medicine syringe. Get one from the chemist for about $1.50.

For a 450ml bottle I'd be going for 8g/l which is 7.25ml of the priming solution. It's not bulk priming, but I'd be doing it this way for a small number of bottles.

Yes wasting beer is a sin. I've got a brew mate that kegs his beer, great brewing, great beer from his kegs, he always bottles a few to give away to friends; but he can't bottle for sh*t becasue he has never been forced to learn it.


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## Spiesy (4/3/12)

Goodtimes buying said syringe from the local chemist (Reservoir) and not looking like a junky... 

Great idea though.


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## ianh (4/3/12)

Spiesy said:


> Chasing a bit of info on carbing bottled beer. I'm kegging at the moment, but would like to bottle the 1-2L that doesn't fit into my 19L keg - wasting beer is just a sin, right?
> 
> I've picked up some Grolsch 450ml bottles that should do the trick. Being that I'll probably only be filling 2-3 bottles post ferment, is there a basic rule for amount of sugar required per volume of beer to achieve a certain style? I like a bit of carbonation throughout my beer. They're mainly American Ale's that I'm producing, but unlike the American's - I prefer some bubbles in my glass (if it helps, I have my gas regulator set to around 13psi for my kegs).
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated.



I do a similar thing. I have a balance (scale) that weighs 0 - 200g to 0.01g and I weigh out dextrose and add it to each bottle. You can buy these on Ebay Link for under $10 also good for hops and water treatment.

The carbonation levels for the different beer styles vary from 0.8 to 3.0 vols CO2. Assuming highest temp after fermentation and before bottling is 20C

Require 1.1g dextrose for 1.0 vols CO2, 2.6g for 1.5, 4.6g for 2.0, 6.6g for 2.5 and 8.6g for 3.0 vols per one litre of beer.

So if you have 450ml bottles and want 2.5 volumes then you need 6.6g *.45 = 2.97g of dextrose, the amount of sugar is about 10% less than dextrose (but I prefer dextrose).

cheers

Ian


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