# Carbonation Drops



## DanO (24/7/08)

I'm thinking of using 500ml bottles for my brew. What would happen if I put 2 cabonation drops into a 500ml bottle? Or should I just use sugar instead so I can measure it properly?

Thanks
Dan.


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## stowaway (24/7/08)

I had this same issue when i recently bottled a brew. Most of my bottles with 700ml coopers bottles but i ran out and used anything i could get my hands on. some happened to be 500ml bottles.

i just put 1 carbonation drop in it.. I hope its not too flat only time will tell tho.


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## Interloper (24/7/08)

stowaway said:


> I had this same issue when i recently bottled a brew. Most of my bottles with 700ml coopers bottles but i ran out and used anything i could get my hands on. some happened to be 500ml bottles.
> 
> i just put 1 carbonation drop in it.. I hope its not too flat only time will tell tho.



Two words - Bulk....Prime!

Only way to go. A piece of tube and a bottling bucket with some dissolved sugar in it and you are good to go with any size bottle.


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## reviled (24/7/08)

You can cut the carbonation drops in half with a big knife, or just put one in, ive done it before on a wheat beer and a brown ale.. It was carbonated just fine as far as im concerned...


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## brettprevans (24/7/08)

well if its a 500ml plastic bottle you wont have any problems. 2 carb drops in a 500ml glass bottle should be fine (so long as the brew has comepltely fermented out). 

also as said, just cut the carb drops in half and add 1.5 drops. or bulk prime.

EDIT: it also depends on what style of beer you are making. whether you want a heavily carbonated beer or a low carbed beer. more drops = more carb


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## SJW (24/7/08)

> I'm thinking of using 500ml bottles for my brew. What would happen if I put 2 cabonation drops into a 500ml bottle? Or should I just use sugar instead so I can measure it properly?
> 
> Thanks
> Dan.



What would happen? You would end up with crap beer, thats what would happen. Do yourself a favour and feed them to the dog and BULK PRIME with dextrose.


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## Bizier (24/7/08)

I use a fair amount of 500ml bottles and have had this same issue. The benefit of these is that they usually contain nice beer, and depending on the brand, can be strong as a tank. Something nice about an 'efficient' metric beer too.  

I have had a perfectly carbonated stout (though on the high side) with only one. If you are going to use two, yes make sure it is a beer that suits very high carbonation, and also be absolutely sure it ferments out completely.

Using this great resource:
http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Methods/...icalGuide.shtml

Assuming that the weight on the packet is correctly 250g and that there are 60 per pack, then they should weight approx 4.17g each.
Assuming you are conditioning at 20 deg C, 2 drops should get you to roughly 5.2g CO2 per L Edit: +1.73 already in wort = near 7g per L
This should put you over the upper end of lighter style beer carbonation, over-carbed.

Flaws:
Coopers carb drops are not pure dextrose (though this should lower the carbonation), and there will be a certain amount of CO2 already suspended in your brew at the time of bottling EDIT: approx 1.73g.

Anyone feel free to correct my maths, it is not my strongest point.

So, maybe just use 1 or 1.5, or bulk prime... just like everyone else said.


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## Bribie G (24/7/08)

Depending on what opening-size you have on your bottles, I use 2L PET and CSR sugar cubes fit exactly through the opening on them, also 1.25 L bottles.
I use 3 sugar cubes per 2L, 2 for a 1.25 but 1 cube for a 500ml bottle might be over the top unless it's going to be a highly carbonated pils or whatever.

Worth bearing in mind if you don't want to bulk prime and get a supply of 1.25 PET or above.

(I buy cartons of ALDI 2L Regal Cola, toss the cola and use the bottles. $5.95 a carton and all recycling perfectly - I have just about reached my optimum 'inventory' but they have paid for themselves already)

Carb drops are far too expensive for regular brewing IMHO - although in fairness it's a small market so the manufacturers don't have economies of scale.


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## KGB (24/7/08)

I'd probably use 1 drop, but as said, it depends on the style.


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## stowaway (24/7/08)

I dont think is such thing as over carbonated.
as long as the bottles dont break, Im happy getting it as carbonated as possible.

but i dotn like dark or amber ales.. or anything besides lagers, pilsners and pale ales.


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## reviled (24/7/08)

stowaway said:


> I dont think is such thing as over carbonated.
> as long as the bottles dont break, Im happy getting it as carbonated as possible.
> 
> but i dotn like dark or amber ales.. or anything besides lagers, pilsners and pale ales.



Really? How long have you been brewing for? I used to be like that, only lagers and pilsners, but 6 months of brewing my own beer has really opened my eyes to how much variety is out there, and also how damn good some dark beers really can be  Now I get funny looks every time I go drinking at the pub with my mates, having to explain why or how I can drink a pint of guinness while everyone else is drinking fairy water...


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## Bizier (24/7/08)

stowaway said:


> I dont think is such thing as over carbonated.
> as long as the bottles dont break, Im happy getting it as carbonated as possible.
> 
> but i dotn like dark or amber ales.. or anything besides lagers, pilsners and pale ales.



Careful though, I recently did some APAs with high carbonation and unless you are really on your game, the bubbles tear the yeast from the bottom... so make sure that yeast is nice and dormant...

Also helps if you like a little beer with your head :lol:


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## Interloper (24/7/08)

reviled said:


> Really? How long have you been brewing for? I used to be like that, only lagers and pilsners, but 6 months of brewing my own beer has really opened my eyes to how much variety is out there, and also how damn good some dark beers really can be  Now I get funny looks every time I go drinking at the pub with my mates, having to explain why or how I can drink a pint of guinness while everyone else is drinking fairy water...



Agreed. I've been known to turn down free/cheap stuff and pay for quality beers if they have them which gets a few strange looks from the mates.

"Full price Coopers Vintage over happy hour price Pale Ale? What are you? A beer snob?"

why yes, yes I am! :lol: 

I figure I am saving so much by brewing my own I can afford to drink the good stuff when I go out if they have it. Love the stouts and porters....mmmm the darker the better!


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## reviled (24/7/08)

Interloper said:


> Agreed. I've been known to turn down free/cheap stuff and pay for quality beers if they have them which gets a few strange looks from the mates.
> 
> "Full price Coopers Vintage over happy hour price Pale Ale? What are you? A beer snob?"
> 
> ...



lol, thats sorta one downside to brewing, you cant buy cheap beers anymore, cos cheap beer just doesnt even really equal beer  

And the word is connoisseur, not snob


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## Lachlan (24/7/08)

Interloper said:


> Two words - Bulk....Prime!
> 
> Only way to go. A piece of tube and a bottling bucket with some dissolved sugar in it and you are good to go with any size bottle.




+1 bulk priming is the way to go


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## Interloper (24/7/08)

reviled said:


> And the word is connoisseur, not snob



ahh of course - I stand corrected!


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## stowaway (24/7/08)

reviled said:


> Really? How long have you been brewing for? I used to be like that, only lagers and pilsners, but 6 months of brewing my own beer has really opened my eyes to how much variety is out there, and also how damn good some dark beers really can be  Now I get funny looks every time I go drinking at the pub with my mates, having to explain why or how I can drink a pint of guinness while everyone else is drinking fairy water...




you may have caught me out. ive only been brewing for a couple of months. 
Although ive made quiet/drunk a few brews in this period of time (K&K only so far).. Also my mate started brewing same time as me so i have tasted alot of different K&K.

Ive made an Amber Ale myself. Didnt like it although others did. And my mate made a dark beer and i didnt like it at all. + I have never liked Guiness at all.

I have definetly started appricated the taste of beer more since ive been brewing. and now im a critic on all beer. But can only really appricate the lagers/pislners and pale ales. 
hate stouts+dark beer espessially.


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## reviled (24/7/08)

stowaway said:


> you may have caught me out. ive only been brewing for a couple of months.
> Although ive made quiet/drunk a few brews in this period of time (K&K only so far).. Also my mate started brewing same time as me so i have tasted alot of different K&K.
> 
> Ive made an Amber Ale myself. Didnt like it although others did. And my mate made a dark beer and i didnt like it at all. + I have never liked Guiness at all.
> ...



Give it some time and im sure your palate will come to accept darker beers, 9 months ago I would have punched someone for offering me a guiness, I hated it, it was rank, dry, and disgusting, but for some reason, these days its one of my most popular pub beers (for lack of a better option)... Id suggest you try wean yourself into dark beers by starting on beers like Newcastle Brown Ale, or one of my very most favourite beers is a dark lager, leffe Bruin! I reckon youll like it if you like lagers and pilsners, and itll open your palate to darker malts..

Thats just my 2 cents


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## Interloper (24/7/08)

reviled said:


> leffe Bruin! I reckon youll like it if you like lagers and pilsners, and itll open your palate to darker malts..



Leffe beers......ahhhhhhhhh

:icon_drool2: :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2:


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## reviled (24/7/08)

Interloper said:


> Leffe beers......ahhhhhhhhh
> 
> :icon_drool2: :icon_drool2:



Fantastic beers aye  Ive got a mate from Carlisle who likes to remind me that back home Leffe is apparantly a run of the mill, averagely priced beer <_< I wish we could get it in dozens here, or even 6 packs!


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## Interloper (25/7/08)

reviled said:


> Fantastic beers aye  Ive got a mate from Carlisle who likes to remind me that back home Leffe is apparantly a run of the mill, averagely priced beer <_< I wish we could get it in dozens here, or even 6 packs!


mmm choice drop!!

yes they are quite 'spenny from Dan Murphys. I do buy them on regular occassions and I always go for the dark radieuse which is heaven in an expensive bottle...
Beer Advocate has it as a B+ but I rate it an A


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## saturn (25/7/08)

have used a single carb drop into grolsch bottles
works well


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## mwd (25/7/08)

Up here in the warmth of Cairns I found that 2 drops is too much for the 740ml bottles they get over carbonated.

Cannot move onto bulk priming yet as only have one fermenter and a floor washing bucket.


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## dmcke109 (25/7/08)

I've found that 2 drops are too much for the 500ml bots. I found that 1 was enough for the 500ml bots.


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## rakijaipivo (31/5/20)

Hey all,

so I run 4 kegs/fermenters at a time. the last time I did a run about 90% was awesome. however there was about 15 ltrs that I bottled at a later stage in 500 ml bottles. I used a single carbo drop per bottle which was no where near enough.

My question, can I save the beer or better to turf it?


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## Vini2ton (1/6/20)

Get yourself (from the op-shop or where-ever) a 1140ml beer jug and blend some more carbonated beer with it. I blend different beers often. Why would you waste beer?


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## rakijaipivo (1/6/20)

@Vini2ton great suggestion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## fdsaasdf (1/6/20)

just swap the lids over with Plastic Carbonation & Line Cleaning Cap & FermZilla Pressure Cap and carb them up to the appropriate level


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