Bottle Carbing...

[Siborg]

How long would it take for a noticible carbonation in a bottle? I have done some before and left them for two weeks, but I can't wait any longer to try my latest brew, a cascade pale ale clone.

 

[Pete2501]

I've had carbonation after 7 days but it tasted green like the forrest.

 

[losp]

i always thought the golden rule was 21 at 21. Wrong?

 

[bum]

but I can't wait any longer to try my latest brew

So try it? There are no rules. You wanna drink it green and you like it? Drink it green. No good yet? Drink something else.

Yeah, losp, that is a reasonable generalisation but I wouldn't ever go so far as to say it was a golden rule. I've had a fined, cold conditioned beer take over 8 weeks to carb in winter. There are too many variables for proper rules to apply.

 

[Kleiny]

How long would it take for a noticible carbonation in a bottle? I have done some before and left them for two weeks, but I can't wait any longer to try my latest brew, a cascade pale ale clone.

2 weeks in the current temp would be fine although a little young you will have carb.

Just remember it will get better until the last bottle which of course will be the best.

Chill it and try it

Kleiny

 

[manticle]

Depends on the environment.

I've had decent carbonation in warmer weather after as little as 3 or 4 days. My bottles would be best off being stored where the temperature is not variable whether warm or hot but I can't. I get past the green beer thing by taking longer with fermentation and conditioning. Still bottle conditioing is a good thing and I'd generally try and wait, depending on the beer style.

If glass: If you take a bottle and tilt it on its side and back again, you'll get an indication of carb as you watch how many bubbles ridse to the surface. NB: I'm not saying shake it.

If plastic/PET - carb feels like internal pressure so squeeze the bottles

 

[Siborg]

cheers guys. I think I may try it tomorrow. Does using carbonation drops or powdered sugar make any difference on the time? I used half and half for this brew.

When you say 'green', what do you mean? I suppose I'd better try it to know what green beer tastes like. I tried the brew at regular intervals during the brewing process, as I heard that this is good in familiarising myself with the different stages.

Cheers, manticle. I use PET, so I'll check that out. I have some already carbed beer in PET, so I can compare the resistance when I squeeze them.

 

[rendo]

SO TRUE Kleiny,

I hung onto 4 or 5 bottles of one of my best brews. It was 1.5 years old about 3 months ago when I was drinking the last bottle. I poured the priceless amber fluid into my chilled clean and sparkling schooner glass....took one mouthful and was in heaven. (just a normal ale, which I tweaked a bit, nothing major, it was just NICE)

I then turned around to do something, as I turned back, BANG, I knocked my glass over, BEER GONE....I tried to lick it up, straws were useless, it was futile and inhumane. I also thought I broke my schooner glass, but luckily not. I would have gladly smashed the schooner glass if I could have savoured that last bottle all for myself, rather than feeding it to my decking. The serenity was not good for a few days (and i still have internal scars)

rendo

2 weeks in the current temp would be fine although a little young you will have carb.

Just remember it will get better until the last bottle which of course will be the best.

Chill it and try it

Kleiny

 

[manticle]

When you say 'green', what do you mean? I suppose I'd better try it to know what green beer tastes like. I tried the brew at regular intervals during the brewing process, as I heard that this is good in familiarising myself with the different stages.

Green just refers to young, unconditioned beer. Think of a green (unripe) lemon or orange.

@Rendo; That's heartbreaking.

 

[rendo]

Siborg,

You did so well waiting to bottle your last brew, as per your fellow members encouraging you to do. A few of them are also telling you wait AGAIN...and you probably expect me to tell you to wait again too ....STUFF THAT MATE.....get into it! YEAH BABY!!!!

That way, you will know what green beer tastes like. It will be a good experience. Seriously! And its beer after all, 23Litres, so you have a few bottles spare! Plus it will be a good experience for you to taste it now, then again in another 2 weeks, then if it lasts for 2 months then you will be a convert for waiting to drink beer.

You've done the hard work by waiting to bottle. Go get 'em!!

(let the man live and learn guys.....who can honestly say they have never tried a brew in the first week or two. Its like saying you have never picked your nose or your have never....anyway....beer time)

Rendo

cheers guys. I think I may try it tomorrow. Does using carbonation drops or powdered sugar make any difference on the time? I used half and half for this brew.

When you say 'green', what do you mean? I suppose I'd better try it to know what green beer tastes like. I tried the brew at regular intervals during the brewing process, as I heard that this is good in familiarising myself with the different stages.

Cheers, manticle. I use PET, so I'll check that out. I have some already carbed beer in PET, so I can compare the resistance when I squeeze them.

 

[Siborg]

SO TRUE Kleiny,

I hung onto 4 or 5 bottles of one of my best brews. It was 1.5 years old about 3 months ago when I was drinking the last bottle. I poured the priceless amber fluid into my chilled clean and sparkling schooner glass....took one mouthful and was in heaven. (just a normal ale, which I tweaked a bit, nothing major, it was just NICE)

I then turned around to do something, as I turned back, BANG, I knocked my glass over, BEER GONE....I tried to lick it up, straws were useless, it was futile and inhumane. I also thought I broke my schooner glass, but luckily not. I would have gladly smashed the schooner glass if I could have savoured that last bottle all for myself, rather than feeding it to my decking. The serenity was not good for a few days (and i still have internal scars)

rendo

Oh no! I can just picture the slomo dive as the glass is falling and the desperate look on your face as it falls! Man. I think manticle sums it up nicely:

@Rendo; That's heartbreaking.

Green just refers to young, unconditioned beer. Think of a green (unripe) lemon or orange.

Ok, makes sense. If it means anything to its conditioning, it spent an extra week in the fermenter, as per the advice I received in my thread "To bottle or not to bottle" (its the Cascade Pale Ale clone). Not cold, but at ambient temps because I don't have a spare fridge (yet).

 

[Siborg]

Siborg,

You did so well waiting to bottle your last brew, as per your fellow members encouraging you to do. A few of them are also telling you wait AGAIN...and you probably expect me to tell you to wait again too ....STUFF THAT MATE.....get into it! YEAH BABY!!!!

That way, you will know what green beer tastes like. It will be a good experience. Seriously! And its beer after all, 23Litres, so you have a few bottles spare! Plus it will be a good experience for you to taste it now, then again in another 2 weeks, then if it lasts for 2 months then you will be a convert for waiting to drink beer.

You've done the hard work by waiting to bottle. Go get 'em!!

(let the man live and learn guys.....who can honestly say they have never tried a brew in the first week or two. Its like saying you have never picked your nose or your have never....anyway....beer time)

Rendo

YEAH!!! I think I'll whack one in the freezer now (I wanna try it tonight!) I just needed those few words of encouragement, cheers Rendo! :beerbang:

 

[manticle]

It absolutely does mean something to its conditioning. As I stated above I let mine ferment, condition on the yeast, then cold condition and find they need less time in the bottles to taste great.

To second Rendo - check the carb and if there's a bit there then crack one open. If it does taste green, then wait a bit longer to crack the next. If it tastes good to you then go for it. It's your beer.

Do yourself a favour though. Choose a quantity (could be 3, could be 6, could be 12) and set them aside. Wait a month between trying each one just to see how they progress. Different beers have different optimum ageing points which you will only guage by trying.

 

[rendo]

Heartbreaking indeed Manticle & Siborg. My heart still bleeds...I remember now, I turned around to grab the cordless vacuum. WTF was i thinking grabbing a vaccum whilst drinking a beer...Ahh well....some of my lagers from last winter are 100x better (now 6 months old, brewed @ 11deg), but its just that it was the last bottle and specifically sat down to enjoy its farewell, but I murdered it instead!

TONIGHT IT IS....chuck it in the freezer, wait an hour....is that enough for a 750ml? thats how long I wait for my 375ml bottles, sometimes 1hr 20min if I want them really icy (without exploding)

Let us know what it is like. Will check back here in the morning! hahaha

YEAH!!! I think I'll whack one in the freezer now (I wanna try it tonight!) I just needed those few words of encouragement, cheers Rendo! :beerbang:

 

[rendo]

oh....I forgot to say....IF...just IF...there is no carb. DO NOT WORRY. It WILL carb up. I use to always crack one open within 7 days of bottling, i couldnt resist, once there was no carb and I was stressed for days. I nearly tossed the batch after 4 weeks of little/no carb!!......I just left it alone for another 4 weeks and it was magically carb'd up. So...dont fret if its flat as a tack...I am expecting you to say it isn't very carbonated, but who knows...

rendo

YEAH!!! I think I'll whack one in the freezer now (I wanna try it tonight!) I just needed those few words of encouragement, cheers Rendo! :beerbang:

 

[Siborg]

Heartbreaking indeed Manticle & Siborg. My heart still bleeds...I remember now, I turned around to grab the cordless vacuum. WTF was i thinking grabbing a vaccum whilst drinking a beer...Ahh well....some of my lagers from last winter are 100x better (now 6 months old, brewed @ 11deg), but its just that it was the last bottle and specifically sat down to enjoy its farewell, but I murdered it instead!

TONIGHT IT IS....chuck it in the freezer, wait an hour....is that enough for a 750ml? thats how long I wait for my 375ml bottles, sometimes 1hr 20min if I want them really icy (without exploding)

Let us know what it is like. Will check back here in the morning! hahaha

Yeah, it should be long enough. I have express freeze on my freezer. Got it cranked to 11!

 

[benarnot]

When my mates and I were uni students and I first got into brewing we would barely wait ten days! haha

Now I wait for 14 days before I try to the first bottle or two 'for scientific purposes'. I only drink on weekends so I get to wait one week before each attempt. I can say that even waiting a week can make a huge difference.

I also keep 12 bottles from each brew aside and only bring them out on special occasions. The best experience was when I brought some cider to my cousin's birthday party a few years back. Noone wanted to drink them, and a year later I opened the beer fridge and there was the one bottle that I'd left, still sitting there. I cracked that bad boy open and it was the best drink I've ever had. N.b. Cider at 10 days is pretty bloody horrible, but if you're 18 and need to get your groove on cheap, then it a good way to go! hahaha

Cheers,

Ben

 

[Siborg]

Well I just tried it... Definitely needs more time to carb, although I got a nice (albeit small) head on it. Tastes grouse. Its chilled to the max... even got a few icicles in there (only small). Can't wait to taste this beer when its carbed up a bit more, and conditioned. The hops tastes quite nice, too. If it only improves with age, this could be a new hit for me. (second drinkable batch)

I'm quite proud of myself. Now to see what time can bring this beer and my future brews!

 

[rendo]

Fantastic to hear....

well done.....imagine the nightmares you would have had if you didnt try it last night! CHEERS MATE!

Well I just tried it... Definitely needs more time to carb, although I got a nice (albeit small) head on it. Tastes grouse. Its chilled to the max... even got a few icicles in there (only small). Can't wait to taste this beer when its carbed up a bit more, and conditioned. The hops tastes quite nice, too. If it only improves with age, this could be a new hit for me. (second drinkable batch)

I'm quite proud of myself. Now to see what time can bring this beer and my future brews!

 

[Siborg]

Fantastic to hear....

well done.....imagine the nightmares you would have had if you didnt try it last night! CHEERS MATE!

Just cracked open another bottle and poured it into an icey glass. Got a nice head. Tastes alot better with a bit of carbonation now. And it has a pleasant hoppy aftertaste to it. And its only been 1 week in the bottle!

By the way, I'm fully aware that it needs longer in the bottle, but I'm only trying it for "scientific" purposes. :lol: