Bottling After Cold Conditioning?

[Stoodoo]

Just a query with bottling my pilseners. After cold conditioning/lagering in the fridge for several weeks @ 2c, does letting the brew warm up to ambient temps negate a lot/some of the effect of the cold conditioning itself. I ask this because all of my past brews have been cold conditioned, primed with "less" than the usual amount of sugar req'd for priming, and then after 3-4 months of bottle conditioning, they are way too carbonated/fizzy. Something to do with the carbonation already present in the cold brew (~2-5c)at bottling. I'm sick of my brews being overcarbonated, so am thinking of letting the brew warm up to ambient temp(~22c) before bottling, however I'd hate to think that by doing this, the time spent cold conditioning was wasted. What's your informed/learned opinions?

Cheers

 

[berto]

I dont think letting your brews warm up will negate the effects of cold conditioning. However, are you sure youre not lagering before fermentation finishes? If theres still a bit to go then when you bottle it will occur then when youre at higher temps.

Cheers, Rob

 

[Ross]

Just a query with bottling my pilseners. After cold conditioning/lagering in the fridge for several weeks @ 2c, does letting the brew warm up to ambient temps negate a lot/some of the effect of the cold conditioning itself. I ask this because all of my past brews have been cold conditioned, primed with "less" than the usual amount of sugar req'd for priming, and then after 3-4 months of bottle conditioning, they are way too carbonated/fizzy. Something to do with the carbonation already present in the cold brew (~2-5c)at bottling. I'm sick of my brews being overcarbonated, so am thinking of letting the brew warm up to ambient temp(~22c) before bottling, however I'd hate to think that by doing this, the time spent cold conditioning was wasted. What's your informed/learned opinions?

Cheers

[post="101447"][/post]​

Stoodoo,

The very reason why you should warm your lager before priming.
Warming is the correct method, as this releases the CO2 in solution - It will have no detrimental effect on your beer....

cheers Ross

 

[Beer bum]

Stoodoo,

This same issue had been screwing with my mind for a while as I was getting inconsistant carbonation levels

In the end I had to standardise the fermentation process.
I finished up fermenting at X temp for five days and then raising the temp 5C for approx 7 days. Then into cc for 1-2 weeks before bottling. This ensures that all the yeast has done its job and fermentation is complete and conditioning is pretty well finished.

The consensus in forums is to prime according to the highest temp during the fermentation process as this temp will release more CO2 out of the brew.
Using the above method and with the highest temp plugged into the BrewTools calculator, the carbonation has been more consistant.
Now that the process is "standardised" I can adjust the priming rate for different carbonation.

The only problem I can see with warming up the beer before bottling is if the fermation isn't complete then you will reactivate the dormant yeast which will go back into suspension.

Cheers

 

[tangent]

i gotta agree
i noticed my jerries were swelling with gas a few days after removing them from cc
where before, i'd lift out and onto the fridge, bulk prime and bottle straight away
i'd always think "damn, i thought secondary was totally finished!"
and i've give a few stubbies to my uncle who'd tell me he liked their taste but he didn't like the volcano effect every time he opened every second one.
Ross & POL pointed out there's CO2 in solution that needs to escape 1st so you get consistancy
I'm now down to about 120gms white cane sugar per 23L and even lowering that. you can't drink them early (2-3 weeks) but after about 6-8 weeks the carbonation is fine and spot on (although i'm finding most commercial beers excessively carbonated, unless i'm pouring them too warm? about 6C, sometimes warmer)

 

[Boozy the clown]

So what tempreture is generally the best to condition bottles at?

I'm trying to hold my latest at 25c.

 

[Jethro]

Hmm I wouldnt bet on it but ild imagine the desolved oxgen pick up while bottling at 2 degrees would be higher than at 15 degrees and also the co2 released at 15 would give added protection. Me Ild bottleat at 15 then condition at the fermenation temp of the yeast used :beer: cheers Jethro

 

[delboy]

as a rule of thumb i usually secondferment at normal ferment temp just before the primary is 2 points off fg and then in to the secondary for 5 days if then i dont want the extra hops i dry hopped with i put it in to a 3rd ferment after re rcking and the cold soa/condition for 14 days then i used to bottle but saying that i never worried about carbonation levels as i have never ever experienced a volcano brew.
fingers crossed thoug i just followed my dads method and what i read here thanks to ROSS and GMK for there experience and help and i have never had a bad one yet.

DELBOY