Cold Conditioning/bottling/bulk Priming Questions..

[maldridge]

Hey fellas, I'll be bottling my first batch of AG this coming Friday (dr smurtos golden ale), very much looking forward to it. Currently tastes and smells great, always a good sign

Last Friday I racked to secondary for my cold conditioning stage. I set my stc1000 to 1c, however my fridge is rather old and is sitting at about 4.5deg. At this temperature is it still doing its thing?

Also, come Friday, should I set my fridge back to 18c so I can bottle at a warmer temp? Or is bottling at 4-5c ok?

Thanks in advance!

One more thing, when mixing up my bulk priming glucose mixture, how much water should I be mixing it with? I'm aiming for about 2.2 vol co2, with a 24L batch - used the online calculator.

 

[Amber Fluid]

Last Friday I racked to secondary for my cold conditioning stage. I set my stc1000 to 1c, however my fridge is rather old and is sitting at about 4.5deg. At this temperature is it still doing its thing?
It will help, colder would be better but by juggling time and temperature you will get around this. I believe all CC does is speed up the time it takes to help drop things out of suspension. Even at 4.5C it will make it quicker than otherwise.

Also, come Friday, should I set my fridge back to 18c so I can bottle at a warmer temp? Or is bottling at 4-5c ok?
Just bottle it at 4-5C. You will still need to keep your bottles in a warmer climate though to carbonate and it may take an extra day or two than otherwise.

Thanks in advance!

One more thing, when mixing up my bulk priming glucose mixture, how much water should I be mixing it with? I'm aiming for about 2.2 vol co2, with a 24L batch - used the online calculator.
100ml-150ml should be plenty. You can just put the sugar in as is if you really have to. However, this is not a good practice as it won't ensure the sugar disolves evenly throughout your beer.

 

[maldridge]

Last Friday I racked to secondary for my cold conditioning stage. I set my stc1000 to 1c, however my fridge is rather old and is sitting at about 4.5deg. At this temperature is it still doing its thing?
It will help, colder would be better but by juggling time and temperature you will get around this. I believe all CC does is speed up the time it takes to help drop things out of suspension. Even at 4.5C it will make it quicker than otherwise.

Also, come Friday, should I set my fridge back to 18c so I can bottle at a warmer temp? Or is bottling at 4-5c ok?
Just bottle it at 4-5C. You will still need to keep your bottles in a warmer climate though to carbonate and it may take an extra day or two than otherwise.

Thanks in advance!

One more thing, when mixing up my bulk priming glucose mixture, how much water should I be mixing it with? I'm aiming for about 2.2 vol co2, with a 24L batch - used the online calculator.
100ml-150ml should be plenty. You can just put the sugar in as is if you really have to. However, this is not a good practice as it won't ensure the sugar disolves evenly throughout your beer.

Thanks mate! As you said I'd like to dissolve the sugar in water to make a solution, as I understand this will mix through better when I rack to my bottling vessel!!

Cheers.

OK I've got one more question, and this may same pretty stupid BUT, I'm brewing/bottling at my mates place. I'd like to take all my bottles back to mine once bottled (so he doesn't drink them all!! ). Transporting these bottles in my car straight after bottling won't be an issue?? I'll drive extremely carefully and try not to shake them up

 

[Amber Fluid]

They'll only be an issue if the cap is not on properly

 

[bum]

Transporting these bottles in my car straight after bottling won't be an issue?? I'll drive extremely carefully and try not to shake them up

Do you worry about this when you buy commercial beer? Same risk, IMO.

While yeast is a living organism I don't believe they'll get car-sick. You'll be right.

 

[maldridge]

Hah ok thanks I wanted to double check, I figured it might be more of a carbonation issue than anything else.

All good then!

 

[bum]

The only thing you might reasonably be concerned about might be oxidising the beers. But if you're sorta careful with them and don't hang on to them forever you'll never notice any difference from those you leave with your mate.

 

[hopnerd]

Some good responses here, hope you don't mind if I ask a follow up question.
Given that the beer is being bottled at 4-5C, is it correct to assume that there will be more residual CO2 already dissolved? And as a result, will it require less priming solution to reach your desired CO2 volume?

 

[black_labb]

Depends when you chilled it. If the beer had finished fermenting and you left it for a bit before chilling it it shouldn't have any extra dissolved co2. if you chill it at or before the end of fermentation there will be more co2 dissolved.

 

[Amber Fluid]

Unless you are experienced and pretty good with your calculations, I'd suggest not chilling it BEFORE fermentation has finished. I have heard of some people doing this in aid to carbonate without additional sugars but why take the chance?

@hopnerd, yes you are correct but if fermentation is finished then nothing that will make a huge impact on the outcome. Do it once then if you are not happy with the result just adjust it for next time.

 

[hopnerd]

Thanks guys, good info.

 

[maldridge]

I fermented in primary using us05 for 14 days, so fermentation should have been well and truly finished. Doubt there would be any residual co2.

 

[citizensnips]

With the bottling at certain temperature issue, I'm just wondering why on this calculator they ask for the temperature and it seems to have quite an effect on the amount of sugar for priming. I only say this as im cold conditioning and wondering whether now to bring it back to 18 or so? heres the calculator calc
any thoughts?

 

[crd0902]

eddy22..... With regards to your temperature question im not sure if you have read that calculator page but the temperature you put in is what temp you fermented at. I think when it has finished fermenting and you chill your fermenter for a week, I don't think it changes the amount of residual co2 in your beer so you don't have to get your temp back to 18 before priming and bottling. I never have, never do, and never had problems due to that. Once you bottle and put it in the cupboard it won't take long to get back to higher temps anyway. I hope I'm correct and it helps. Someone will elaborate if I'm not. Cheers Chris

 

[GuyQLD]

Use the highest temp your beer reached AFTER fermentation as the temperature will dictate how much CO2 will still be in solution. E.g. If you fermented at 18 and reached final gravity before crash chilling then use 18 in that box. Your beer doesn't produce any more CO2 once fermentation has finished so its not doing anything when you chill. If you put 4 it'll assume there's more CO2 than there probably is and you'll under carbonate. Likewise bringing it back to 18 has no effect, you're still not producing CO2, although maybe you'll knock a bit out. Not sure, but I wouldn't bother. Just bottle it cold.

Edit: beaten by Chris. Damn typing on trains

 

[citizensnips]

Makes perfect sense, cheers for the responses