First Bulk Priming attempt failed... Help?

[mattdean4130]

Okay, i was unsure about doing this but thought, what the hey i'll give it a go.

I found a table online that suggested for a medium (standard) carbonation to use between 90 and 140g for 23l (i think, it's not in front of me ATM but i know i went roughly in the middle) Dextrose in as little water it takes to dissolve it. Anyway, not wanting to be over zealous and blow up my bottles, i went with 125g.

A couple weeks later and i've realised they are under carbed... Unfortunately, it's a lighter beer too - could possibly get away with it if it was a heavy stout/IPA.

Anyway, what are my options here? Can i just lift all the caps and add a carb drop/recap??

What is a better ballpark for a 23L Pale ale style brew when it comes to bulk priming?

Thanks a bunch!

Matt

 

[wbosher]

What sort of temp are you bottles in? Here it's bloody cold and my last batch took four weeks to carb up.

 

[manticle]

You can add more if you know they are undercarbed for your palate but please not a full carb drop.

Make sure they have all the carb they will get, then calculate how much more you would like.

 

[maxim0200]

Im only just starting brewing and havent rimed yet, but country brewer sell dextrose for bulk priming in 180gram pack for 22-23L.

 

[rileyhall00]

You can recap, just be as sterile as possible. After u add the carb and recap just invert and leave for another 2-3 weeks.

I've just recently got into it myself, i've only have done two batches a carlton draught kinda clone and a cascade Pale Ale. the draught was 23L and 150g dextrose while the PA 23L was 170g dextrose. I found the Pale ale better head / carb'd. It's something i think you gotta trial and error a bit. I used Ian.H spreadsheet for the calculation.

Let us know how yo go.

 

[warra48]

I would just leave them be. don't panic just yet. It's cold, it's winter, and your temperatures are not much different from where I am. The yeast in the bottle will be at work, but much slower than in summer time when it's warmer.

Two weeks is not very long this time of year to achieve full carbonation. I normally wait 3 to 4 weeks, even in summer. I've had brews take 6 weeks to reach full carbonation.

The amount of priming Dextrose you used will give you proper carbonation for the style, with a bit of patience. Just hang in there, it will all be good.

If all else fails, learn to love beers with carbonation at the lower end of the scale. I deliberately aim for that in my beers in any event.

 

[mattdean4130]

Hmm, maybe some more time will tell. I am getting pretty stable temps at about 18˚C in my apartment though (double brick, bottles stored in a cupboard)....
So by the sound of it, 125g should be enough for a proper carbed Pale Ale (i guess basing my opinion on a Coopers Commercial Pale)??

Be good to know so i don't overcompensate next time!

 

[manticle]

It depends on your palate. It would suit me but it is likely to be a touch lower than many comnercial offerings.

 

[warra48]

I agree with manticle.

Your carbonation will be at the lower end of the scale, but that's not a bad thing. It allows the real flavour of your beer to shine through, rather than being hidden to a degree by carbonic bite from a higher level of carbonation.

 

[roverfj1200]

125g is OK I use no more than 130g myself. Clean headmaster glasses are the go with low carb beers. And as said lets the flavour shine.



Cheers

 

[MartinOC]

PATIENCE! Go make another brew...& another...& another....

Stop worrying & just enjoy making it in the first place. Adjust any carbonation worries after that.

You'll probably find that in time, your first one will be great.

 

[mwd]

I don't bother with all these bulk priming calculators I just use roughly 150g dextrose or sugar dissolved in 200ml water for 23L. Never had a problem.

 

[mattdean4130]

Thanks guys. I like a pale ale to have some fizz... Stouts and IPA's for me can be lower carbed.
You're probably right about the temperature slowing it down. The couple i cracked, literally were on par with tasting straight out of the fermenter in terms of carb...

MartinOC thanks. Definitely not my first brew, have quite a few under my belt these days - just first try at bulk priming

 

[MartinOC]

Thanks guys. I like a pale ale to have some fizz... Stouts and IPA's for me can be lower carbed.
You're probably right about the temperature slowing it down. The couple i cracked, literally were on par with tasting straight out of the fermenter in terms of carb...

MartinOC thanks. Definitely not my first brew, have quite a few under my belt these days - just first try at bulk priming

Cool! My initial comments stand - I also worried about my first individually-primed bottles, then I worried about my first bulk-primed batch, then I worried about my first partial-mash, then my first AG batch..der...you get the idea...?

 

[mattdean4130]

I just thought i'd pipe in here. Thank you guys, you were right. Carbonation was just very slow, obviously because of temperatures.... These have carbed up ok now.
Would've preferred a bit more, but at least they're drinkable now.

Thanks for the great advice, i was almost ready to rip the caps off and add a carb drop to each!

 

[manticle]

1 carb drop would have been way too much. If recarbing you need to calculate the amount desired and dose accurately - a sugar solution in a syringe is the best way.
You need to wait till fully carbed before deciding to do that though as you have found in this instance.

 

[menoetes]

I've just tried bulk priming too, I boiled up 150g of dex in 200ml of water and as Manticle suggested, used a sterile syringe to drop about 5 - 5.5 mls in each 750ml PET bottle. It's for a pale ale so I hope it carbs up ok. I just worry that 2 carb drops per 750ml bottle is too much after my first brew seemed really bubbly.

 

[MartinOC]

Forget the carb-drops.

Stick with the bulk priming ('though you didn't say how big your batch is). If you go for about 1g/L & be patient, I'm sure everything will turn-out fine.

Worrying is like paying interest on a debt that you may-not owe. Just go with it & learn from the experience.

 

[yum beer]

Use one of the calculators available in many places around the net.
They allow for amount to be bottled, temps during ferment(residual co2) and have lists of the carb level for different styles.
You don't always get exactly what you want but its generally close.
You will get to know with each different brew what amount will work for you;
I use around 6gm a litre for a light carb and up to about 7gm for a higher carb for lagers and pales.
23litre batch of pale, I would look to bottle 21 litres - 147gm dex.
As suggested by rover, use a glass to fit the carb level, if a brew is a litle low use a headmaster, if its a little high use a plain glass, helps to have a few different styles of glass.

 

[petesbrew]

As earlier stated, I'd leave them be and wait another couple of weeks.
I used to do the standard 180g for a 23L batch, but now go lower (around the 140g mark). Exploding bottles aside, an overcarbed beer isn't exactly enjoyable.
Had some that pour like a can of coke with too much fizz.