Too Damn Fizzy

[Venom]

I've just tried my latest batch, a lager, at three weeks (bottle conditioned) and it's not bad except for the fact that it's a little too fizzy (I put this down to early bottling). Is there anything at all I can do to reduce the fizz? Will it lessen over time? (I plan to share this batch with the family at Christmas).

Thanks fellas

 

[mika]

Certainly won't lessen. How cold was the beer when poured ? Wasn't just that it was a tad Kimberley Cool ?
You could attempt to crack the lids and release some fizz and immediately re-seal, but then you run the risk of whether it will carb up again.

 

[sid]

I've just tried my latest batch, a lager, at three weeks (bottle conditioned) and it's not bad except for the fact that it's a little too fizzy (I put this down to early bottling). Is there anything at all I can do to reduce the fizz? Will it lessen over time? (I plan to share this batch with the family at Christmas).

Thanks fellas

Did you bulk prime or use those carbination drops, because when i used used carbonation drops I found that sometimes I'd get over carbonation, I now used bulk priming so that i will have greater control over this. Its easier as well but you need a spare bucket.
One of my brews was very fizzy at 3 weeks, but at 9 weeks has settled right down, but one of my other brews which was over carbinated never came right, I found if I cooled it in the fridge for a day it would settle it enough to stop the yeast at the bottom of the bottle from mixing with rest of the beer.

 

[matti]

If you got screw top pet bottles.
You can try this.
1. Chill them really well.(around 0-4 degrees)
2. release some gas quickly tighten it again.
3. Invert the bottles then allow to finnish carbonizing at room temp.

If not confident just try 1/2 dozen bottles and mark them.

If you have screwtop stubbies or long neck you need to recap them.
I wouldn't bother.
Just chill well take care in pouring and get into bulk priming.

 

[Kleiny]

try pouring them into a beer jug and then into a glass

should lose some carbonation with each pour

good luck

 

[Fatgodzilla]

try pouring them into a beer jug and then into a glass

should lose some carbonation with each pour

good luck

and make sure the beer, the jug and the glasses are as cold as can be.

 

[KGB]

If not confident just try 1/2 dozen bottles and mark them.

I reckon thats the best way to go, experiment with a few first. If its really that bad then you might want to bother recapping the whole batch otherwise take note of the pouring tips like using a jug, then into the glass and making sure the glass is cold.

 

[WillM]

you could always pour it into big glasses, then put them in the fridge for 5 mins before drinking it.

This will let it settle and the CO2 taste will go

 

[pint of lager]

This fizzyness is due to either:
bottling too early
using too much priming sugar
infection.

Bottling too early, always check the sg is stable over 3 days (and make sure you are fermenting in the correct range for your yeast.) Lagers need extra care if you are using a lager yeast at correct lager temperatures. They ferment slower under these conditions. Many experienced kit brewers leave ales for 10-14 days in primary before they contemplate bottling.

Using too much priming sugar. The correct amount is 6-8gms per litre. Or, a teaspoon per 750ml longneck and 1/2 a teaspoon for a stubby. If your beer bottles ar 660ml, or your stubbies the smaller 300ml, you may wish to back this quantity off a bit. Also, during fermentation, there is alot of carbon dioxide produced, most goes out the airlock, some stays in solution, this is why, when you float your hydrometer in the sample test tube, lots starts to form on the hydrometer and it floats higher, the longer it stays in the test sample. If you bottle very quickly after fermentation has ceased, this CO2 is added to the CO2 from priming. Once again, leave the brew in primary a bit longer, or back off the priming. Many people have reported problems with carbonation drops, the results are variable. I suspect one brand is better than another as some people report no problems with drops.

Infection. Your beer will slowly increase carbonation over time, leading to churning on pouring and eventually bombs. Sourness, loss of flavour, yukky flavour and gushing are all symptons.

If it is infection, either pour it out or keep all bottles in the fridge and drink now.

If it is just overprimed, you can release the pressure in PET's easily. Just partially unscrew so the gas escapes, then seal back up before the beer escapes. Do this a few times over a few days.

Glass botles can be easily released too. Use a bottle opener that has a bar across the top of the crown seal and operates on a few of the crimps at once. Very gently, ease up a few crimps a few milimeters, let the gas out, and let the lid resettle. Usually the lid will reseal, but about one in 15 will need to have the capper run over them. Do this a few times over 3-4 days.

One trick when pouring overprimed bottles is to wet the glass first with water.

 

[mfdes]

Following on from what PoL just said: many people are leaving the beer sitting on the yeast, after finishing, for at least a week, so the yeast can clean up its fermentation byproducts. This length of time will not result in autolysis (the yeast coughing up their guts) at ale temperatures, though I'd not leave it any longer if it's sitting somewhere warmer than, for example, 25 degrees. At lager temperatures you could leave the beer 6 weeks in the primary without seeing autolysis, if you pitched enough healthy yeast starter. This will make sure you have no gushers, and give you a far cleaner flavour profile than if you bottle early.

I know it's hard to wait. I ruined many a batch before I noticed the sort of improvement you get if you just let it sit there for a few days for the yeast to truly finish and mop up.

Don't try this if you don't practice thorough sanitation.

MFS.