Why Must I Wait?

[rusty274]

So I've just bottled my 1st BIAB.

I've heard of a way of force carbonating bottles.

Is it just a matter of keeping the beer at a warm temp and giving a shake every so often?

 

[sp0rk]

There is no way of force carbonating bottles (in a home environment) other than a carbonating cap and using a CO2 bottle
Just wait

 

[Hoppers]

Waiting is the hardest part. Spend the time looking for a cheap keg set up......you wont look back

 

[fletcher]

I've often found my PET bottles are tighter, and most often, fully carbonated within a few days (style and yeast dependent of course) however the beer is often not ready and is still green tasting until about 3 weeks. sure you can drink it sooner, but I guarantee it won't be as nice until then. be patient. I learned to as well and the rewards are much greater

 

[sp0rk]

Like fletcher said, beer benefits from a period of aging (despite what the developer of some fandangled machine claims)
Most of my kegged beers sit for 3 weeks before I start drinking

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I generally find my plastic beers take a little longer than my glass bottles to carbonate.

It's why a rolling stock is always a good idea, so you don't run out whilst waiting for the new batch to be ready to drink.

 

[Grott]

I'm with Lord Raja Goomba I, keep the stock rolling and keep ahead.

 

[mckenry]

I just want to clear something up for the OP.

IF you are going to go down the route of force carbonating bottles (then later kegs) you do this COLD.

When you naturally condition a bottle with a priming sugar in the bottle, you let this sit WARM. If you naturally condition a keg, you do this warm too.

There are plenty of threads about why, but the quick reasons are;
Yeast eats sugar and a by-product is CO2 (along with alcohol) and needs to be warm to do this.
Cold beer absorbs CO2 into solution when it is forced into it, better than it will when it is warm.

 

[brzt6060]

There is nothing really you can do to speed up carbonation of your beers other then kegging, for some of us that isn’t an option at this point in time for others it never will be. Then there is also the fact that some beers are far better bottle conditioned.

Brew more beer, I try and keep two FV going at a time now plus a few mini side batches for testing things out. Keep reading and learning at the same time, none (at least almost none) of us started this journey as a master home brewer, I think I learnt more between batch #1 and batch #2 then I did before I made batch #1.
The biggest problem I have at the moment is that batch #xy is ready for drinking but that has been sitting around in bottle for 6 weeks or more weeks (bottle conditioning in a 12c carport takes time), it was made 8 to 10 weeks ago and planned and researched 12 plus weeks ago. So by the times it’s ready for drinking it’s been pushed out of my mind and I’m really excited about batch #zyx that I brewed two days ago.

The other option is go buy some beers and learn more about different styles and what you like. I’m sure I’m going to get flamed for this *flame suit on* but early on I always thought I didn’t like hoppy beers for some reason so always aimed for balanced or slightly malty beers. Then one day accidentally brought an American style super hop IPA. I’m now trying to plan something close to Founders all day session IPA. I even try and keep tasting notes and a photo of any craft beer I try. Plus when you buy beer you get more bottles!

Edit: You don't have to wait, I have been guilty of drinking green beer. In vietnam they have somthing similar called bia hoi mean fresh beer, it is basicly green beer tastes... drinkable and for the price of about 12cents a glass well who cares!

 

[mckenry]

Like fletcher said, beer benefits from a period of aging (despite what the developer of some fandangled machine claims)
Most of my kegged beers sit for 3 weeks before I start drinking

Really sp0rk? Or do you mean 3 days? Most of my kegs are ready to drink after 3 days. 2 gassing up, 1 at pouring pressure then consume. Lagers are an exception. 3 weeks for these is the sweet spot for me.
Maybe most of your kegged beers are lagers?
I find if everything is done right, in particular fermenting with the right amount of yeast, with a dose of oxygen and good temp control, the beer is ready to go almost straight away. I have done the ross method when desperate and drinking within the hour, acceptly good beer. 3 days later = perfect.

 

[sp0rk]

Nope 3 weeks, personally I think that's when most of my beers start tasting their best (i've had some IPAs awesome after 3 or 4 days)
I've only brewed 2 lagers in the 4 or 5 years I've been brewing...
pitching and temp control I've got down pat but I don't have an O2 system (I shake my cube like crazy then pour into my FV from a height)

 

[n87]

pitching and temp control I've got down pat but I don't have an O2 system (I shake my cube like crazy then pour into my FV from a height)

:icon_offtopic: I run my wort from the cube, through a sieve at the top of the fermenter.
removes a good portion of the cold break and cube hops... and really oxygenates the crap out of it.

 

[fletcher]

Nope 3 weeks, personally I think that's when most of my beers start tasting their best (i've had some IPAs awesome after 3 or 4 days)
I've only brewed 2 lagers in the 4 or 5 years I've been brewing...
pitching and temp control I've got down pat but I don't have an O2 system (I shake my cube like crazy then pour into my FV from a height)

i have to say i agree. while you can drink some awesome IPAs and such right off the bat in kegs, i still prefer how they 'round out' after a few weeks (in the keg). different horses for different courses though; taste is very subjective.

 

[manticle]

I often drink my kegged beer just carbed (and I prefer low fizz) but mostly I prefer them after a week or so (usually 2-3 is the sweet spot for uk bitters and apas). Mostly, this seems to relate to yeast dropping out of suspension - I find the malt shines more with less yeast.
Beer dependent - some need more, a very few need less.

 

[Batz]

So I've just bottled my 1st BIAB.

I've heard of a way of force carbonating bottles.

Is it just a matter of keeping the beer at a warm temp and giving a shake every so often?

"Patience young grasshopper..."

 

[rusty274]

Thanks guys, I must have been given an old wives tale. I was told that the higher temp and shaking the bottle would re-activate the yeast a bit quicker.

Well better head off the local bottle-O and sort myself out.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[mckenry]

Thanks guys, I must have been given an old wives tale. I was told that the higher temp and shaking the bottle would re-activate the yeast a bit quicker.

Well better head off the local bottle-O and sort myself out.

Thanks for the tips.

Yes, that's true when naturally carbing with sugar, not force carbing (as was your op) which is done with a gas bottle

 

[sp0rk]

higher temp will ferment in bottle quicker
But it will also possibly contribute off flavours, which isn't really worth the risk

 

[leighaus]

try and keep your temps consistent as well in a cupboard where they will be left to become delicious where temps dont fluctuate too much is best. I store mine under the house, which is awesome for temp controlling, but means they take longer to carb up properly.

 

[Adr_0]

the key is to brew the next beer - and next - ASAP after the first.

you can speed up carbonation a little with bulk priming in another 25-30L fermenter (with airlock). basically transfer into the bottom of hte (sanitised) fermenter with your sugar solution in the bottom and let it sit for a little while until it starts to bubble (or at least show positive pressure). This helps get the yeast in suspension and helps carbonation along.

it can be hard in winter though as temps overnight can get quite cool. Keeping yeast in suspension and a consistent temp around 20°C helps carbonation a lot.