Bottles too cold for co2 but a slow warm up helped

I bottled my brown ale and put priming sugar in each bottle. I used the CO2 chart through NB to help with the calculations. I also wanted to check the alcohol % and was at 8.7. I added a little more prime sugar because of the alcohol percentage. I waited 2 weeks before checking the CO2. I put the bottle in the refridge and opened the next day; no carbonation. Check the temp of the bottles that were not in the refridge and they were too cold. Moved the bottles to warm them up slowly. I also gave them a slight shake. I waited for two more weeks and beer is carbonated. I am always happy when CO2 happens. I am planning on changing this recipe a little.

3 Likes

I have found that darker beers tend to take a little longer to carbonate for some reason. Glad it worked for you.

Why would a higher alcohol percentage need more priming sugar. I’m not criticizing. Just curious if there is a correlation between alcohol percentage and priming sugar amount.

I agree. ABV shouldn’t influence the amount of priming sugar.

When I was looking up how much prime to use for bottling, and noticed that there was an increase in the prime.

Priming is determined by volume of wort, temperature and style of beer. ABV has nothing to do with it.

I don’t bottle, BUT, wouldn’t the higher the wort gravity was, the more yeast left in suspension? Or is that just plain old nonsense? Sneezles61

I am not sure. I just noticed that a higher in alcohol % the more priming. I am learning something new all the time. I noticed that imperil stouts had more priming in them as per chart.
Not sure with the yeast, I thought it was sugar and yeast in suspension?
I think it is good to ask questions to get a better understanding how things work. I appreciate peoples comments and remarks.

1 Like

What your likely seeing is some styles benefit from a higher level of carbonation. This would take more priming sugar to achieve.
For example, dry Irish Stout is usually carbed to 2 volumes of CO2 while an Imperial Stout is 2.2 volumes. The same amount of beer would require more priming sugar to achieve the extra volumes of CO2.

1 Like

Thank you!!

Higher ABV sometimes take longer to carbonate and people will sometimes try them before they are fully carbonated and assume they may have not added enough priming sugar.

I always assumed that the higher alcohol beers stressed the yeast more so what you have left when priming is less viable so it takes longer to carbonate. My non-scientific reasoning.

In that case add more yeast not priming sugar

I agree. Waiting helps also.

Funny that the last batch I bottled used Domino Dots, same bottles for all, stored all at same temp in same place and some are more carbonated than others. I can only figure they got more yeast than other bottles since everything else was constant. No worries though. They all taste good.

Curious. We seem to assume on this forum anyway that the bulk priming was not completely mixed but that theory may be wrong and it may be the the stratification of the yeast. Maybe don’t cold crash before bottling. I know German breweries and others often add more yeast for bottle conditioning.

I was going to trot down that path Brew Cat… Sierra bottle conditions its brews… Now, since I don’t bottle or use a carbing calc. is there one that has yeast and sugar slurry and how much to add to a brew that finishes about 1.010? I would think you do have account for yeast in suspension…? I think Duvel also bottle conditions…
Maybe I should turn this horse around and get off this path… :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: Sneezles61

Another possible cause of bottle carbonation variability is mechanical…the bottle cap. I think it’s possible that some caps might have a slight imperfection or be applied just a little different that allows just a little more CO2 to escape from some bottles vs other bottles. I’m not talking about a total fail where beer would be leaking out but just gas. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense because I have never heard about breweries that bottle condition experiencing the carbonation variability that homebrewers do…at least what this homebrewer does. Next time I bottle, I’m going to perform an experiment where I number every bottle in the order they are filled. My expectation is that bottle cap/capping differences would lead to bottle-to-bottle variability in carbonation and a stratification of yeast or priming solution would lead to a variability that would span a significant range of bottles. Unfortunately I won’t have results for at least two months!
Stupid work! Stupid cars! Stupid house projects! Stupid snow shoveling! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

3 Likes

HOLY MOLY Barbarian… hope you had time for a fantastic brew(s) after spilling your guts!! :joy: Sneezles61

Totally agree with stupid snow blowing.

85° here. I do not miss snow one bit.

2 Likes