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Charging the beer in bottles with the sugar capsules

#1

Hi everyone back at making beer again after 7 years used to make 5 gallon batches before in townhome now don’t have the room so I got started again in the 1 gallon kits my first one was a red Irish everything went well but I used the sugar primer capsules to prime the beer when I bottled it after two weeks in the bottle it is not very carbonated what you think I used to use sugar primer in the old days a added it to the beer right before bottling great carbonation does it take longer with the capsules to carbonate ???

thanks for any help

#2

I haven’t heard a lot of positives with those capsules, and a lot of which you speak. I would keep the bottles some where warm, approximately 70°-75° and give them more time. 2 weeks is a minimum for carbonation. If you wanted you could take them and invert them daily to help get the capsule to dissolve.

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#3

Sounds like the carbonation is on track. My experience with the sugar capsules (fizz drops) that they work - but they will take a week or two longer (3-4 weeks total bottle conditioning) than sugar (around two weeks). I never tried to invert the bottles daily to see if it speeds up carbonation.

Search the forum for “Domino sugar cubes” - it’s an interesting alternative to consider.

#4

Thank you for your response’s good to know more about the capsules I have some winter warmer in the secondary I think when its time to bottle I will use the priming sugar like I use to glad you told me it takes longer with the capsules I was kind of bumming about this will give it another 2 weeks
thanks again

#5

People seem to have better results with good ol’ corn sugar or table sugar.
Not sure if you know about this handy tool here.
Mix your sugar with a cup or 2 of water, boil 5 mins and add to the bottling bucket. Rack the beer on top getting it to swirl (not splash). Stir gently and start bottling. Stir gently after every 6-8 beers.

Or skip all that hoopla and keg it already! :yum:

#6

thanks for the tip I used to do it this way when I made 5 gallon batches don’t have the room now so I make 1 gallon and these capsules are something new to me… have priming sugar for my next batch

#7

For 1gal batches you might be better off adding the priming sugar to each bottle then filling. A decent high resolution scale would work great. I bought one on eBay for $8 or so and it included a calibration weight. I’ve used it for about 7 years and have never needed to recalibrate it.

#8

I came across this article today 1 gallon brewers - how do you bottle - (1 gallon brewers - how do you bottle?).

#9

Hi thanks for article I have 1 gallon of winter warmer in the secondary fermenter will transfer
to bottling bucket when its time to bottle have a packet of priming sugar that is good for 5 gallon batch
was told to use 1/2 for my gallon by the people at northern seems like a lot what is your suggestion on how much to use for just one gallon

#10

One-half of the priming sugar packet would be to much. I always use NB’s carbonation calculator for consistency.

I will look at the carbing to style option. Most often I will carbonate to my personal preference according to my tasting notes from previous brews of the same beer or style.

#11

I hate to disagree with Flars, but I’d say it’s not “too much,” it’s a #&&%$#@ truckload too much! You may not be getting into bottle bomb pressures that way, but you’ll almost certainly have gushers!

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#12

@old_dawg I agree. Wonder why they would tell you to use 1/2 of what they provide for a 5gal batch (which is typically too much anyway) when you’re only making 1/5 of that amount!

Use the carbonation calculator that @flars and I posted.

#13

will not use the capsules again but they did work after a month in the bottle got a nice head on the beer but it does not last long the head on the beer the carbonation reminds me of coke or soft drink carbonation
will use the carbonation calculator next time with priming sugar thanks for the calculator

#14

Usually #1 issue to dwindling head is glassware. Lipids on the glassware will kill head as will final rinse agents from the dishwasher.

If that’s not the case read this in regards to head retention.

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#15

The thing I have found with using fizz drops is that
A) Yeah it takes about 3 weeks for bottles to carbonate.
B) I have to invert he bottles once a week to get them to go.
C) After 5-6 weeks in storage, the bottles get way to carbonated.

I switched to them after 3 batches either being over carbonated or under. I figured these would be easier, and I never had a 1 gallon batch (only use fizz drops) have carbonation problems. Now a couple of batches in, I’m tired of loosing half a bottle to foam, or having to let it sit.

I would go with the NB calculator and be very precise with the information. I’m going to start doing that (Black Magic Dark Mild on the stovetop as I type this) and priming with honey. No more drops.

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