I have brewed a batch of Amber Lite Ale for my first batch.Can someone tell me how long it should take for carbonation to take place in the bottles. I bottle three days ago, Is there something I should be looking for to insure carbination is taking place. I did pop a top today just to check and there were no signs of carbination yet.
Bottle conditioning takes at the VERY minimum 2 weeks. I would plan on 4 if I was bottle conditioning. To help, move the bottles somewhere warm, say 70°-72°.
Also, in the future you can use a 20oz pop bottle to tell what’s going on inside your bottle. Bottle it like usual except squeeze the air out. As the beer conditions and produces CO2, the bottle will swell and become hard. Then you know your beer is carbonating.
And, give them a few days in the fridge AFTER they are done carbing. This helps dissolve the CO2 into the beer.
loopie, The bottles are in the basement where the temp is about 58 - 60 degrees. Will this affect carbonation. Should I bring them up stairs or will they be ok in the basement
58° to 60°F is to cool for bottle carbonation. Could take a couple of months at that low of temperature. You’re right in thinking they should be at room temperature. Flavors produced by the yeast are set in the first few days of the fermentation. After fermentation is complete warm temperatures, in the low 70° range, is best for bottle carbonation/conditioning.
I agree. My brews carb in about two weeks during the summer when my house is upper 70’s. In the winter when the thermostat is lower 60’s I’ve sampled under-carbed beers after 4 weeks.
I say bring them up.
My unscientific, untested, rule-of-thumb. Take 85 and subtract the average room temperature. The result is the number of days to wait before testing if a bottle is carved.
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