So my first batch of beer was bottle carbed. I put about 16 beers into the frig after 2 weeks at room temp. The good news is some taste amazing , like one of the best beers ive had. But some taste way more carbed than others and i lose the flavor it makes them taste watery. Im guessing i didnt stir the solution in good enough i wasnt aware that i should have racked onto the priming solution. Live and learn.
Will the other case continue to carb even more if they are not chilled? Ive read people say that once the suger is eaten thats it and they can be left at room temp and others that once you liek the carb to put in frig. I certainly dont want more carb on the bad ones.
I typically make 12-24 gallons at a time, so when I was bottling I had no patience or tolerance for slow- or no-carb problems. I found that racking onto the syrup isn’t enough to ensure even distribution - use a long-handled spoon to gently stir the beer after every 6-12 bottles. And fill at least one PET bottle along with the glass - leave an inch of space at the top, squeeze the sides of the bottle to raise the level to the lip, then cap. As the beer carbs, the level will drop and the bottle will firm up - when you can’t compress it with a hard squeeze, it’s ready to drink.
Carbonation is dependent on sugar and yeast to consume it, so you can chill bottles to knock the yeast out of solution and put them to sleep, but unless you pitched something wild or have an infection, once the bottling yeast is gone they won’t keep carbing.
I’m with Shadetree on the stirring. I just pour the boiled sugar water into the bottling bucket while stirring with my (sanitized) mash spoon - never had a problem with uneven carbonation. Of course, if you bottle too soon there may be some of the beers own sugars remaining, which could lead to bottle bombs. I usually pop a test beer at 2 weeks, but I give normally give them 1 more before I refrigerate. That reminds me: I’ve got an altbier that hits 2 weeks tomorrow. Time to get a test bottle chilled.
