This may just be a fluke but it seems like every time I bottle condition a porter, it carbs much faster and I get a lot more carbonation than I do from my paler beers using the same amount of priming sugar and same conditioning temps. Just wondering if there is something in the darker malts that would cause this?
I haven’t experienced that…then again, I do bulk age beers such as porter (in keeping with tradition).
Just guessing here…but given that you have no such problems with your other beers, infection is not likely the issue. It could just be that your porter has not totally fermented out, and as a result there could be a continuing fermentation going on in the bottle. If that’s the case, since you’re adding priming sugar as well, that could explain the quick carbing and extra foam.
How many weeks into the process are you bottling the stuff?
Nope, nothing that would have to do with darker malts. Maybe you’re not getting as complete a fermentation? Dunno, could be due to a number of things or maybe just a coincidence.
ETA: Great minds, Al!
I’ve only done 2 porters and the first one was the bourbon barrel porter from our host. This was in primary for 3 weeks, secondary for 2 weeks, and was fully and perfectly carbed in about 1.5 weeks. The most recent beer I just bottled is a recipe I designed and was in primary for 3 weeks and then bottled. It hasn’t even been a week and the PET bottle I use to judge carbonation has already developed a good amount of carbonation. Not fully carbed yet but I anticipate this having about the same timeline as my previous porter.
I’m pretty sure they were both fully fermented. The bourbon barrel porter finished a bit high but that is expected with the low attenuation of danstar windsor. My most recent porter I used US-05 and it finished around 1.010 in about a week so I don’t think we’re looking at a stalled fermentation.
My experience with carbonation has been the biggest pain in my short time as a brewer. It is the most variable piece which I feel I have very little control over. The obvious answer is to start kegging but I don’t have any room in my house for a keezer/keggerator. That will have to wait till I buy a new house in a few years.
Yeah, I agree that bottling can be real variable. Even when you take into account all the common reasons, it still often doesn’t make sense!
