Bottle Priming

[ScousePints]

Hello everybody. My first post so go easy on me.

I know this has been spoken about a couple of time since previously, but I couldn't find a direct answer for my situation.

My wilkos cerveza will be ready in a few days and I intend to bottle the lot in 500ml brown glass bottles with crown caps.

What is the best possible method for priming for carbonation?

I was imitally going to use carbonation drops for ease of use as this will be my first brew. Anybody had any experience with these? How many to use?

Others have told me to also use dextrose in the bottle or rack it into another FV and batch Prime it.

Cost isn't really a factor for my first brew as I want to make sure everything is fool propf as much as possible. But I also want to look at what is cheaper in the long run as carbonation drops are pretty pricey.

I look forward to your responses. Thanks in advance!

 

[Norfolk79]

When I started brewing I used carbonation drops in pet bottles (as that's what came with the coopers kit), but then moved onto batch priming in a second FV. Now I keg my beers, and so have gone back to carbonation drops for the 6 or so bottles which don't fit in the keg.

 

[pvt_ak]

Batch prime in a second FV is the easiest method for me using normal sugar.




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[Cwrw666]

Normal table sugar. Half a teaspoon in each bottle. Slightly more if it's something other than ale or will be refrigerated before drinking.

 

[MickDundee]

I bought a spoon scale off eBay and use Brewer’s Friend to work out how much sugar to use. I use a small funnel in each bottle to transfer.

 

[simon12]

If you already have carbonation drops just use them, otherwise add the sugar dissolved in the minimum boiling water to dissolve it to a spare fv then add the beer ontop and rack to bottles. You can add the sugar to the bottles but its less consistent.

 

[ScousePints]

That's brilliant, thanks everybody!

Has anybody got any idea how many drops to use? It's rumoured around 1.5 drops per 500ml. Just wanting to triple check as I don't want any bombs going off haha

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Has anybody got any idea how many drops to use? It's rumoured around 1.5 drops per 500ml. Just wanting to triple check as I don't want any bombs going off haha

Have a look at this - (make sure you read post 6) https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/carbonation-drops.70317/
.

 

[ScousePints]

Have a look at this - (make sure you read post 6) https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/carbonation-drops.70317/
.

That's great! Thanks for the link

 

[RichK]

For a very first attempt, I'd be happy to say just use carbonation drops. 2 per 500ml bottle worked for me. It's slightly more expensive but it's all pre-measured & simple etc. I did try measuring sugar into each bottle but it got a bit messy & didn't really work for me.

Longer term, I'd be inclined to look at batch priming in a second FV (bottling bucket), probably with a tap & bottling stick. I tend to use dextrose as that works for me but others use table sugar. You need to try different methods & find what works for you.

 

[ScousePints]

For a very first attempt, I'd be happy to say just use carbonation drops. 2 per 500ml bottle worked for me. It's slightly more expensive but it's all pre-measured & simple etc. I did try measuring sugar into each bottle but it got a bit messy & didn't really work for me.

Longer term, I'd be inclined to look at batch priming in a second FV (bottling bucket), probably with a tap & bottling stick. I tend to use dextrose as that works for me but others use table sugar. You need to try different methods & find what works for you.

Really helpful comment! Thank you!

Should be ready for bottling soon, starting to get a consistent FG reading and no action in the airlock. I'll use 2 carb drops, and let you know how I get on

 

[RichieBeer]

A small funnel and a measuring spoon and I can prime 40 bottles in a couple of minutes flat.

I've tried batch priming in secondary fv and thinks that's more effort, esp washing up, with no better result.

 

[ScousePints]

A small funnel and a measuring spoon and I can prime 40 bottles in a couple of minutes flat.

I've tried batch priming in secondary fv and thinks that's more effort, esp washing up, with no better result.

That's good to know! This is definitely what I'm thinking to do on my next brew

 

[Horners]

Has anyone considered appropriating sachets of sugar from coffee shop/ cafe etc. I imagine that they would all be the same amount give or take so consistent amount? I have normally batch primed in bottling bucket, but when only doing say 8 pint bottles with balance going in a keg it seems a bit of a faff. Last time I did the handful of bottles using a syringe of boiled sugar solution but then got distracted forgot which ones I had already done.....

 

[lancon]

One method of batch priming that doesn't involve bottling FV is to add the dissolved sugar (in boiling water) to the FV the day before, giving the sugar time to mix through by itself.

 

[Drunkula]

Last time I did the handful of bottles using a syringe of boiled sugar solution but then got distracted forgot which ones I had already done.....

And that's why batch priming was invented.

 

[ElvisIsBeer]

I've had a couple of batches that were overprimed recently. Sloppiness on my part. The last batch was deliberately underprimed. I've got a pleasant tingle of fizz, but no head. I suppose the next lot might be on the money (or not). I've switched to batch priming - so much easier.

 

[MmmBeer]

I have started using one of these to prime in the bottle.

It delivers a measured dose every time and when I poured 10 doses onto my weighing scale, it weighed 28g, i.e. 2.8g per dose. Far quicker than making a syrup and sterilising additional FV's and no need for a funnel.

 

[RichieBeer]

That's good to know! This is definitely what I'm thinking to do on my next brew

Just need to make sure you don't get the end of the funnel wet. If you do the sugar starts to stick and clog up the funnel

 

[Mavroz]

A small funnel and a measuring spoon and I can prime 40 bottles in a couple of minutes flat.

I've tried batch priming in secondary fv and thinks that's more effort, esp washing up, with no better result.

Noob here, interesting read.
May I ask what size measuring spoon you use to dose the dextrose direct to the bottle please? (How much do you put in each bottme?)I am presuming we are talking 500ml bottles.
Thank you.

Edit .. forgot to say it is an ale/beer I am attempting, not a lager.