Carb drops question. Help a newbie out

[Brewski169]

Hi all.

First time poster, been lurking since I started brewing a few months back

Brand new to the hobby and having tons of fun! Only using kit's for now to learn about it all.

So far I've done 3 brews. The one that came with my starter kit (Derby Spire IPA), a Coopers Draught and a cider recipe I found on Facebook brew group.

Stuck the IPA in a King Keg and bottled the Coopers and cider. IPA was delicious even though I had all sorts of problems with a leaking kk cap (the cap was fine outta the box, dickhead here broke it while putting it together!) Bought a new cap with valve already installed and leak was fixed, drank the IPA as it tasted really nice if a little flat.

Anyhoo!

When I bottled the Coopers, I used 2 Easybrew Carb Drops per 500ml PET plastic bottle. I ran out of drops so used normal table sugar for 5 bottles. The carb dropped bottles hardly carbed up at all while the table sugar ones have plenty of fizz and keep a really nice creamy head.

Was it something I done? Did I not screw the caps on these bottles tight enough and its just a coincidence maybe? Will I just stick to sugar in future?

PS Used carb drops in the cider bottles too and they're also flat

Cheers

 

[DavidDetroit]

You would have had equal number of uncarbed bottles between the sugar and the drops if it was the caps. Maybe the drops didn't dissolve or it wasn't enough though two is pretty usual for 500ml. I would compare the two amounts.
People here do have good results with table sugar and it's cheaper.

 

[An Ankoù]

Don't waste your money on carb drops. Just use sugar all the time.

 

[Brewski169]

Cheers guys.

Delighted I stocked up on them last shop :tinhat:

 

[scomet]

G’day Brewski, after many years I still use carb drops! mainly for convenience, 2 drops should be perfect for a well carbonated 500ml beer, I do find they can be difficult to dissolve. I will always take my pets’ and give them a good shake once per days for 3 days, if you dont you can see the drops still intact in the base of the clear pets’ I use clear 1250ml soda bottles for my excess from kegging - Cheers

Triumph Brewing tip #1 - Clean and sanitise like your life depends on it…..

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Useful info here

https://www.brewersfriend.com/2020/09/24/priming-sugar-101-how-to-how-much-and-when-to-use/
and then use their very simple calculator

https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/
I tend to dissolve the sugar ( whatever type ) in boiled water and then let it cool. Squirt the required amount into each bottle and then fill them.
ie if 10 g sugar per bottle and 20 bottles, place 200 g sugar into measuring jug and top up to 200ml with boiling water dissolve it and then it's 10 ml per bottle.

The sugars mix in as the bottle is filled. Leave in a warm about 20 celsius out of light for a couple of weeks. Then cool one bottle and sample. If not carbed enough leave another week.

Remember that a box full of bottles will not all get to the same temp that quickly.