Quick answer needed. Is it safe to bottle

[simonkidder]

I've just bloody sterilised 40 bottles and only just checked the gravity of my coopers wheat beer. It's on 1.020. The main question I have is IS IT SAFE TO BOTTLE IN MY 500ml glass bottles

A quick reply would be appreciated as I'm about to bottle

 

[Chlorate]

I've glass bottled beers at 1020 before and not had any bottle grenades so far.

As with a lot of things though, results do vary.

Make sure the bottles are in a containment vessel of sorts (bin bag in a thick cardboard box would probably do) just in case any of them do decide to go.
Maybe go easy on the priming sugar just in case.

 

[simonkidder]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I took the hydrometer out of the trial jar and gave it a wash under tap cos there was a lot of bubble on it. It then dropped down to 1.013 ish so I've gone ahead and bottled it. I had already primed the bottles with mostly 1/2 to 3/4 tspn sugar and other bottles a quick squeeze of golden syrup( about a tspn) just to see what happens.They are under my loft so if they do go I've not got too much to worry about. Well apart from my mother ripping my head off for spoiling her Christmas decorations. Ha ha.

Thanks again

Simon

Just one other question.

Does coopers wheat beer clear or not??

 

[WelshPaul]

With very few exceptions like Kristallweizen, wheat beers don't clear.

 

[StubbsPKS]

Depends on the yeast they've given you. I did a wheat beer kit when I was brewing kits (Can't remember which brand) and I had a German friend of mine over and she almost refused to drink it because it wasn't cloudy and wheat beer should be cloudy, LOL.

 

[simonkidder]

Will it be ok

Since I bottled it has been left in undervthe attic at about 14-15 deg. Will this be ok to carbonate? How long should I leave it? Will it be ok for Christmas?

 

[shocker]

Really depends on whether it had stopped fermenting at the gravity you measured . The lowness of gravity only tells you the "thickness" of the fluid - if its a thick beer and stays at 1020 for days , well , then it has probably fermented all its going to (bar priming and carbonation) and will be ready to move on . Unless a lower FG is expected/required in which case the ferment may be wanted to be restarted but thats another story entirely !

Since you have gone on and primed it then I think you may want it a little warmer for a week or so to start the carbonation , but this is dependent on the yeast and I have no idea what yeasts are used in wheatbeers , so my advice there is a little ,errm ,suspect (?) :wha:

 

[simonkidder]

It was just the yeast which come with the coopers wheat beer kit. If it makes a difference there is already a nice layer of sediment on the bottom of the bottle. But I'm not sure if this is from secondary fermentation or the beer it's self as it was cloudy and is now quite clear.

 

[shocker]

I dont know what yeast Coopers supply with the kit either ! In fact I dont know what yeast wheatbeer would use if they did supply a specific yeast so I still dont know what to tell you - sorry !

I would bring them into the warm for a while ,a week or so , myself for secondary , and then condition cool ....but I am just guessing . You could try searching Coopers wheat beer and PMing people who have brewed the kit ...???

 

[simonkidder]

Yeah I think I may bring them back into the warm. I opened one last night just to. Heck the fizz and it tasted quite sweet.

I'll keep you posted

 

[StubbsPKS]

Def a bit warmer. You're looking at fermentation temperatures because that's exactly what priming is; You've kicked off another round of fermentation, but with just enough sugar to get the bottle fizzy.

:

 

[shocker]

Also , could the sweetness indicate that your priming sugar has not reacted with the yeast yet ? If so , another telltale to bring into the warm to start the process .

 

[simonkidder]

Well I have put them in the lounge under my mums side table so I'm hoping that they don't go BOOM!!!

To be honest I have mentioned before my mum is very economic the heating so my lounge is probably only about 18-20 deg so let's see what happens.

I'll keep you posted.

It would be nice to hear from anyone else what has brewed the kit