Tiny Rebel Cwtch - 2 quick bottling questions

[muppix]

Afternoon folks, trust Sunday's treating you well? I'm planning to bottle Cwtch today and want to ask two quick questions to sense-check my decision:

1. There's still signs of fermentation from the airlock. Is it OK to bottle now?
2. I plan to use carbonation drops. How many should I add to each bottle?

To give some background, I started primary on 5th November at 1.048 OG. Finishing hops were added 4 days later as instructed on 9th November, SG = 1.011. The included booklet went on to say I should be ready to bottle 4-6 days later when fermentation is finished, and when I checked on 15th November the SG was still 1.011, so it's probably done. But it kept bubbling every couple of minutes, so I left it alone instead of bottling. I measured it again yesterday having given it 6 days more than instructed, and SG is now 1.010, though that 0.001 would be a reasonable error margin when it comes to my use of a hydrometer. And yet it keeps bubbling, albeit once every 6 or 8 minutes. I'm happy with the expected 4.99%, but I don't want to risk bottling it with an unknown quantity of CO2 yet to be produced.

On the subject of carbonation, the kit calls for a teaspoon of light spraymalt for each pint bottle, but all I have are carbonation drops; Cooper's variety where 1 drop is aimed at one 350ml bottle, and Fox's where 2 drops are aimed at one 500ml bottle. My gut feeling is to use one Cooper's drop per 500ml crown cap since Cwtch probably isn't meant to be all that fizzy, and I may yet gain some carbonation from the bubbling. I'm afraid that if I use two Fox's drops I'll end up with something that's too fizzy for this style of beer, or exploding bottles.

As always, any feedback / advice is gratefully received!

 

[GhostShip]

It sounds like it’s done. The rule is normally if you get the required hydrometer reading twice in two days, then you’re good to go. Just make sure you leave some head space between the top of the bottle and the top of the beer.

Unless you like very fizzy beer, one carbonation drop per bottle works perfectly. I’ve used one drop in the last three brews I’ve done (500ml bottles) and the carbonation has been perfect.

 

[muppix]

That's great to hear @GhostShip, thanks. Out of interest, was your one carbonation drop one of those aimed at 375ml bottles, or the two-for-500ml variety?

 

[GhostShip]

That's great to hear @GhostShip, thanks. Out of interest, was your one carbonation drop one of those aimed at 375ml bottles, or the two-for-500ml variety?

I think it’s one for a 350ml bottle or 2 for a 750ml bottle. That leaves most of us who use 500ml bottles needing to cut a carbonation drop in half! I find one drop is perfect. For future reference, why don’t you do the majority with one drop, but do a few with 2 drops and mark those bottles with a piece of tape or something? Then you can compare the two and make your choice for future brews, depending on your preference.

 

[muppix]

I think it’s one for a 350ml bottle or 2 for a 750ml bottle. That leaves most of us who use 500ml bottles needing to cut a carbonation drop in half!

Almost. I did find one brand of carbonation drops that are slightly smaller, and advise two drops for a 500ml bottle, but as I've not used them to completion I don't know what level of carbonation that 500ml bottle will have. What may be appropriate for Cider or Perry may not suit a Welsh Red.

I find one drop is perfect. For future reference, why don’t you do the majority with one drop, but do a few with 2 drops and mark those bottles with a piece of tape or something?

Yep, I did exactly that. Each bottle is labelled with a QR code and a unique number. Scan the code with your phone and you end up at a page that gives the entire history of the brew, with the latest entry being:

Bottled Cwtch​

No change in gravity, so bottling today with FG of 1.010, 36 standard brown purchased crown cap 500 ml bottles in total:​

• 15 bottles with one Cooper’s carbonation drop for 375 ml (bottles #1 – #15)
• 21 bottles with two Fox’s carbonation drops for 500 ml (bottles #16 – #36)

I’m storing these in the brewery at 22 ℃ until Wednesday 25th November at which point they’re going into the garage for a couple of weeks.​

The ratio of 15:21 is a complete thumb-in-the-air guess of how I think it might turn out - my gut feel is that the single drop (aimed at 375ml bottles) will be more appropriate, but then again you can always turn fizzy beer into flat beer easily enough.

 

[GhostShip]

And there was me suggesting you stick a bit of tape on a bottle to mark it out!