15 replies to this topic

[matt6150]

So I'm getting ready to keg a beer and I wanted to bottle a few bottles at the same time for contests and such. I was thinking of using some carb tabs for these bottles anybody have luck with these and also which brand is better? Do you think this would be the best way to go for what I'm trying to do?

[Deerslyr]

So I'm getting ready to keg a beer and I wanted to bottle a few bottles at the same time for contests and such. I was thinking of using some carb tabs for these bottles anybody have luck with these and also which brand is better? Do you think this would be the best way to go for what I'm trying to do?

I typically bottle 6, just in case I want to give to a friend or enter a competition. I use the Coopers brand and works just fine. Basically a pre-measured lump of hard sugar that will disolve for the yeasties to eat. Sure beats pouring corn sugar in the bottle and not knowing quite for sure if you got the right amount.

[zymot]

I use the Coopers brand and works just fine.

Cooper's drops and Carb Tabs. This is one of those topics that gets both ends of the results and opinion spectrum.Some people swear by them, as evidenced by deerslyr. Some people swear at them and cannot get acceptable results. It has been this way since I started homebrewing 5 years ago.I have never used them, so I have no opinion, one way or the other.So simple, how can they not work? Carb tabs or Coopers can put a fixed amount of sugar in each lump, any home brewer can count 1, 2, 3 or whatever into a bottle and fill up the bottle.Interesting,zymot

[ncbeerbrewer]

I used the Coopers tabs last year when I started kegging. I would as said here bottle about 6-10 and keg the rest. Now I just brew what I can get into a keg and if it turns out well I bottle fill it. I got one for my birthday and even at $70.00 is ensures good carbonation. I used those tabs and each bottle was a toss up, on flat, one like a bomb. I had better luck in my extract days and dissolving 3/4 cup sugar in a bottle bucket. But hey try them and see what you get and if you like. I like Zymot's comments. Good Luck.

[zymot]

I got one for my birthday and even at $70.00 is ensures good carbonation.

One what?

[Deerslyr]

One what?

I'm assuming he means a counter-pressure filler. But I have heard the problem with that is that the carbonation can be lost quicker than bottle priming, so if it's something that would be consumed quickly, I suppose that is fine, but if it needs extensive aging then probably not, right? My buddy has one and he uses it rarely because its a PITA and the carb loss.I will AGREE that batch priming works best for bottles. I have not tried them yet, but the last batch that I did, I batch primed the keg and then filled the bottles (immediately) from the keg. Then both kegs and bottles conditioned. I have hooked up the keg (an IPA) and it is great. Have not had a bottle yet, though maybe I'll toss one in the fridge tonight. I only bottled 4, as I was running low. If it's good, I'll enter the other 3 into a comp. But the batch priming in a keg is only doable if (1) you are willing to wait (I didn't have room in the keggerator, so I knew I could wait) and (2) you are willing to deal with the slurry.

[ncbeerbrewer]

The one was the Blichman Beer Gun. I just keg the beers that I make and if they turn out like I wanted then I consider senting them to a comp. I just bottle a few off the keg. I sent a few samples that were carbed using the tabs and most feedback was overcarbed, bottle bomb. I would rather just counter fill and ensure the carbonation is acceptable than mess with the tabs.

[macbrak]

I've used both. Coopers are annoying because they don't always fit in the neck without some force. Muntons are annoying because you need so many of them (4-6 tabs). I've heard Muntons leave more "stuff" behind when used but I haven't notices it (but I also just switched to them).I'm not convinced that the beer gun or cpbf is the answer due to the mess, beer loss, and carbonation loss at bottling time. You can get perfect carbonation pre-over carbonating the keg. But all these things are a pain for filling a couple bottles for comps or friends.

[Jimmy James]

Has anyone ever tried making up a concentrated solution of corn sugar and just adding to the bottles with a medicine dropper? Just curious if anyone's ever tried this and how it went. Seems like all the ways to prime/carb a few bottles have their drawbacks.

[DubbelEntendre]

I've used the Cooper's and have had mixed results. One comes out fine and the next isn't a bomb, but a geyser. I saw half a bottle of my finest stout spilled on the floor due to one of those bastages.I'ma try the experiment that Jimmy James is suggesting. Simple Syrup and an eye dropper.

[matt6150]

Well I just got done kegging/bottling. I skipped the whole carb tab thing. I ended up taking one gallon of the beer and added 7 teaspoons of priming sugar. I think that should do the trick, we will see what happens.

[Jimmy James]

I've used the Cooper's and have had mixed results. One comes out fine and the next isn't a bomb, but a geyser. I saw half a bottle of my finest stout spilled on the floor due to one of those bastages.I'ma try the experiment that Jimmy James is suggesting. Simple Syrup and an eye dropper.

Bummer to hear about the Stout. I just invested in some kegs and will be bottling a lot less in the future so this topic was on my mind. I think you need something around 2 grams of corn sugar per 12-oz bottle. Check the math though. I am not sure if it's possible to make a 1g/mL solution by dissolving 100g of corn sugar into 100mL of water - but from all the simple syrup recipes I see it's basically just that - one part sugar to one part water. You'd need to then add 2mL of the syrup to each bottle. I will try this in a couple weeks with whatever Kolsch is left after I keg it. Let me know how it goes if you try something like this and if you do double-check my calculation.

[DubbelEntendre]

According to Palmer:113 g of corn sugar should be used to achieve 2.5 volumes of CO2 for a 5 gallon batch.If I am only bottling 1 gallon ~10 12oz bottles I would want to use ~23g of corn sugarTo keep the syrup in proportion Palmer suggests using 473 ml of water, I would use ~95 ml in this case.Each bottle would get 10 ml of the solution to yield ~2.5 volumes of CO2 per bottle.Alternatively, we could do as Palmer suggests and add the syrup to the bottling bucket for a more even distribution of the solution.One way or another I believe we are looking at a solution of23g corn sugar / 95ml water per gallon that we want to bottle.

[Deerslyr]

According to Palmer:113 g of corn sugar should be used to achieve 2.5 volumes of CO2 for a 5 gallon batch.If I am only bottling 1 gallon ~10 12oz bottles I would want to use ~23g of corn sugarTo keep the syrup in proportion Palmer suggests using 473 ml of water, I would use ~95 ml in this case.Each bottle would get 10 ml of the solution to yield ~2.5 volumes of CO2 per bottle.Alternatively, we could do as Palmer suggests and add the syrup to the bottling bucket for a more even distribution of the solution.One way or another I believe we are looking at a solution of23g corn sugar / 95ml water per gallon that we want to bottle.

2.5 volumes seems to be fairly standard for a carbonation level... why not make a fair amount of simple syrup to keep "on hand" for just such occasions? Should keep in the fridge without crystalizing given that it is now "invert sugar". Once I am done with my carb tabs, I may try this.

[Jimmy James]

According to Palmer:113 g of corn sugar should be used to achieve 2.5 volumes of CO2 for a 5 gallon batch.If I am only bottling 1 gallon ~10 12oz bottles I would want to use ~23g of corn sugar

After this point is where my plan diverges. 23g per 128 oz is roughly 2g per 12/oz bottle. I would make a 50/50 sol'n by mass, for example 100g corn sugar in 100mL water. That would basically be a simple syrup, which could be stored and each bottle would get 2mL from a medicine dropper. Your plan to use a more dilute sugar solution should also work. I just happen to have a lot of 2mL medicine droppers due to having a young child in the house so that would be more convenient of a volume for me I think, unless it turns out to be too viscous.

[DubbelEntendre]

After this point is where my plan diverges. 23g per 128 oz is roughly 2g per 12/oz bottle. I would make a 50/50 sol'n by mass, for example 100g corn sugar in 100mL water. That would basically be a simple syrup, which could be stored and each bottle would get 2mL from a medicine dropper. Your plan to use a more dilute sugar solution should also work. I just happen to have a lot of 2mL medicine droppers due to having a young child in the house so that would be more convenient of a volume for me I think, unless it turns out to be too viscous.

I see where you are coming from; I wasn't thinking in terms of sugar by weight. I just ran the numbers and was thinking of solution volume based on Palmer's recommendations.