when to bottle.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 9:12 pm

g'day.
I've had a coopers lager with a brew enhancer one (nice and simple for summer) fermenting since the 20th. My OG was 1034 and yesterday and today I got SG readings of 1012.
The temp was initially 23* but after two days (and a lot of fermentation activity) I dropped it to 20-21 where it's been since.

As I have had the same gravity readings for 2 days in a row I'm thinking I should bottle but it doesn't sound like it has dropped much at all. Could this be the extra body that the brew enhancer is meant to give it? (I read that this enhancer turns it into a midstrength beer and my calculations have it at around 3% now)

So what do you think, bottle or leave it? It wouldb't usually bea problem as I would just check it again in 24 hours but as of tomorrow morning im away for about 48 hours (yeh I know, might bea bit late to be asking now.)

Thanks.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 9:23 pm

also, I'm thinking of lagering (or cold conditioning, whichever term you prefer) about half my batch once bottled (I don't have a secondry fermenter to rack to). I'm thinking about 3 or 4 weeks would do it. Any tips? (I ran a search and this seems to be about right, jsut thought I'd confirm).

Thanks again.

Post by **Oliver** » Monday Sep 26, 2005 11:09 pm

Hmmmm. If your OG was really 1034, I'd be expecting a final gravity below 1010, assuming 75% attenuation (i.e. sugar consumption by the yeast).

It's not going to hurt if you leave if for a day or two more. In fact, if it has finished fermenting, this will give it a chance to clear.

Better to bottle a little late than too early.

And yes, by all means cold condition after bottling. Some here will say it won't make a scrap of difference, but from experience I think it does. Go for four to six weeks, if you can wait that long

Cheers,

Oliver

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wednesday Sep 28, 2005 2:22 pm

i have checked it again today and the SG is still at 1012.
I'm thinking of bottling this afternoon but do you think it may still have a bit of fermentation left in it? I gave it a stir before I left yesterday morning and raised the temp up to about 23-24 to try and kick things along (incase it had settles or stalled) but it's still the same.

Cheers.

porridgewog · Post by **porridgewog** » Wednesday Sep 28, 2005 2:56 pm

I have made several coopers lagers that have all stayed about the 1010 - 1012 range and all turned out to be acceptable apre mowing beers. As long as your fermenter has a good seal then you could (as I have done on many occasions) leave the brew in there for 14 days before bottling. Also I have never tried cold conditioning myself, but a mate swears by it. He allways cold conditions his Lagers for 3-4 weeks. Hope this helps.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wednesday Sep 28, 2005 6:13 pm

well it's starting bubbling through the airlock every now and then and the lid is condensated right up so it looks like fermentation has started again.
When it does come time to bottle how many carbonation drops should i drop into each 650ml longneck? The packet calls for 1 carbonation drop per 375ml (so i for a stubby, 2 for a 750ml longneck). Should I mash some up and drop in about one and a half per 650ml bottle or should I just put two in and not worry about it? My onmly concern with this is overcarbonating my brew.

Cheers.

insomnia · Post by **insomnia** » Wednesday Sep 28, 2005 6:30 pm

Yeah i'd put 1 + 1/2 because if you overcarbonate your bottle could explode.

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 8:42 am

Anonymous wrote:well it's starting bubbling through the airlock every now and then and the lid is condensated right up so it looks like fermentation has started again.
When it does come time to bottle how many carbonation drops should i drop into each 650ml longneck? The packet calls for 1 carbonation drop per 375ml (so i for a stubby, 2 for a 750ml longneck). Should I mash some up and drop in about one and a half per 650ml bottle or should I just put two in and not worry about it? My onmly concern with this is overcarbonating my brew.

Cheers.

650ml longneck? What dat?

You may be better off bulk priming, guest. 6-7g of dex per litre, dissolved in warm water & stirred through the brew.

Simo · Post by **Simo** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 10:11 am

Well I'm guest (but a different simo to the one who made the topic about bubbling airlocks).
I got a box of 28 'longnecks' for 12 bucks but each is only 650ml compared to the usual 750ml. I didn't think this was a big problem as I'd be able to crush up some priming drops or just use sugar.
Bulk priming isn't an option as I don't have a second tub/fermenter to rack to plus I want to cold condition about half of this brew to see what the difference is.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 10:17 am

I would bulk it anyway. If you did it tonight you could bottle first thing tomorrow and you wouldn't loose a lot of CO2 but the brew would have settled again.

Just an off the cuff idea, I have found particulate and spent yeast will drop out right quick, in fact I have seen my beers stratify

The additional alcohol wouldn't harm the cold conditioning side, especially if it has the air lock on.

I might add, I don't support this method of bottling half and then conditioning the rest. Bottle all at one go and condition the bottles.

Dogger

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 10:38 am

Simo,
If you can't/don't want to bulk prime, use sugar or dex in a priming scoop, not crushed carb drops- you will get a more consistent measure.

Post by **Oliver** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 11:24 am

UC1,

Unfortunately 650ml longnecks are becoming quite common. Some bottles you can buy from homebrew shops are this size.

For homebrewers it's an inconvenient thing, as some are discovering.

For traditionalists it's not a good thing, as two 375ml stubbies are 750ml. Although two of the newer 330ml bottles are 660ml, which is near enough to a 650ml longneck.

I've always liked the fact that a standard batch of homebrew gives you 30 (750ml) longnecks/60 (375ml) stubbies.

Oliver

two headed brewer · Thursday Sep 29, 2005 11:42 am

Simo,
nobody suggested it, so I will. Go to the "Store" and look up the "Liquid Bottle Primer" post. If your not moving to Bulk Priming this may suit your needs. Give me a yell and I can give more details.

Bally

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 12:07 pm

I've looked at 640ml longnecks as an option (e.g. those sold by brewcraft). The upside is they will fill a pint glass, leaving just the dregs in the bottle. The downside is they aren't free, or at least don't come wrapped around something loosely labelled as beer

Tony

gregb · Post by **gregb** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 12:09 pm

In defence of the 640's I like them - one is just perfect on a school night where one stubby (330, 345, 375ml etc) leaves me thirsty, but two stubbs or a 750 is a little more than I needed.

Cheers,
Greg

Ilike'emfizzy · Post by **Ilike'emfizzy** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 1:00 pm

Simo,
I havent had a lager complete fermentation in under 13 days. But my temps have been lower. But still, I think you should give it a few more days.
As for cold conditioning, I have had a batch of Coopers pilseners cold conditioning for 4 weeks, and they have just come good..... they have been as flat as beer cordial until just recently.
But it has been worth the wait.

Also, i like em fizzy (obviously) so I think 2 drops per 640 bottle is fine.
Ive put 3 drops per 750ml in my last batch of Wheat beer, and no explosions yet. They are still very flat after 2 weeks.

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 3:28 pm

Like em Fizzy,
After 2 weeks with 3 carbonation drops in each long neck, you probably wouldn't get any exploding (depending on temp.) however the longer you leave them the more you run the risk of mini bombs going off.

I'd drink them pretty fast, the longer you leave them the pressure will increase, I would seriously err on the side of caution.

2 Carbonation drops in a long neck left for 2 weeks (in low - mid 20's)should be sufficient to give a good amount of fizz and head, left for longer they will condition better.

Just wouldn't like anyone to get serious hurt.
Cheers
AC

Simo · Post by **Simo** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 3:56 pm

I bottled this arvo as my SG hadn't dropped (so maybe the increased temp incerased the pressure and didn't kick start fermentation, hence the bubbling airlock).
For my 650ml's I put in 1 and a half carbonation drops. I got some on a chopping board, covered with gladwrap and gave them a slight whack with a heavy marble rolling pin. Most split right in half or into decent sized pieces so I think each long neck will have close to the right amount of sugar.
In total I bottled a slab of stubbies of 15 long necks (I put 14 of the stubbies and 7 of the longnecks in the fridge for cold conditioning). I'm planning to cold condition for 4-5 weeks, pull em out of the fridge and leave them for at least another 2-3 weeks.

Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 5:19 pm

gregb wrote:In defence of the 640's I like them - one is just perfect on a school night where one stubby (330, 345, 375ml etc) leaves me thirsty, but two stubbs or a 750 is a little more than I needed.

I have some and I completely agree. They are also a good size for me to pour into two of my beer glasses to share with a friend.

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Thursday Sep 29, 2005 7:38 pm

Tyberious Funk wrote:
gregb wrote:In defence of the 640's I like them - one is just perfect on a school night where one stubby (330, 345, 375ml etc) leaves me thirsty, but two stubbs or a 750 is a little more than I needed.
I have some and I completely agree. They are also a good size for me to pour into two of my beer glasses to share with a friend.

My only problem with them is that they are too tall.
They only fit on one shelf in my beer cupboard and poke their heads out of crates so you can't stack em'