Bottling a porter already at 12psi on draft- have question

[flananuts]

I have attempted to try simple bottling of keg beer to growler or 1 liter ez cappers and I always find my beer to be too flat. My english co worker disagrees but that's okay, he's english.

I'm assuming that I need to carbonate up to a higher volume of carbonation before I bottle. Trouble is I don't know how much. My kegerator is at approximately 36 degrees.

Thanks for your thoughts.

flananuts

 

[Yooper]

Are you using a Beergun or a counterpressure filler?

One thought I had is that of course a growler would go flat- it's not going to stay carbed for more than a day or two. But a traditional bottle with cap would stay carbed for months without losing carbonation if bottled properly from the tap.

 

[DKershner]

Sounds like he is just filling...check this out:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun-24678/

 

[flananuts]

I basically fabricated a counter pressure like bottle filler using a stopper and a traditional beer filling cane commonly used on bottling buckers. I've used it and I'm pretty happy with the fill, however I'm not satisfied with the carbonation.

The founder of Smuttynose was at my office and I was smart enough to bring in one of my beers for him to try. He said that the volumes of co2 are traditionally higher in bottle over draft. That's what I'm looking for, what would be the right volume or psi my porter should be at when I bottle.

 

[DKershner]

12psi at 36F is about 2.7 volumes of carbonation. This is high for bottle or draft, typically associated with high carb beers like hefeweizen. If your beers at that pressure are turning out flat, you have a problem with your bottling process, not your pressure.

Have you tried it out of the tap?

 

[flananuts]

I have, maybe my temp is a bit higher, but I keep my beers at 12 psi and the carbonation is good(supposed to be at 2.5 vol.) I'll have to pull a pint and take a temp to see what the temp is in the keg. I have a 2 tap kegerator set up and no problems with the 10 kegs drained through it so far.

 

[flananuts]

Let me clarify, I have not yet bottle filled my porter into a 1L bottle yet, just beers I've poured from the tap into growlers and 1L ez cappers. I'm definitely not flat, but just a bit lower on carbonation, more like a proper english pint.

 

[DKershner]

It is probably your process, but make sure to temp measure the 2nd glass of beer, or to chill the glass in advance.

Sounds like you need help using the BMBF, check out the link I linked earlier and I think there are even videos of people using it. I have one and the carbonation is the same as off the tap, for near a year now.

 

[Yooper]

Let me clarify, I have not yet bottle filled my porter into a 1L bottle yet, just beers I've poured from the tap into growlers and 1L ez cappers. I'm definitely not flat, but just a bit lower on carbonation, more like a proper english pint.

Ah. Well, that would be the difference, then. Once you use the bottle filler/beergun/counterpressure filler, it should fix the problem. Just pouring from the tap "knocks" out the co2. For just a growler that will be consumed in a day or so, a piece of tubing or hose (like brewpubs do) will work ok. But just opening the tap and pouring it in will cause a loss of carbonation.

Once you use the bottle filler (I assume you're talking about the homemade counterpressure filler, if you don't have a beergun), I think you'll see a huge difference. If anything, the porter should be a bit overcarbed at 2.7 volumes.

 

[DKershner]

Once you use the bottle filler (I assume you're talking about the homemade counterpressure filler, if you don't have a beergun), I think you'll see a huge difference. If anything, the porter should be a bit overcarbed at 2.7 volumes.

Yeah, maybe you don't need help with it, you just have to actually use it.

 

[flananuts]

well, I did use it right from the corny when I poured the pale for the founder of smuttynose( yeah he liked my recipe!!!). I tapped it about a week early in order to try it and get advice from Peter. I'll pull some numbers and give 1L pour to start and see how it is. Thanks for the advice.

 

[flananuts]

Okay, quick update. Temp in glass right after pour at 46 degrees. Based on a carbonation chart at 12 psi I'm on the high end of porters and stouts, and on the lower end on ales. That may make sense why I might end up on the low end of carb when transferring ales to bottle from keg.