Carbonation Questions on Scottish Ale

[StickWaver]

Hey all,

Recently brewed up a 80 shilling Scottish Ale from Palmer's "Brewing Classic Styles", bottled it on March 17th. I've also been trying out Northern Brewer's iBrewmaster iPad app to keep track of everything; before this batch, everything has been smooth sailing.

Problem is, in this batch - when I followed the carb calculator, it left me with flat beer; it's sadder in the fact that the brew is really my best ever. Great taste, no off flavors... just flat.

So, in short (too late!) - I have two questions:

1. Did I misread/misuse the carb calculator (I've attached a pic) and add too little priming sugar? [Ok, in hindsight - of course I added too little sugar; I'm interested in learning how I did wrong so I don't again.]

2. Can I fix this by adding a carb tab to each bottle? I know that this runs the risk of overcarbing, but I can live with that.

Thoughts?

 

[wyoast]

Wow!! Ive never seen that piece of software but what really strikes me is the low low carbonation level that it suggests.. I usually stick with between 3-5 oz per 5g batch.. (3oz on the lower side,,porter,stout ect,, 5oz on the higher side,,cream ale,blond ect,,) What did you bottle in? glass with caps? PET bottles with screw tops? Grolsch bottles with flip tops?

 

[dannypo]

I think you probably have it right. Those styles are pretty low on carbonation.

 

[StickWaver]

Wow!! Ive never seen that piece of software but what really strikes me is the low low carbonation level that it suggests.. I usually stick with between 3-5 oz per 5g batch.. (3oz on the lower side,,porter,stout ect,, 5oz on the higher side,,cream ale,blond ect,,) What did you bottle in? glass with caps? PET bottles with screw tops? Grolsch bottles with flip tops?

Glass with Oxygen barrier caps (grabbed them by mistake at the shop and didn't notice until I got home)

 

[homebrewdad]

That's pretty true to style, according to some guidelines, but 1.15 volumes is FLAT beer. I personally don't carb anything to less than 1.5, and even that is pretty flat.

 

[wyoast]

Glass with Oxygen barrier caps (grabbed them by mistake at the shop and didn't notice until I got home)

The caps are good..I was kinda hoping you bottled in Grolsch style or PET screwtops..It woulda made it easier, you possibly coulda put a carb tab in each then (in theory) burp the o2 out once it started to carb up...but since its capped bottles?? got me man..sorry I couldnt help. I'm sure one of the more experienced guys will catch this thread and be able to help

 

[homebrewdad]

You can always uncap, add sugar, and recap.

 

[brewmaster12]

I don't think it's undercarbed, but only 1.15 vol is a very low carb. Scottish styles tend to lean towards very little carb. Also, how long has it been since you bottled? 3 weeks is a minimum time and that style could take up to 8 to fully carb

 

[StickWaver]

You can always uncap, add sugar, and recap.

That is my tentative plan; I just want to make sure that adding a carb tab won't turn them into bottle bombs. Since I'm not the first to make this mistake, I hoped maybe someone would come along and say "I did that too, and didn't die."

Like I said, the beer is damn good.

 

[Wynne-R]

That’s the difference between ‘to style’ and ‘to taste’. Scottish 80 is “low- medium carb”, BJCP.

Too high is better than too low. In competition too high will cost you a point or two, too low will cost you ten or twenty. As long as you can pour it in the glass you’re doing OK.

I’m with ‘Dad. 1.3 is crazy low. A whole tab is too much though, I’d go a half. Shoot for medium.

 

[StickWaver]

I don't think it's undercarbed, but only 1.15 vol is a very low carb. Scottish styles tend to lean towards very little carb. Also, how long has it been since you bottled? 3 weeks is a minimum time and that style could take up to 8 to fully carb

I bottled on March 17th, so it'll be 5 weeks this coming Sunday.

As for the 1.15, I thought that I would aim for the middle of the (given) range; in hindsight probably should have just gone for the upper end.