Does 22 oz. bottles take longer to carb than 12

[cncquinn]

This is my second batch of a 2 gal no boil kit. On my first one I followed the directions all the way and I said to use 1 1/2 tsp. of priming sugar per bottle which in the end the bottles were over carbonated and I used 12 oz bottles. This time I used just a tsp. of sugar and used 22 oz bottles, after 2 weeks of sitting, there is barely pressure in the bottle and very few bubbles. Is this because I'm using bigger bottles, or less sugar, or both? How much longer shall I wait? I didn't have a hydrometer at the time so I don't know the og or fg. Btw I'm not doing the no boil kits anymore and just did a full boil which so far is going as planned

 

[GenIke]

They usually take longer in my experience. You should look into batch priming. It's easier and you get more consistent carbonation.

 

[freisste]

Certainly less sugar in a larger volume of beer will give you less carbonation.

But you are also correct that a larger bottle will take longer to carb up properly.

Three weeks at 70 is the minimum people suggest (yes, it could be ready earlier, but you shouldn't count on it). If using larger bottles, be prepared to wait longer.

 

[Bazaar]

You may find some disagreement on this site, and I've never actually ran any tests, but my experience has shown me that, yes--22 oz bottles do, in fact, take a bit longer to carbonate. I usually leave my bottles conditioning/carbing for 3 weeks. At 2 weeks, if I crack one open to have a look-see, it tends to be ok if it's a 11.2 or 12 oz, but not 22 or even a 16 oz-er. Not sure why, but--like I said--that has been my experience.

To answer your question 3 weeks at 70 degrees is considered the minimum requirement, and if you used any calculator to measure your priming, it should work out by then, for a medium-gravity brew. How long have they been in the bottle?

 

[Revvy]

I have some pints, 22 oz bombers and other sizes that I often use, but since I enter contests I usually also do a sixer or two of standard 12 ouncers for entering. And inevitably the 12 ouncers are done at least a week faster than the larger bottles....some times two weeks ahead of time...

Also the rule of thumb is 3 weeks at 70 degrees for a normal grav 12 ounce bottle....to carb and condition....It takes longer for the yeasties to convert the larger volume in the bigger bottles to enough co2 in the headspace to be reabsorbed back into the solution...A ratio I don't know how much by...

Big Kahuna gives a good explanation here...

Simple. It's the ration of contact area just like in a keg. The c02 will need to pressurize the head space (Which takes LESS TIME) in a bigger bottle (More Yeast and sugar, roughly the same head space) but then it has to force that c02 into solution through the same contact area...thus it takes longer.

Here's some folks who have actually experienced it.

In my experience, a 22-oz container will condition more slowly. This has only been apparent to me with beers that are really slow-conditioning anyway, like my red ale that I screwed up. It had some pretty significant heat-related off flavors that disappeared from the 12-ounce bottles WAY before they left the 22s.

I have done both 12 and 22 oz bottles. About the only difference I have seen is the big bottles take a few days longer to carb. They do save bottling time (less bottles to sanitize,fill,cap). Somehow I seem to run out of beer faster though

I regularly use both 12oz and 22oz bottles with no noticeable taste difference. The 22 ouncers might take longer to carb up but by the time I get around to drinking them I have never noticed a difference.

I always bottle my batches into 2 cases of 22oz bombers and then end up with a little left over that goes into a couple of 12oz bottles. In my experience, the 22oz bottles usually take longer to carb. Sometimes 1 to 2 weeks longer (4 to 5 weeks total bottle conditioning time).

Well here's one to support the 22oz taking longer.

When trying to convince people to not carbonate in growlers, you have talked about the CO2 pressure building up in the headspace and then being absorbed into the liquid. There's the same amount of surface area and volume in the neck of a 22 or 12 ounce bottle. Wouldn't the greater ratio beer to surface area make the CO2 absorb slower in the larger bottle?


edit:
Should of read the whole thread first.
Now I see your BigKahuna quote.

 

[cncquinn]

You may find some disagreement on this site, and I've never actually ran any tests, but my experience has shown me that, yes--22 oz bottles do, in fact, take a bit longer to carbonate. I usually leave my bottles conditioning/carbing for 3 weeks. At 2 weeks, if I crack one open to have a look-see, it tends to be ok if it's a 11.2 or 12 oz, but not 22 or even a 16 oz-er. Not sure why, but--like I said--that has been my experience.

To answer your question 3 weeks at 70 degrees is considered the minimum requirement, and if you used any calculator to measure your priming, it should work out by then, for a medium-gravity brew. How long have they been in the bottle?

They have been in for 2 weeks so far

 

[Bazaar]

Well, since 12 oz bottles are great after 3 weeks, I'd say give your 22 oz bombers another two weeks. They should be fine by then. Patience is difficult, but it's key.

 

[BigJack]

In my experience, a 12 ounce bottle, a 22 ounce bottle, a one-liter bottle, a 2-litter growler, a 2.5 gallon keg, and a 5 gallon keg are all serviceably carbonated in 14 days and properly carbonating in 21 days assuming it isn't an epically strong beer and I prime with an appropriate amount of table sugar or cons sugar at 66-72 degrees. As your amount of flat beer increases, so does your sugar dose and your amount of suspended yeast. So the size of the vessel is immaterial as the factors leading to carbonation scale proportionally.

Now, in terms of conditioning, well, there I might buy a smaller vessel improving faster than a larger one.

 

[cncquinn]

Thanks for all the input, I got one more question, do I really need to store the bottles upside down for a week or so then flip them for the remainder of conditioning. The 2 gal kits said to but not this 5 gal kit I just did Saturday. I really want this to be perfect

 

[Bazaar]

Thanks for all the input, I got one more question, do I really need to store the bottles upside down for a week or so then flip them for the remainder of conditioning. The 2 gal kits said to but not this 5 gal kit I just did Saturday. I really want this to be perfect

Nooope. Lol. I've never even heard of this.

 

[BigJack]

Thanks for all the input, I got one more question, do I really need to store the bottles upside down for a week or so then flip them for the remainder of conditioning. The 2 gal kits said to but not this 5 gal kit I just did Saturday. I really want this to be perfect

I have never heard of this practice and never done it. I don't know anyone who does. So no, it isn't remotely necessary.

 

[cncquinn]

Then I won't do it anymore thanks

 

[Bazaar]

No problem. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[cncquinn]

No problem. Let us know how it turns out!

Will do

 

[BigJack]

Out of curiosity, who made the kit where it tells you to turn the bottles upside down?

 

[trujunglist]

The reason it is telling you to flip and the reason no one has heard of this is because you are priming individual bottles. Flipping is clearly just a way to make sure the sugar is all mixed up. You should batch prime instead anyway if you can.

 

[cncquinn]

Out of curiosity, who made the kit where it tells you to turn the bottles upside down?

It was a mr beer IPA. According to the owner of the brew shop I go to mr beer got bought out by coopers so its a new product

 

[BigJack]

The reason it is telling you to flip and the reason no one has heard of this is because you are priming individual bottles. Flipping is clearly just a way to make sure the sugar is all mixed up. You should batch prime instead anyway if you can.

I prime individual bottles. I've still never heard of this.

 

[BigJack]

It was a mr beer IPA. According to the owner of the brew shop I go to mr beer got bought out by coopers so its a new product

Ah. I haven't read the revised instructions from Coopers. Seems like the old instructions said to turn the bottles upside down and back gently a few times to help get the sugar in solution, but I don't recall anything about storing them that way.

 

[trujunglist]

I prime individual bottles. I've still never heard of this.

OK. Make that because you've not used Mr. Beer kits.

 

[BigJack]

OK. Make that because you've not used Mr. Beer kits.

I own 5 lbks and presently no other fermenters at all. But I've only used one of the new Coopers kits and didn't read the instructions.

 

[cncquinn]

Ah. I haven't read the revised instructions from Coopers. Seems like the old instructions said to turn the bottles upside down and back gently a few times to help get the sugar in solution, but I don't recall anything about storing them that way.

From what I recall it did say to turn gently and store for a week upside down then flip them back. The instructions should have stated to use a secondary cuz it was really cloudy, that may have contributed to the over carb

 

[trujunglist]

I own 5 lbks and presently no other fermenters at all. But I've only used one of the new Coopers kits and didn't read the instructions.

OK. Make that because you didn't read the instructions or figure it out by due process...

 

[BigJack]

OK. Make that because you didn't read the instructions or figure it out by due process...

lol... guilty