Rookie error - Bottle cap not screwed on properly hence low carbonation

[deeve007]

I was happy with the fact I seemed to have got carbonation spot on with a recent batch, but then found the 6th or 7th I opened had super low carbonation, and was wondering how this could be since all bottled at the same time, same amount of sugar ...etc ... and then I noticed the below (the bottle on the right).

Note the plastic ring part from a previous cap still on the bottle below the newer cap, and with me using a new cap with this part still attached it obviously wasn't able to screw down fully, which no doubt meant it wasn't airtight, and hence the lack of proper carbonation. Am I right in presuming this is the most likely cause of this issue?

 

[bruce_the_loon]

Good chance that is the reason. PET screw caps seal in the last quarter turn and you're well above that. Test with a used cap and you'll find it's plenty loose at that position.

 

[deeve007]

I guess it is the kind of mistake to be made as a rookie brewer, live and learn!

 

[deeve007]

Though bad news is I have 5 more litre bottles looking like they have this issue... oh well, such is life...

 

[RM-MN]

Though bad news is I have 5 more litre bottles looking like they have this issue... oh well, such is life...

If you remove the lid to find no carbonation you can simply prime them individually and let the yeast work on that to carbonate them.

 

[deeve007]

If you remove the lid to find no carbonation you can simply prime them individually and let the yeast work on that to carbonate them.

Yes? So open them, add some priming sugar, reseal them avoiding the same issue?

 

[RM-MN]

You have one negative and two things going for you. The negative is that a moment of inattention let you screw on a cap with the plastic ring still in place. The postiives are that you have screw on caps and plastic bottles. If the carbonation isn't completely gone the bottles won't explode, throwing glass everywhere and you can just remove the cap, reprime, and screw the cap back on. It's pretty hard to do that with glass bottles and crown caps. When you remove a crown cap it is usually ruined and requires a new cap to seal.

 

[deeve007]

Yay, re-priming them worked!! Which saved me around 7 litres of beer!!

Appreciate the advice guys, helpful as always!!!

 

[dwhite60]

Awesome!

How did you accomplish re-priming. Inquiring minds.......

All the Best,
D. White

 

[deeve007]

I worked out the volume of beer/bottles that needed to be re-primed (all with this cap issue, opened a couple more and same issue), made up the relevant priming solution volume, added the relevant amount to each bottle, resealed with caps (with the plastic rings removed!). Obviously sanatised everything and everything before, during & after to do all I could to avoid infection. And so far (two bottles tasted) seems to have worked a treat!!

Good to know that some mistakes don't mean wasting all your beer...

 

[dwhite60]

Nice. Glad it worked out for you.

I was wondering if you used sugar cubes, carb/fizz drops, teaspoon of honey or what.

I'm fixing to bottle a batch today in new Cooper's bottles. Learned from my first batch of them, take some pliers and rip off the lock rings before the first use. Just remove the problem from the start.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[deeve007]

I've been using corn sugar.

And from now on I rip off the lock ring on all the caps, to avoid any issues too.

 

[kh54s10]

Or use glass bottles. They are free if you save from commercial beers. Bottle caps are inexpensive and you don't have any ring to worry about. But noobs might have other bottling problems.

 

[deeve007]

This is an easily addressed problem, hence I feel no need to throw the bathtub out as well...

And as you say, a newbie problem of some kind is just that, a mistake you make and learn from quickly. And as it turns out in this instances, without wasting any beer (well, a litre or two discovering the issue).

 

[dwhite60]

Nice. Glad it worked out for you.

I was wondering if you used sugar cubes, carb/fizz drops, teaspoon of honey or what.

I'm fixing to bottle a batch today in new Cooper's bottles. Learned from my first batch of them, take some pliers and rip off the lock rings before the first use. Just remove the problem from the start.

All the Best,
D. White

Got my strong ale bottled this afternoon. I really like the plastic Cooper's bottles and will probably get at least one more case. I can then dump another case of glass 12 ounce bottles.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[deeve007]

Yeah I'm having no issues with the PET bottles I have, apart from when I make a mistake (and much better mistake than a over-carbinated beer bomb in a glass bottle! ).

Brewed a NEIPA today, all went well, so fingers crossed it's a good'un!