[Growster...]

I've made 18 litres of a dark ale, and bottled it in 9 two-litre plastic cider bottles. I primed each bottle with a heaped tesp of sugar, and sealed it.

The first bottle, after a week, showed hardly any head when decanted, although there was no sign of the sugar! It tastes fine, but of course is nearly flat!

Is it worth re-opening each bottle and priming them again, or would that not work twice?

[Casey76]

Were the bottles firm before you opened one?

[Auntiemogs]

I would be tempted to try it with a couple and leave them somewhere warmish for a few days to see what happens. 

[Growster...]

Were the bottles firm before you opened one?

They were Casey, and the sediment was pretty hard as well - not floating about until the very end.

Those plastic bottles do take a lot of pressure, so I hope they're up to scratch.

I tried a half-litre, and rebottled with some water to make it up, and some more sugar. This will make a weaker mix, but that's not a problem if it works!

[Growster...]

I would be tempted to try it with a couple and leave them somewhere warmish for a few days to see what happens. 

I think I'll do as you advise Auntie, because beer doesn't ever really 'die', although it takes longer to finish of course, which is perhaps not a bad thing if the waistline is approaching hmmmmm proportions...;0)

[thedadtony]

For two litre bottles I usually prime with three and a half teaspoons of sugar, so I would reprime it should be ok,those bottles really can take some pressure.

[Growster...]

For two litre bottles I usually prime with three and a half teaspoons of sugar, so I would reprime it should be ok,those bottles really can take some pressure.

Oh, as much as that!

Thanks Tony - I'll do that!

[crh75]

You don't actually need to prime beer at all!  There is enough sugar for the yeast to slowly do its thing there already.  But whether you do or do not prime you should be leaving the beer for at least 4 weeks to condition and 6 to 8 weeks is better especially for stronger brews.

[Growster...]

You don't actually need to prime beer at all!  There is enough sugar for the yeast to slowly do its thing there already.  But whether you do or do not prime you should be leaving the beer for at least 4 weeks to condition and 6 to 8 weeks is better especially for stronger brews.

I was always impatient CRH! The recipe I had hailed from the early 1970s, and recommended a week to ten days after bottling, with no ale to be left after 6 weeks!

I reprimed them on the w/e, and added 4 tsp white sugar per two litre bottle.

I think that the time could also benefit the flavour as well, as it is a very dark beer, almost the colour of a Guinness stout, but tasting more like a Velvet Stout (if you can remember that)!

It stopped fermenting at 1.006 which is sweeter than I'd have liked, but the bubbles had long since finished, so it was one to get under pressure pretty quick! OG was 1060.

Thanks for your comment - its encouraging!

[Casey76]

7.3% ABV wow... want to be careful with that one Growster!

[Growster...]

7.3% ABV wow... want to be careful with that one Growster!

Nowadays, Casey, I really just like beer in small quants, as the pensionable years just don't allow me to match the good old rugby-gallon days, and that's a good thing of couse...;0)

The recipe is an old 'basic' one I'd used for years back in the seventies, but the malts these days are far superior (Australian too!), to the old SFX and DMS malt of my twenties!

So, it's much smaller amounts these days , more intense flavours and yes, punch, but less of a headache too...!

I reckon to decant each two-litre bottle, drink some of course, and reseal for the next session and place in the fridge! Back then we only had Dry Blackthorn cider bottles - one litre, and we could share one of these comfortably!

[Auntiemogs]

It sounds delicious Growster, I don't suppose there is any chance of a recipe?   

[stompy]

For every 500ml you add half a tsp for ales porters (etc) and a full tsp for lager and cider.
If the bottles are clear keep them out of any sunlight as this can cause the brew to skunk giving off fusty tastes.

Also the yeast will have used all the added sugar up after only 1 week in the bottles, you will be able to tell this by squeezing the bottles and they should be firm to the touch.

As for not having to add sugar to the bottle to carbonate it, well thats actually wrong, if you fermented the brew out correctly the yeast will have used up all the fermentables and will have given you a constant hydrometer reading over 3 days adding no more sugar will  still give you a nice tasteing brew as it will condition in the bottle but it will be flat.

Andy

[Growster...]

For every 500ml you add half a tsp for ales porters (etc) and a full tsp for lager and cider.
If the bottles are clear keep them out of any sunlight as this can cause the brew to skunk giving off fusty tastes.

Also the yeast will have used all the added sugar up after only 1 week in the bottles, you will be able to tell this by squeezing the bottles and they should be firm to the touch.

As for not having to add sugar to the bottle to carbonate it, well thats actually wrong, if you fermented the brew out correctly the yeast will have used up all the fermentables and will have given you a constant hydrometer reading over 3 days adding no more sugar will  still give you a nice tasteing brew as it will condition in the bottle but it will be flat.

Andy

Thank you Andy, this useful!

After trying three bottles, as Auntiemogs says, they were all still unprimed, and pretty well flat.

I'd topped them up with water, and tried again, but no avail, so I've now undone all the bottles, mixed them all again with some new yeast, and it seems to have restarted in a limited way.

I'll take your advice on the teaspooing, and will try two per two-litre bottle.

Its a strange one this, as it's such a basic recipe, (I'll post it Auntie - promise...), there shouldn't really be a problem! It tastes just like a strong stout, but is not lively enough!