Another Priming Question...

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Binkie Huckaback
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Another Priming Question...

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Mon Jun 13, 2022 1:15 pm

...This time regarding volumes of CO2. So, I have a smoked beer that I want to bottle rather than keg, as it's only the kind of beer I'll have once in a while. It's in a Grainfather conical fermenter with one of the Malt Miller's pressure transfer kits attached. It didn't really occur to me until I added some CO2 while taking the final sample that with beer that is probably more carbonated than if I'd just used an airlock, I'm going to have to be careful with priming. The upside is I know that the beer is at 5 PSI (or at least should be, as that's what the PRV on the transfer kit is rated at and it hissed at me when I added CO2 to take a sample).

I've had a quick look around the internet and found the beer should be carbonated to about 2.5 volumes and on the Brewer's Friend website, found a priming calculator, which tells me that I need 3g of DME per 500ml of beer as per the image below.

Image

I'm not quite sure how to adjust the level of priming though. To compound matters, I've cold crashed the beer to 4c and the calculator lists the following caveat regarding cold crashing:

"However, if the beer was cold crashed, or put through a diacetyl rest, or the temperature changed for some other reason... you will need to use your judgment to decide which temperature is most representative. During cold crashing, some of the CO2 in the head space will go back into the beer. If you cold crashed for a very long time this may represent a significant increase in dissolved CO2."

does anyone have a formula or suggestion as to what I need to do?
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Re: Another Priming Question...

Post by Cobnut » Mon Jun 13, 2022 4:18 pm

If it still at 5psi and 4C and stable, you should be able to use a keg carbonation table to tell you how many volumes of CO2 are in the beer. You may not need to prime.
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Re: Another Priming Question...

Post by IPA » Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:14 am

What is the gravity ?
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Binkie Huckaback
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Re: Another Priming Question...

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Tue Jun 14, 2022 10:23 am

Thanks guys. @IPA the gravity is 1.019. What I need to know is how to work out the number if volumes difference between the CO2 already in the beer and the volumes I need for correct carbonation. I should then be able to work out how much DME I need to prime each bottle.

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Re: Another Priming Question...

Post by IPA » Wed Jun 15, 2022 7:14 am

Binkie Huckaback wrote:
Tue Jun 14, 2022 10:23 am
Thanks guys. @IPA the gravity is 1.019. What I need to know is how to work out the number if volumes difference between the CO2 already in the beer and the volumes I need for correct carbonation. I should then be able to work out how much DME I need to prime each bottle.
What was the initial gravity ? Until you you are sure that fermentation has finished it is pointless trying to work out priming levels
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip

It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)

Alone we travel faster
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( In an admonishing email from our golf club)

Binkie Huckaback
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Re: Another Priming Question...

Post by Binkie Huckaback » Wed Jun 15, 2022 11:40 am

I'm pretty sure it has finished fermenting. The OG was 1055 and according to the recipe, the FG should be 1014, though according to the Grainfather software it should have finished at 1012.Iit's been sat at 1019 for over a week.

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Re: Another Priming Question...

Post by IPA » Fri Jun 17, 2022 7:10 am

Binkie Huckaback wrote:
Wed Jun 15, 2022 11:40 am
I'm pretty sure it has finished fermenting. The OG was 1055 and according to the recipe, the FG should be 1014, though according to the Grainfather software it should have finished at 1012.Iit's been sat at 1019 for over a week.
At 5°C at top working years with take a long time to reach expected final gravity. Increase temp to 20°
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip

It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)

Alone we travel faster
Together we travel further
( In an admonishing email from our golf club)

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