I've got a great tasting red ale, with added finishing hops that has
been bottle conditioning for 12 days. It is getting carbonated although
I wish it were a tad more carbonated. The trouble is, there is very
little head. Clean glass, etc. so I'm kind of at a loss. Perhaps a few
more days in the bottle will help?

[BierNewbie]

How much priming sugar and what size batch? 2 weeks is not enough time for bottle conditioning especially if the beer was really clear. Give it 4-5 weeks before you jump off the ledge. I quit the bottle conditioning and started kegging because I couldn't wait. Way less frustration and beer faster and easier. No more bottle washing and priming.

On Jan 25, 12:07 pm, BierNewbie
<BierNewbie.2kz...@usenet.brewtank.com> wrote:[color=blue]
> How much priming sugar and what size batch? 2 weeks is not enough time
> for bottle conditioning especially if the beer was really clear. Give
> it 4-5 weeks before you jump off the ledge. I quit the bottle
> conditioning and started kegging because I couldn't wait. Way less
> frustration and beer faster and easier. No more bottle washing and
> priming.
>
> --
> BierNewbie[/color]

Bier, I used 4 ounces (weighed) of priming sugar in a 5 gal. batch,
which ended up being about 4 3/4 gal. in the secondary. The beer was
fairly clear, being a week in primary, and close to two weeks in
secondary. I can't wait to start kegging. Do you force carbonate?

[hevimees]

Give it time, it'll be a lot better if you wait for a few weeks.

I keg also, my method now is this:

primary in a glass carboy, secondary in a corney keg (Either vent every
few days or allow it to naturally carbonate).
Put the beer at 38f (My kegerator temp) for about 1-2 days on co2 to
settle yeast.
Draw off a glass or 2 until beer is mostly clear.
use a jumper (2 liquid ball locks and a hose) to transfer from secondary
keg to clean/sanitized keg (Better if you pressurize it first).
Hook up keg to kegerator and drink the next day.

This results in fairly clear beer, most of the yeast that settles is
gone in my serving keg. If I am taking a keg to a party I always
transfer off the sediment to a clean/sanitized keg so I don't show up
with cloudy beer.

The major advantages to this are:

1) corney kegs take up less space in a lagering refrigerator/converted
freezer.
2) racking cane is only used once, less chance of infection, and MUCH
easier.

the only disadvantage is you want to have a few kegs around, currently I
have 15.

basskisser wrote:[color=blue]
>
> On Jan 25, 12:07 pm, BierNewbie
> <BierNewbie.2kz...@usenet.brewtank.com> wrote:[color=green]
>> How much priming sugar and what size batch? 2 weeks is not enough time
>> for bottle conditioning especially if the beer was really clear. Give
>> it 4-5 weeks before you jump off the ledge. I quit the bottle
>> conditioning and started kegging because I couldn't wait. Way less
>> frustration and beer faster and easier. No more bottle washing and
>> priming.
>>
>> --
>> BierNewbie[/color]
>
> Bier, I used 4 ounces (weighed) of priming sugar in a 5 gal. batch,
> which ended up being about 4 3/4 gal. in the secondary. The beer was
> fairly clear, b[/color]

eing a week in primary, and close to two weeks in[color=blue]
> secondary. I can't wait to start kegging. Do you force carbonate?
>[/color]

[BierNewbie]

Yeah I force carbonate now but I used to bottle condition. My priming sugar was at 7ml per liter which is about 4 and 2/3 ounce by weight per 5 gallons. Let me know how it is in a couple weeks.

On Jan 25, 10:55 pm, BierNewbie
<BierNewbie.2l0...@usenet.brewtank.com> wrote:[color=blue]
> Yeah I force carbonate now but I used to bottle condition. My priming
> sugar was at 7ml per liter which is about 4 and 2/3 ounce by weight per
> 5 gallons. Let me know how it is in a couple weeks.
>
> --
> BierNewbie[/color]

Will do, I try one every evening! It IS getting better by the day now!

[harsley]

Keep it warm if you want it to carbonate faster. I tend to go closer to 5 oz for a 5 gallon batch...You can get a nice head that way and still have some left in the beer.

[dlihcsnatas]

[QUOTE=basskisser;12771]I've got a great tasting red ale, with added finishing hops that has
been bottle conditioning for 12 days. It is getting carbonated although
I wish it were a tad more carbonated. The trouble is, there is very
little head. Clean glass, etc. so I'm kind of at a loss. Perhaps a few
more days in the bottle will help?[/QUOTE]

Every once in a while I get a batch that just doesn't seem to get a good head on it. Kind of like what you are saying, there is just a very small amount ouf head usually around the edge of the glass. Other times I get a nice thick foamy head that lasts the entire duration of the mug. I have researched this on the web and there are various theories as to what causes wimpy head. One is temp variations while ferminting and another is bittering hops.

Temp variations are supposedly a culprit because it makes for weak yeast and can cause yeast cell count to be irratic. When bottled the yeast is not strong enough to really cause that head power that healthier yeast can produce. At least that is one theory.

Hops are said to do more than just bitter a beer. Supposedly if the hops are fresh and have just the right chemical balance they can make or break a good head. Again this appears to be nothing more than theory.

From previous posts I would take it that some are saying it all has to do with how well the beer is carbinated and by kegging you are guaranteed good head. I have been a bottle man for years and have a batch ferminting that will be going into my first keg in about 2 weeks. Bad part is that from my past experience if this batch gets a good head, is it from the keg or would it have had good head even if I had bottled? Only time will convince me of the CO2 theory.

If after many batches in kegs ALL coming out with nice heads then I may jump on the band wagon and say, "Yep it is all about good carbination that makes a good head". Untill then I still have yet to hear anyone with a definate answer on the subject. Even left a post on it once. Not sure if anyone ever replied but will be checking here soon to see.

Le Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:07:45 -0500, BierNewbie a écrit*:
[color=blue]
>
> How much priming sugar and what size batch? 2 weeks is not enough time for
> bottle conditioning especially if the beer was really clear. Give it 4-5
> weeks before you jump off the ledge. I quit the bottle conditioning and
> started kegging because I couldn't wait. Way less frustration and beer
> faster and easier. No more bottle washing and priming.[/color]

There is one thing that hasn't been mentioned, except if I have missed
something. I am thinking of the gap between the top liquid level and the
cork (I mean the bottle cap). Since the amount of CO2 is not that huge,
the pressure may vary according to the volume that is available for
expansion.

In commercial beers sold in capped bottles, especially with Belgian
Trappist beers, one can find noticeable differences in taste, head etc...
from one bottle to the next, since the gap between upper level and cap is
not exactly the same. It also depends upon the yeast deposit, whether or
not it has settled all ageing time in the bottom. It also depends upon
storage temperature...