Bauldy1525230165 Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Hi, some advice please. My first two brews (lager and apple cider) were great. Since then all the bear brews have been lacking in fizz. Am I doing something wrong. Can I reuse the screw lids or do I have to buy new ones everytime. I have also read that sterilization is very important and can prevent fizz. I normanlly sterilize my bottles a few weeks before I bottle. Is this too long beforehand. Pleae help. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 If you're using PET bottles with screw caps, yes, the lids can be re-used no worries. What do you use to sanitise? Some products should be rinsed off, others are no rinse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 This might sound like a silly question but did you remember to prime your bottles with carbonation drops or sugar? I've come close to forgetting to do so on more than one occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Also detergent is a fizz-killer. Not saying that is your problem. Just a process of elimination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bauldy1525230165 Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Hi Muzzy, I used Miltons baby bottle sanitiser and rinsed off afterwards, and yes I did rememeber carbonation drops x 2 for each bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bauldy1525230165 Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 Hi Shamus, I always wash bottles and equipment in detergent but then sterilise after Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 So Bauldy, you have no fizz. Have your bottles been firm or soft? Maybe it's just a matter of tightening the lids a little more. I usually grip the lids with a tea towel to screw them on securely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bauldy1525230165 Posted March 3, 2019 Author Share Posted March 3, 2019 softish. Hard to know how tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Detergent is a foam/head killer not a fizz killer. That said, there are better options for cleaning brewing equipment, an easily obtained one is an unscented nappy soaker. Miltons is basically chlorine bleach although I'd imagine quite diluted. Chlorine kills yeast but if it is rinsed off it shouldn't be a problem. That leaves time, temperature and whether or not the bottles are properly sealed. How long have they been left? What temperature is the area they're stored? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 6 minutes ago, Bauldy1525230165 said: softish. Hard to know how tight. My first few brews I had the odd soft bottle = no fizz. After that I made sure the caps were tighter. I don't have a measure you can go by but I'm 6'1" and 120kgs in weight and I give them a pretty good twist whilst gripping them with a tea towel. So I don't think you have to be too delicate with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worry wort Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 I tighten the buggers up as hard as I can, if the cap fails and goes lose, out it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worry wort Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 heres another quandry, along the lines of the OP. Sometimes I will put a bottle in the fridge and it will be hard, but will soften in the fridge. Same result, no fizz, but the transition happens after its been cooled, any thoughts on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 They soften because the pressure drops when they're chilled but it doesn't really explain why there's no fizz. Unless they haven't been given long enough since being filled and capped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worry wort Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 1 hour ago, Otto Von Blotto said: They soften because the pressure drops when they're chilled but it doesn't really explain why there's no fizz. Unless they haven't been given long enough since being filled and capped. no, don't think that's the cause as it may only be one bottle in every 3 brews, so the rest of the bottles are good, just every now and then this happens and buggered if I know why it loses everything once chilled. Still get the occasional soft bottle before chilling, usually find another 1/8 inch of nip in the lid, give it a shake and hope for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 1 hour ago, worry wort said: usually find another 1/8 inch of nip in the lid, This could be part of the issue. Other people have said the same so I have tried it with some of my PETs. However I could not budge them. In 50plus brews I have only had two PETs come out flat. Chucked the bottles and the caps. I suspect conditioning time and temperature plus caps not tightened with a jack-hammer could be part of the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonPolo Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 4 hours ago, worry wort said: no, don't think that's the cause as it may only be one bottle in every 3 brews, so the rest of the bottles are good, just every now and then this happens and buggered if I know why it loses everything once chilled. Still get the occasional soft bottle before chilling, usually find another 1/8 inch of nip in the lid, give it a shake and hope for the best. This has happened to me. Just one maybe two random bottles for no reason. I thought that I might have missed putting in the drops or the priming sugar but now have a system of separating the bottles after each prime. Plus then then I check the bottom of each bottle to ensure that there is sugar there. Use the tea towel. Still, every now and then; one soft bottle and when opened, totally flat and the top was hard to get off so properly screwed on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 This is an opinion of someone who has never used pets. I presume there is a rubber or silicon ring inside the cap. Would love to see a close up photo of both the inside of a used and a new one. I would say that they have a limited life thats why so many brew shops sell packs of them. First thing i would check however is the bottle, make sure the manufacturing process has given you a bottle with a nice smooth lip, no small ridges etc. If you dont check and you have any burrs on the lip of the bottle, this will tear into the seal and will most likely never seal again. Secondly if priming with sugar, ensure no crystals are left on the bottle lip as again this can potentially tear the seal. Thirdly a bottle top used once will leave an impression on the seal eventually although the cap is tight (thread limit) it will not meet the seal. The carb process will try to push off the cap if it cant do this it will make the bottle hard. Popping a hard bottle in the fridge 2 days before consumption will soften the bottle as co2 is absorbed by the beer as it cools. You cant rush this, ie stick the bottle in the freezer for 2 hours before you drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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