Bottle Carbonation - Your thoughts?

Optomod asked me a question after watching my Bulk Priming video on Youtube


"Hey Gash great vid. Does this work just as well if you have left brew in the primary for 2-3 weeks do you know?" - Optomod

Yes mate, my beer is usually in for 14 days.. But it really doesn't matter, even if you secondary there is yeast still in suspension otherwise you'd never get carbonation no matter which method you use.

"I have botlle primed after 2 weeks before and got virtually zero carbonation as it was so clear, resorted to bottling when cloudy or making a starter to prime bottles with. The brew I have at the moment is 3 weeks in the primary and I really want it carbed this time. Figured that there are still unfermented sugars when bottling cloudy that adds to the carbonation process along with priming sugar. I think I could boost my priming rate when bottling clear or do your bulk prime which looks easy" - Optomod

Wow, that's odd there should still be enough yeast suspended to carbonate your beers, it might take longer, but there still should be enough. Its the suspended yeast that you want not sugars.Some other factors can cause flat beer, if you are priming sufficiently then it comes down to the yeast. Lagering or cold crashing can cause too much yeast to fall out of suspension. Sometimes it can be a weak yeast strain. Do you have a controlled temperature for you bottles and fermenters?
The other thing you can do when Bulk priming if you are worried is when you are racking into the bottling fermenter/bucket keep going till you get just a touch of the yeast cake into the fermenter, you don't need much at all though, just a touch.

John Palmer - 'Racking from the primary may be done at any time after primary fermentation has more-or-less completed. (Although if it has been more than 3 weeks, you may as well bottle.) Most brewers will notice a brief increase in activity after racking, but then all activity may cease. This is very normal, it is not additional primary fermentation per se, but just dissolved carbon dioxide coming out of solution due to the disturbance. Fermentation (conditioning) is still taking place, so just leave it alone. A minimum useful time in the secondary fermentor is two weeks. Overly long times in the secondary (for light ales- more than 6 weeks) may require the addition of fresh yeast at bottling time for good carbonation. Always use the same strain as the original. This situation is usually not a concern.
........... For the best results, the beer should be given time in a secondary fermentor before priming and bottling. Even if the yeast have flocculated and the beer has cleared, there are still active yeast in suspension that will ferment the priming sugar and carbonate the beer.'

I don't secondary. Mine goes 5-7 days primary, batch primed, and straight into the bottles for 3-4 days. All this talk about aging doesn't concern me, as I appreciate the residual flavors from the yeast. Hasn't killed me yet. Anyone who says that the beer isn't carbonated after that amount of time, using that method should come over and have a brew day with me, then come back a week later for a drinking day. My brews go from 1050 to 1010 or less no problem. I don't see the point of messing around spending a lot of time on the process. I'd rather just drink beer.

Opinions are like styles of beer, there are many. Choose one you like.