I recently ordered 24 1L flip-top bottles that claim to be designed for beer. I have seen such things used at a few breweries and I really like the idea of being able to pour two 500mL pints or three ~330 mL glasses of beer from a bottle (22 oz bombers are a frustrating size, IMO), as well as being able to have them double as smallish growlers. Although I haven’t bottled in several years, I understand the process of using a solution of priming sugar and a bottling bucket.
However, it dawns on me that my sparkling new fermenter can bottle directly if I use its spigot with a spring-loaded bottle filler and “carbonation drops” instead of a priming solution. The issue is how many drops to use. Each drop supposedly gives the right amount of sugar for a slightly overcarbonated 12 oz bottle of pale ale. I think it’s ~2.5 volumes of CO2 per 12 oz per drop. 1L is about 34 oz, so 2 drops would give me ~1.76 volumes of CO2 (maybe ok for a bitter), 3 drops would give me ~2.65 volumes of CO2 (probably good for a hefeweizen) and 4 drops would give me ~3.53 volumes of CO2.
It has been so long since I have bottled a Belgian-style ale, but I know they are typically carbonated more than American ales. I have seen appropriate CO2 levels listed as high as 4 volumes of CO2, but I wanted confirmation that ~3.53 volumes of CO2 wouldn’t be better than ~2.65 volumes for a strong Belgian ale. The recipe in question is not to-style, but will be dark, roastier than any genuine trappist beer and approximately 10% ABV. Is ~3.53 better than ~2.65 volumes of CO2? What is everyone’s opinion?
2.7 v/v is pretty typical for US styles. Belgian styles (and hefeweizens) are usually higher making their beers drier. I would go higher if I knew that the flip tops could handle the higher pressure. I recently used some old, but not previously used 1L flip tops and several of them broke for no apparent reason.
Another thought is that the strain I am using (WLP545) is STA1-positive, which could lead to additional carbonation over time. I am thinking ~3.5 vols is the way to go, but maybe ~2.7 is better for the bottles I age longer.
I’ve had Belgian and other highly carbonated beer from fliptop bottles. BFM Square Root 225 comes in 12oz fliptops and has a mixed culture in it. I have bottles several years old with no problems of leaking or the beers going flat. Those bottles are thick–not sure how thick the liter bottles are. I’ve tried rebottling in them without replacing the gasket which did not go extremely well. I would replace the gaskets after each use.
I’d do a couple three or four each way and see which one I liked best. If you’re like me, if you chose one you’ll always wonder about the other.
Given the thickness of the bottles I doubt it’s a hazard but for safety I’d put them in a plastic storage tub with something heavy on the lid to contain any shrapnel and mess if a bottle or two were to explode.
If I may suggest, for 1 litre bottles use one with 1 1/2 teaspoons table sugar, and another with 2 teaspoons.
I bottle @ 64 degrees. I do nothing but bottle :<, just finished cleaning & sanitizing 1 case of 22 oz bottles.
Small kitchen funnel works. Carb drops didn’t work out for me. Use an accurate measuring spoon.
Domino dots stopped making them 1/2 teaspoon (fits in bottle neck), they now make them
1 teaspoon (doesn’t fit in bottle neck).