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Author Topic: Bottling Woes  (Read 994 times)

Offline Scholastic Brewer

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Bottling Woes
« on: December 16, 2019, 12:38:54 pm »
Hey all,
I live in Maine, and due to the colder weather have not been able to get my last two batches (a Dubbel and a cider)  to carbonate despite moving them around to try to find warmer spots. I had some luck putting a few bottles in a styrofoam shipping cooler on top of my fridge, but I could only fit 4 short bottles at a time. The Belgian is currently at my father in law's place close enough to a coal stove to get it going, but I should probably figure something else out for future batches. Any thoughts?

Online denny

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Re: Bottling Woes
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2019, 12:49:02 pm »
A box of some sort (cardboard, a cooler, an old dead fridge) with a reptile heater bulb in it.
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Offline riceral

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Re: Bottling Woes
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2019, 06:56:18 pm »
If you have a clothes drier, put the bottles on top of the drier.

Ralph R.

Offline KellerBrauer

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Re: Bottling Woes
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2019, 06:58:00 pm »
I use a kegerator fitted with a reptile heater and a fan. The heat and cool are controlled with an Inkbird. Of coarse, I no longer use it as a kegerator. But it works awesome as a fermentation chamber. I bypassed the cooling thermostat and use the Inkbird. Something to consider.

Meantime, a heating pad or heating blanket may help.
Joliet, IL

All good things come to those who show patients and perseverance while maintaining a positive and progressive attitude. 😉

Offline Scholastic Brewer

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Re: Bottling Woes
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2019, 07:44:20 pm »
Thanks for the suggestions.

Fire Rooster

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Re: Bottling Woes
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2019, 01:16:18 am »
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072V15ZK2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bottle condition with an inkbird, heating pad (12" 25w above) on its side in the middle of a large cooler.
Cooler used can hold about 48 22oz bottles, ink bird probe on end, mat in center.
Removed spout from cooler for probe and wires.  It's dialed in @ 73 degrees, and
holds it there in a 50-55 degree basement.

« Last Edit: December 17, 2019, 01:36:29 am by Fire Rooster »