Coopers Plastic Bottles

LaughOrDie

Has anyone used these? What are your thoughts?

I've made 4 brews now, all Coopers Kits and they do not seem to carbonate properly.

The last batch in particular, I'm pretty sure I did everything 100% right but it still seems flat.

I was thinking it might be the plastic bottles. I'm going to try glass for the next batch and see how that goes.

Just wanted to see has anyone experienced similar issues?

Griff77

I mix and match between glass, flip tops and the coopers bottles and I've never had any trouble in five batches. They all carb up fine however I do like taking a cold glass bottle from the fridge.

How much sugar are you priming with? I use about 50-75g for stout and up to 200g (fizzy!) for wheat beer per 21 litre batch.

LaughOrDie

I'm using the coopers carbonation drops. One per bottle. Maybe I should use 2?

I'm glad to hear yours work fine though - I have loads of these coopers bottles.

BeerNut

I've done lots of batches in the Cooper's plastic bottles with one carbonation drop and they've carbonated fine. I'd be looking at:

• Is the cap closed tight?
• Are you leaving them at least two weeks to condition?
• Are they at room temperature when conditioning?

LaughOrDie

The first batch I made the caps were definitely not on tight enough and that was the problem.

Since that I've been vigilant to make sure they're on extra tight, so I hope that's not the issue.

I've been leaving them to condition for well over two weeks. Nearly two months. At room temperature.

Thanks for the replies. At least now I know it's possible to get good brews going with the plastic bottles. I was starting to worry I was wasting my time with them.

I'll just have to try again.

oscarBravo

BeerNut wrote: »

• Is the cap closed tight?

This. The two brews I've bottled so far, Her Indoors tightened the caps as much as she could, but I had to come along after her and give them an extra snug down. Once they feel hand-tight, there's probably a quarter-turn left in them.

LaughOrDie

oscarBravo wrote: »

This. The two brews I've bottled so far, Her Indoors tightened the caps as much as she could, but I had to come along after her and give them an extra snug down. Once they feel hand-tight, there's probably a quarter-turn left in them.

It must be - it's the only thing I can think of.

I thought I'd been tightening them as much as possible.

Thanks again for the replies people.

viper123

BeerNut wrote: »

I've done lots of batches in the Cooper's plastic bottles with one carbonation drop and they've carbonated fine. I'd be looking at:

• Is the cap closed tight?
• Are you leaving them at least two weeks to condition?
• Are they at room temperature when conditioning?

+are the bottles sanitised?

LaughOrDie

viper123 wrote: »

+are the bottles sanitised?

I thought they were - But I'll be paying very close attention for the next brew.

fergiesfolly

Just got the Coopers kit. Do the bottles need to be sanitized before first use. Read that they didn't, but that didn't sound safe.

cml387

i found 1 carbonation drop is not enough for the cooper's bottles. I always do 1 and a half.

invaderzimirl

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Just got the Coopers kit. Do the bottles need to be sanitized before first use. Read that they didn't, but that didn't sound safe.

i want to know this too as ill be bottling my first batch tomorrow. im assuming they should be ive gotten 48 bottles the other day and a second fermentation bucket, (i know i wont use all but better to have then to need half way through bottling)

oscarBravo

I've sanitised mine for both batches, and also use a carbonation drop and a half per bottle.

Anyone

I used 2 carb drops in a 750ml bottle, also....leave it twice as long to carbonate/condition as it recommends. I tried mine after 2 weeks, it was totally flat. Left it 4 weeks and its fully carbonated.

Son0vagun

One and a half or two depending on the brew. One is not enough, there lays your problem.

viper123

invaderzimirl wrote: »

i want to know this too as ill be bottling my first batch tomorrow. im assuming they should be ive gotten 48 bottles the other day and a second fermentation bucket, (i know i wont use all but better to have then to need half way through bottling)

The first kit I ever done I did with unsanitised fresh PET bottles and it was a total disaster. For that I reason I'd say yes sanitise them before use.

hardCopy

When I brewed a cooper's kit the included bag of drops were labelled 1 per 330ml bottle, but the kit included 500ml bottles, presumably they switched bottle size or drop dosage mid batch. I ended up using 1.5 drops per bottle, it's a pain to chop them but it worked out fine.

On my second batch, the only drops I could find were also for 330ml bottles and I was still using the same 500ml bottles so I had to repeat the whole experience.

rubadub

Its a bit stupid that they don't have the drops made for what is probably the most common size of bottle, esp. as they actually sell 500ml themselves.

The dosage required is 1 drop per 345-375ml (12 oz) or 2 drops per 740-750ml bottle. Each package contains 60 drops.

This messing about cutting drops in half defeats the purpose of them.

A little similar to how guinness should have brought out their draught cans to be about 540ml which would have filled the 568ml/pint glass properly, with the head.

hardCopy

rubadub wrote: »

Its a bit stupid that they don't have the drops made for what is probably the most common size of bottle, esp. as they actually sell 500ml themselves.


This messing about cutting drops in half defeats the purpose of them.

A little similar to how guinness should have brought out their draught cans to be about 540ml which would have filled the 568ml/pint glass properly, with the head.

Next time out I'll be batch priming, it just seems so much easier.

MBSnr

I have used those carb drops as well as normal sugar. I have in the past got hold of around 40 of those small sachets of sugar they have in coffee shops, a small plastic funnel and then lined all the bottles up and poured it in that way. I've found normal sugar has worked just as well as the carb drops. The only thing with the sugar was to shake the bottle to get it to dissolve, whereas the carb drop doesn't need that.

KAGY

I simply use the small end of the medicine spoon (2.5ml) and a plastic funnel with ordinary caster sugar. I sterilise the utensils/bottles but don't boil / make a sterile sugar solution any more.
If it's a heavy beer I use a level one or less, a wheat beer/ paler beer a good heaped one.

I use what ever bottles I have at the time, so normally ends up a mix of swing top, capped brown and coopers. I don't notice any difference in carb, but I like being able to test the carb by squeezing the coopers.

I would say that it's the amt of carb drops that's causing your problem. Try leaving one bottle upside down (on kitchen paper) you might be able to see a drop or two of liquid if it's not tight enough.

As a side note, I notice that a few of the coopers' bottles are de-laminating, but apparently they're still fine and the "oxi-layer" is still intact.