06-11-2012, 09:38 PM
I tried this and got an unpleasant (= messy) surprise.
So, I made a double batch (two 2-liter bottles), and I added about a third of a package of brewer's yeast (dry) to the wort after it had reached room temperature.
Mistake #1: THAT WAS WAY TOO MUCH YEAST!
Although I left the usual amount of air space at the top of each bottle, the fermentation was so vigorous, foam began oozing out of both bottles, leaving pretty big puddles of wasted beer around the base of each bottle.
Mistake #2: So, I thought I'd better open the bottles and pour off some of the liquid to give the foam someplace to go rather than through the EZ-Cap opening. This led to a HUGE foamy geyser. I'm talking about two feet, at least. Luckily, I had the bottles in the laundry-room sink at the time.
So, my advice is to use a very small amount of brewer's yeast when making beer in two-liter bottles. I thought by using just a third of the package, I would be safe. But I would now recommend only 1/8 tsp. maximum. And still, allow for plenty of room at the top for someplace for the foam to go.
You may also want to try starting the fermentation at a lower temperature, such as in a cool basement, and then moving the bottles to a higher temperature once you determine it's safe to do so.
But anyway, the beer tastes very good, just like a stout should (I used Extra Dark DME). Unfortunately, I just have about 50% of what I had expected to have. And it's not carbonated enough for my liking.
So, I can't wait to try this recipe again, with the modifications I've identified.
So, I made a double batch (two 2-liter bottles), and I added about a third of a package of brewer's yeast (dry) to the wort after it had reached room temperature.
Mistake #1: THAT WAS WAY TOO MUCH YEAST!
Although I left the usual amount of air space at the top of each bottle, the fermentation was so vigorous, foam began oozing out of both bottles, leaving pretty big puddles of wasted beer around the base of each bottle.
Mistake #2: So, I thought I'd better open the bottles and pour off some of the liquid to give the foam someplace to go rather than through the EZ-Cap opening. This led to a HUGE foamy geyser. I'm talking about two feet, at least. Luckily, I had the bottles in the laundry-room sink at the time.
So, my advice is to use a very small amount of brewer's yeast when making beer in two-liter bottles. I thought by using just a third of the package, I would be safe. But I would now recommend only 1/8 tsp. maximum. And still, allow for plenty of room at the top for someplace for the foam to go.
You may also want to try starting the fermentation at a lower temperature, such as in a cool basement, and then moving the bottles to a higher temperature once you determine it's safe to do so.
But anyway, the beer tastes very good, just like a stout should (I used Extra Dark DME). Unfortunately, I just have about 50% of what I had expected to have.
And it's not carbonated enough for my liking.So, I can't wait to try this recipe again, with the modifications I've identified.