Carbonation Drop Question

[The Epworth Brewer]

I used drops for the first time 3 weeks ago on a Sorachi Ace AG kit. On trying one bottle to test the carbonation level it's almost flat, with very little carbonation. I have a feeling hardly any yeast was in solution when bottling as there was very little evidence of yeast in the secondary fermenter after bottling. I only did a 24 hr secondary so there should have been plenty carried over, but the empty bottle also seemed lacking in yeast sediment. The carb drops ratio is 1 per 350ml bottle (who has 350ml bottles?). I don't like too much carbonation so I assumed one drop per 500ml bottle would be ok.
I am thinking of popping another bottle open and slipping another drop in to see if it makes any difference.
Does anyone have any thoughts on why there's hardly any carbonation, and do carbonation drops work without a decent amount of yeast in the bottle?
I have been fine brewing AG on draught for almost 40 years but have hardly any experience of bottling a brew.

[joe1002]

I haven't used carbonation drops so I am no authority on them.

What was your process post bottling? You generally need to leave them somewhere warm(ish) for a week or two to carbonate. Were the lids on tight enough?

Even if you couldn't see any yeast, there would almost certainly have been enough to carbonate, unless you filtered or pasteurised the beer. On the rare occasion I bottle I use 1/2 tsp of sugar per 500ml bottle.

[The Epworth Brewer]

One thing that did occur and may have a bearing is the FG. It should have been 1009 but before I knew it , it had gone right down to 1004. Never had that happen before. This was an all grain kit using Safale 05. Last night I opened 2 bottles and popped another carb drop in each. On this occasion they went crazy, fizzing away like a giant asparin tablet. I half expected to hear a bang from the garage but they settled down and this morning they have gone in the beer fridge. The carb drops have left a whiteish deposit at the bottom and I can now see a yeast deposit as well so should be ok. Unfortunately I have already given most of the bottles away.
I can see it's going to be a learning curve but as King Kegs are almost as hard to source as rocking horse poo atm I'll have to crack it.
Thanks for your reply joe1002.

[guypettigrew]

I can see it's going to be a learning curve but as King Kegs are almost as hard to source as rocking horse poo atm I'll have to crack it.
Thanks for your reply joe1002.

Really? Here's one, and here's another one, and another!! No doubt lots of others around. You'll have to decide if you want the S30 valve for the 240g CO2 cylinders, or the pin valve for the 8g CO2 bulbs.

Guy

[The Epworth Brewer]

All three of those are only available with pin valves. I use S30 and that's where the shortage is.

[guypettigrew]

All three of those are only available with pin valves. I use S30 and that's where the shortage is.

Here you go. Is this what you're after?


There are also some others out there. Just Google S30.

Guy