First batch flat, could these things have caused it?

I brewed my first batch of beer before discovering this site and the helpful forums. The directions that come with the "Wheat" extract kit from LHBS were lacking. I've since read (and re-read) all of the beginner forum stickies and found I may have made numerous mistakes. Here is what I experienced:
* I never used hydrometer
* I didn't measure the boil-water OR the top-off water -- I ended up with way more than 5 gallons.
* Fermentation started slowly (3-4 days before anything appeared to happen), and subsequently stopped less than 12 hours after it started.
* Due to time constraints I Ieft the beer in primary for 2 1/2 weeks before bottling.
* When boiling the priming sugar I used a regular-ole spoon to stir the solution and found the sugar "solidified" against the spoon; I tried scraping as much off using a wooden spoon and boiled for recommended time.
* I dumped the sugar solution in the bottling bucket and transferred the wort onto it
* I then bottled (using cleaned/sanitized bottles and caps) and stored in a dark, ~70* closet for three weeks.

Today I opened a chilled bottle to find it completely flat and super sweet. I have learned (from these forums) that time can heal most flavor issues, but what about the carbonation issues? How about that spoon/boiling sugar thing?

Since I never took hydrometer readings I know you can't eliminate that, but any suggestions?

I'd be glad to wait if need be, but I'd like to be sure before bottling my next batch.

-w t y

How many gallons did you have, and how much priming sugar did you use?

Two and a half weeks in primary is nothing, two to three weeks is recommended by most. If you didn't use a hydrometer, you can't know that fermentation stopped after 12 hours. Action in the airlock isn't the indicator of fermentation. Only a hydrometer can tell you when it's done.

Buy a hydrometer, they're cheap. Measure out all water you're using, if you don't know how much beer you've brewed, you can't properly carbonate it.

How much is "Way" over 5 gallons. If your priming sugar calculations were based on 5 gallons, and you had say 6 gallons, then yes, you might not have added enough priming sugar. You are correct to let it sit and forget about it. In the mean time, I would brew another batch and improve on the things you did wrong in your original post.

I'm not sure how much water exactly, but probably at least six gallons; I've since measured 5 gals on the carboy and found I had it filled about 3-4 inches higher than that mark. Of course i used just the amount of sugar that came with the kit.

Is there anything I can do in the mean time? Or just wait while starting a new batch and improving upon the process

I don't really see anything that you did that would prevent your beer from carbing.....

I'll say it again, The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.

And just because a beer is carbed doesn't mean it still doesn't taste like a$$ and need more time for the off flavors to condition out. You have green beer.

Temp and gravity are the two factors that contribute to the time it takes to carb beer. But if a beer's not ready yet, or seems low carbed, and you added the right amount of sugar to it, then it's not stalled, it's just not time yet.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

If a beer isn't carbed by "x number of weeks" you just have to give them more time. If you added your sugar, then the beer will carb up eventually, it's really a foolroof process. All beers will carb up eventually. A lot of new brewers think they have to "troubleshoot" a bottling issue, when there really is none, the beer knows how to carb itself. In fact if you run beersmiths carbing calculator, some lower grav beers don't even require additional sugar to reach their minimum level of carbonation. Just time.

I've carbed hundreds of gallons of beer, and never had a beer that wasn't carbed, or under carbed or anything of the sort (Except for a batch where I accidently mixed up lactose or Maltodextrine for priming sugar). Some took awhile, (as I said up to six months) but they ALL eventually carbed.

Are you sure your beer fermented at all? At what temperature did you pitch the yeast? If it is "super sweet", it may not have fermented and you might have bottled wort instead of beer.

You may wish to get a hydrometer and measure the specific gravity of your bottled "beer". When you have that number, let us know and we may be better able to diagnose your problem.

cervezarara said:

Are you sure your beer fermented at all? At what temperature did you pitch the yeast? If it is "super sweet", it may not have fermented and you might have bottled wort instead of beer.

You may wish to get a hydrometer and measure the specific gravity of your bottled "beer". When you have that number, let us know and we may be better able to diagnose your problem.

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He left the beer in primary for 2.5 weeks, it's doubtful it didn't ferment. If that were the case, then sitting like that for that long it would have more than likely have developed an infection.

It's true that the beer might just not be carbonated after 3 weeks at 70F. It's also possible that the OP somehow killed the yeast (or forgot to pitch it) and it might never carbonate. Crazier things have happened. I have tasted primed and not yet carbonated beer, and it is sweet, but not "super" sweet. I was thinking OP could rule that out by measuring SG, rather than waiting longer if something else occurred.

OP- is there any sediment on the bottom of your bottles? If so, this is usually yeast that has dropped out. You can rotate the bottles two or three times to rouse the yeast, and wait another week to see if they carbonate.

like Revvy said, 3 weeks is the minimum.... key there, minimum. i have a relatively low gravity bitter that i used a relatively low amount of priming sugar to carb, at 3 weeks i chilled a bottle for a week, no hiss, no bubbles, flat beer. my solution, didn't touch a bottle for a couple weeks, put one in the fridge on tuesday to enjoy most likely tonight, willing to bet it's carbed up some.
moral: 3 weeks is the minimum, 4-5 weeks is more normal for my brews, bigger beers take longer. if you didn't filter out the yeast at bottling, or boil or freeze the carboy after fermentation, your brew will carb up eventually. when? as soon as yeast learn to communicate, i'll get back to you on that one.

Great! Thanks everyone! I'm going to relax. And not worry. And have an Odell's IPA.

cervezarara said:

It's true that the beer might just not be carbonated after 3 weeks at 70F. It's also possible that the OP somehow killed the yeast (or forgot to pitch it) and it might never carbonate. Crazier things have happened. I have tasted primed and not yet carbonated beer, and it is sweet, but not "super" sweet. I was thinking OP could rule that out by measuring SG, rather than waiting longer if something else occurred.

OP- is there any sediment on the bottom of your bottles? If so, this is usually yeast that has dropped out. You can rotate the bottles two or three times to rouse the yeast, and wait another week to see if they carbonate.

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Yeah - there is sediment in the bottles; I'll try that.

* I never used hydrometer
* I didn't measure the boil-water OR the top-off water -- I ended up with way more than 5 gallons.

These are your 2 big problems. You don't know if you fermented enough and you don't know how much you made. Priming sugar is based on the volume, so 7 gallons when your supposed to have 5 isn't going to carb as well.

Try it after a few more weeks....but seriously, be more careful next time. Most buckets even have gallon markers so top offs are easier and more accurate.

Ultrazord said:

* I never used hydrometer
* I didn't measure the boil-water OR the top-off water -- I ended up with way more than 5 gallons.

These are your 2 big problems. You don't know if you fermented enough and you don't know how much you made. Priming sugar is based on the volume, so 7 gallons when your supposed to have 5 isn't going to carb as well.

Try it after a few more weeks....but seriously, be more careful next time. Most buckets even have gallon markers so top offs are easier and more accurate.

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In the mean time I marked the 5 gallon level on my carboy. And bought a hydrometer. I've made all kinds of improvements for the beer currently in PV. I'm hoping to get a keg set up for this next one!

wherestheyeast said:

Great! Thanks everyone! I'm going to relax. And not worry. And have an Odell's IPA.

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I see you are from Ft. Collins. My brother lives there. I was just up there last summer. We toured, Odell's, Ft. Collins Brewery, Funk Works (My Favorite), Equinox, and of course New Belgium. It was a great day.

jkaylor said:

I see you are from Ft. Collins. My brother lives there. I was just up there last summer. We toured, Odell's, Ft. Collins Brewery, Funk Works (My Favorite), Equinox, and of course New Belgium. It was a great day.

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Nice! Funkwerks has some great beer! And a cool little brewery/tasting room! Gotta love Fort Collins!