How can I achieve consistent carbonation when bottle conditioning?

I'm having a problem keeping my carbonation consistent between batches of beer. Sometimes the carbonation comes out perfect, but other times the beer seems to be too flat.

I currently add the premeasured (for 5 gallons) packets of corn sugar from the LHBS. I boil it with a cup of water, and add it to my bottling bucket before racking the beer over from the secondary.

I let my latest batch sit in the bottle for 3 weeks at approximately 72 degrees before putting a few in the fridge to taste. I get maybe 1/4" of head even with a vigorous pour, and the beer just tastes flatter than I would like.

There is almost no sediment in the bottles. I would think that as the bottle carbonates, some amout of yeast will settle out to the bottom. Is it possible I did "too good" a job transferring my wort, and didn't get enough active yeast cells into my bottles?

I plan to invert the remaining bottles and then store them upright, with hopes that will wake up whatever yeast may be in the bottle.

Has anyone run into similar problems? Does anyone have advice for how I can improve my carbonation levels? I am stuck with bottle conditioning my beer, as I don't have the equipment or space to keg/force carbonate in my small apartment.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Good luck.
I gave up and bought kegs.

I think I may be having the same problem with my last batch. It's been almost a month and not much carbonation. I think Evan had this problem and he now adds some dry yeast before bottling. He will likely find this thread and give some more info.

There is still plenty of yeasy in even the clearest of secondary beer.

I had the same problem until I made a habit of tipping the cases on their side a couple of times each morning...

That woke the yeasties right up and a week later...FIZZZZ

Consistency in carbonation is a fact of homebrew life (at least for me).

I chalk it up to the fine nuances of individually hand crafting beers...that and the fact that I really don't know what I'm doing a lot of times...:cross:

My kegs even have a different (inconsistent) carb level. Doesn't stop me from enjoying the snot out of them though....

Thanks for the responses! Good to know that it's not just me

i'm having same problems with iregular carbonation in the bottle, so i was thinking of repitching with fresh yeast at the bottling stage, one that will settle to a firm sediment. just a thought but your not killing your yeast with verrrrry high alcohol levels are you

You may want to look into Kraeusening. It's a little bit more involved, but I now do that for every batch with good success: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=9685&highlight=kraeusening+how-to