Carbonation issues

OK I have been useing kits that my homebrew stiore put together and now I am moving away from those and doing my own. These kits always seem to leave my beer on the low side of carbonation. Does anyone have any recomendations about getting a bottle of homebrew to be carbonated well without exploding. I just want to have good carbonation in my bottles. Also yes I am moving to keggting but it would be nice to have bottles on hand from time to time as gifts without them being on the flat side. Please help. Thanks guys!!!

What was you priming/bottling procedure? how much sugar and how did you mix it with the beer?

What temp do you store them in? Is it consistant or does it dip into the '60's?

How long did you let them bottle condition before you started openning them?

You can try this; After a week in the bottle, lay the bottles on their sides, and gently roll them back and forth a couple time to re-rouse the yeast...Then upright them and put them back in storage for 2 weeks....Check a bottle to see if it's any better. If so then you're fine, enjoy them...if it's only a little better let them sit for 1more week.

If they're not carbed, I wouldn't cold store them until we get them carbed.

I've had beers both from mr beer and full sized batches need 5-6 weeks to get fully carbed...Usually the problem is my temp storage issue of my loft-too cool....I've had to re-rouse then move them to a warmer place...if you're in the 70 degree range that may not be an issue (unless your storage area has gone colder than you said and you weren't aware of it.)

I do not remeber but, O wo;ll take your advice and move the bottles around more. Also I am trying 1 cup of light corn syrup instead of the powdery stuff the HBS had in their kits.

How about your bottling procedure? The best method is to add your priming sugar to to the bottling bucket, then rack the beer on top of it stirring occasionally. Sometimes not getting things mixed well is the cause of carbonation problems.

As far as using light corn syrup, I'd be careful unless you have found information somewhere else suggesting to use a specific amount. That is not a normal method for carbonation.

sometimes light corn syrup contains high fructose corn syrup too. not good.

stick to corn sugar/dextrose for now. The kits I've used usually had more corn sugar than really needed, giving an exceptionally carbonated beer. It was usually 5oz of sugar.

Bruiz54 said:

yes I am moving to keggting but it would be nice to have bottles on hand from time to time as gifts without them being on the flat side.:

Click to expand...

Since nobody addressed this part I will:

One of the many advantages of kegging is not having to fuss with sugar and worry about bottle bombs.

Another is if you want to give a few bottles away you simply rack from the corny keg into some bottles cap them and bam you're done.

Check out Biermunchers thread for DIY:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24678

If you're not happy with the carbonation, I would be willing to bet it's the corn syrup. I think corn syrup sometimes has other things in it besides pure dextrose. The "powdery" stuff you got in your kit is the perfect stuff to use to carbonate your beer. I use 4 ounces by weight per five gallon batch. I dissolved that in some boiling water, boil for a few minutes, put that in my bottling bucket, and then rack my beer into it. Perfect carbonation in every bottle.