First brew flat!

I made myself a batch of all-grain IPA. Everything seems to have gone to plan except for conditioning. I have a bunch of bottles that have been sitting for a week. I guessed that most of the carbonation action would be over and the next 3 weeks it would just mellow out the flavors. Am I just being impatient? Does it take 4 weeks to get fizzy?
Thanks!
Tom.

Depends on the temperatures at which you're conditioning as to precisely how long it will take... but a week is too early, for sure. We use DME for priming, and it seems to take about 3 weeks to get good carbonation. Carbonation isn't usually detectable for us at a week, particularly in the winter when it's cooler.

Seriously, just wait a bit. I bet your beer will be yummy--first batch always seems to be!

Give them at least 3 weeks. Some condition more quickly, some more slowly. I follow this rule and have yet to have a batch that doesn't carb.

Oh thats great news. I was a bit worried.

takes time.
what temps are they at? like many things that are temperature dependent, a little lower temps can equal a lot longer wait.

l1ranger said:

takes time.
what temps are they at? like many things that are temperature dependent, a little lower temps can equal a lot longer wait.

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Im in chicago, its warm right now. Its prob been at around 74 for most of the time. Should I put it in the fridge? I dont have a dedicated beer fridge so its in a cupboard.....

No. don't put them in the fridge. That will stop the fermentation that is carbonating the beer.

Some monk breweries do 1 week initial bottle conditioning above 75 degrees F for carbonation.

I have had trouble in the winter finding a warm place for mine. So I often give my beers a nice warm-to-hot water bath for an hour or so after bottling to help jump start carbonation. Try not to get your caps wet though, that encourages rust.

You could just do this with one bottle to test your beer's carbonation potential as well. Give a bottle a couple warm baths, then let it rest for a few hours or a day, then open and see how it's doing. Gives you something to do while you wait at least.

You did prime during bottling though, right?

Leave them in the cupboard for a few weeks.

benmoore said:

You did prime during bottling though, right?

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yes, sure did.

1 week is definitely not enough time for bottle carbing. 2 weeks is about minimum from my experience.

I will post the obligatory link to Revvy's "Of Patience and Bottling" post...pretty much says it all:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/#post1030387