Bottles Didn't Carb

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ChemE

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So I brewed a partial mash version of Cheese's Vanilla Caramel Cream Ale and used the Wyest 1007 German Ale which doesn't care for temperatures above 75°F. My house is 75°F at night but the programmable thermostat lets it climb up to 80°F during the day. Fermentation went perfectly fine; from 1.050 to 1.012 in 8 days. I let it sit in primary for two more days and the FG didn't move so I bottled. Yes, I know it would have benefited from a few more weeks in primary but I was heading out of town for two weeks and wanted it to be carbed (albeit green) when I got home. Problem was when I returned it was flat as the day I bottled it. Anyone have any ideas as to what might be the problem? I'd think it was temperature but fermentation went perfectly.
 
Have the bottles been carbing at room temperature? If so after 2 weeks the only thing I could think of is you didn't mix the priming sugar in completely or the bottle wasn't sealed properly.
 
I'd suspect the crowns if you got the cheapos at the lhbs. I had poor carbonation on my first batch with the cheap crowns, but the two batches I bottled with the crowns Brewer's Best puts in their kits carbed fine.
 
Have the bottles been carbing at room temperature? If so after 2 weeks the only thing I could think of is you didn't mix the priming sugar in completely or the bottle wasn't sealed properly.

did you forget the priming sugar?

Sorry I didn't mention it in my initial post but yes, I used BeerSmith to calculate my priming sugar and I added to 2.00 oz (2.25 gallon batch, not 5 gallons; still using Mr. Beer fermentors while I cut my teeth). The priming sugar was dissolved in 2 cups of RO/DI microwaved to boiling. Each bottle got 20 mL of the priming solution. There was also a 2oz bottle of mandarin orange flavoring from AHS and 2 oz of lactose dissolved in the priming solution.

And yes, I always carb and bottle condition at room temp.
 
I'd suspect the crowns if you got the cheapos at the lhbs. I had poor carbonation on my first batch with the cheap crowns, but the two batches I bottled with the crowns Brewer's Best puts in their kits carbed fine.

I wish that was the problem. I use the oxygen barrier caps from AHS and an Agata bench bottle capper. The two batches before this carbonated without any problem using the same equipment and technique.
 
3 weeks @ 70 minimum is the rule of thumb we recommend...it sometimes takes even longer...Read this and watch the video...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=558191&postcount=101

Great post and video. Patience is a virtue just not one of mine! I'm heading back out of town for the next two weeks so we'll have an answer as to whether or not the yeast was being slow then. Even flat and warm this is my most delicious batch by far. Thanks for all the help, it is much appreciated.

ChemE
 
I always boil the sugar in a cup of water for five minutes, cover and let cool, then add it to my sanitized bottling bucket and rack on top of it. That gets it evenly distributed in solution, and is much easier than measuring 20ml per bottle.
 
Measuring into the bottles sounds like a pain in the a$$. +1 to mixing the sugar solution with the beer in the bottling bucket. You'll get a uniform blend and it's so much easier.
 
I couldn't agree more but sadly my Mr. Beer didn't come with a bottling bucket. That is my next planned project after my MLT is done. Though, dispensing 24 20mL aliquots is still a walk in the park next to any organic chemistry lab I've ever taken.
 
Just to update and close out this thread, my batch did finally carb but it took six weeks which was surprising. I've got about 1.5 gallons of brewer's penance left too. A bottle of mandarin orange extract is WAY too much for a 2.25 gallon Mr. Beer batch!!! It's bitter as hell. Oh well, live and learn.
 
Just to update and close out this thread, my batch did finally carb but it took six weeks which was surprising. I've got about 1.5 gallons of brewer's penance left too. A bottle of mandarin orange extract is WAY too much for a 2.25 gallon Mr. Beer batch!!! It's bitter as hell. Oh well, live and learn.

Chem, 6 weeks is not surprising to me...Like I've said, I've had beers take 8 weeks to carb...So that's why I don't stress out about carbonation, and help you guys.:D

Glad it worked out, and the Orange may fade with time, so stick some bottles away for a month, you may be "surprised" once again :D
 
Yeah, I'm going to age them for as much as a year depending on how rapidly I can stand my penance. Luckily I've got far better things to drink up. My MO/Fuggle SMaSH (first AG albeit a 2 gallon one) is carbed but green, and I've got 5 gallons of BeirMucher's Black Pearl Porter that has been sitting on yeast for 28 days. The last gravity sample (at 1.019) was incredibly tasty.
 
Yep --- when transferring from secondary to the bucket for bottling -- dump in the priming sugar when the bucket is 1/3 full. It will mix as the siphon continues.
 
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