Minimal carbonation

Just opened the first bottle of my second ever batch and have found that there is only a all amount of carbonation. My first ever batch was exactly the same recipe (a hefeweizen) andi followed the recipe exactly. What gives?

lambo1274 said:

Just opened the first bottle of my second ever batch and have found that there is only a all amount of carbonation. My first ever batch was exactly the same recipe (a hefeweizen) andi followed the recipe exactly. What gives?

Click to expand...

More info:
How much priming sugar
What temp are bottles at
How long in the bottle
OG and FG

Haven't taken OG AND FG readings as the instructions and kit didn't call for it. (I know - I need to invest in a hydrometer.) Once it went in the bottles the ambient temperature was in the high 60s/low 70s during the day. I used two tablespoons of table sugar added to a cup and a half of water.

Two weeks in the bottle

2 tablespoons of sugar in a cup of water for 5 gallons. I think you didn't use enough sugar.

Find a calculator and weigh it.

I often use a little less than an ounce per gallon. Or about 4.5 ounces of plain table sugar in 5 gallons.

Sorry - this is only a one gallon batch

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

I just tried my smashing pumkin spin off and it was flat also, just a small amount of a hiss when I opened the bottle, it has been bottle conditioning for 5 days

Calder said:

2 tablespoons of sugar in a cup of water for 5 gallons. I think you didn't use enough sugar.

Find a calculator and weigh it.

I often use a little less than an ounce per gallon. Or about 4.5 ounces of plain table sugar in 5 gallons.

Click to expand...

lambo1274 said:

Sorry - this is only a one gallon batch

Click to expand...

I just measured one level tablespoon of table sugar at pretty much exactly 0.5 oz.

Ten level tablespoons came out at 5.01 ounces so two level tablespoons in one gallon is pretty much spot on a reasonable amount to prime. Maybe a little light if trying to carb to style, but certainly enough to get a normal level of carbonation.

Could just be taking a long time to carbonate.

Maybe depends on the yeast strain? That said my first three batches carbed up pretty quickly. I waited 5 days to open the first bottle (and then opened one every half week after for about 3 weeks before general consumption). It is resonably well carbed. This was closer to 75-76F at bottling though. Reactions generally double or halve every 10F difference in temperature.

That said, I'd still probably give it another week to see.

I have had the occasional bottle that just wasn't all that well carbed.

Mine have been steady at 70F for the 5 days, going to try one on Sunday to see where they are and take one from the middle of the bottling batch, the one I tried was from the end. Tasted good, just not fizzy... (Sorry I am highjakcing your thread Lambo!) I also did 2/3 of a cup of corn priming sugar with 2 cups of water, yeast was a US05. Extract batch