Slow Carbonation

I bottled a batch of pale ale about 2 weeks ago. It had been in the secondary for about 2 weeks. The room I kept the secondary in had just started to get on the cold side at night. I bottled the batch, but kept the bottles in there for a week and the checked a bottle. Only a little carbonation, so I brought the bottles into my closet which is warmer and waited another week. Only a little more carbonation, but not much. I gave the bottles a shake and will wait more time, but is there anything else I should do? The other half of my concern is that I have a batch that is ready to be bottled now that has been in that same room. The temp probably averages between 60-65. Should I add more yeast or should it be alright assuming I let it condition in my closet like the other batch?

I'd try some where a little warmer or just leave it a while.
My second batch took 4 weeks to get any real carbonation.
Most of the others have been good in 2 weeks at 65f
I have a feeling that 60 may be a little low for carbonation but should be okay for fermenting (but will take a bit longer).

I'd wait for more comments though, I'm no expert.

60-65 is too cool for carbonation...they'll get there, but it will take a long time. Put them where they'll stay closer to 75 for a couple of weeks, then move them back to the cooler area for long term storage.

You definately don't need more yeast after only two weeks in the secondary.

I don't have much choice, due to limited space all of my beers condition at 60 to 65 degrees. They take anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks to carb, they have all had a fantastic head and plenty of bubbles right to the last drop.

What works best for me is the following: Place on the floor near a heating vent. Turn all the bottles upside down towice a day...not long, just maybe 20 seconds each time....to rouse the yeast. Usually, within two weeks every one is pretty well good to go.

-Todd

i have a friend that puts all of his bottles in the bathtub and hoses em down with hot water. he say it only takes a couple of days of doing that and thier all done carbing. i don't think i'll ever do some thing like that, my first beer that a did her in germany was carbed up in like 6 days or so. and it went fast!!!!

Where the bottles are at now is as close to 70 as it's going to come. Darn Southern California weather, it's now colder than 65 outside! The secondary was at 60-65. I'll just keep waiting...

brewsmith said:

Darn Southern California weather, it's now colder than 65 outside!

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You think that's bad...it's a frigid 55 here! I had to put on my longjohns.

But speaking of carbonation...I've taken to sitting a sixer of bottles next to the oven, and leaving it on the lowest possible temp. Wasteful I know, but it keeps the carb time to a minimum.

Interesting solution. Maybe I'll stash a sixer in the kitchen.

Brewsmith & El Pis - Kiss my butt! I haven't seen the high side of 28 or 29 degrees for nearly three weeks now! I too am suffering from a very slow carbonation. After some advice from this forum and another, I stashed all my beer in my utility room where the furnace and hot water heater are located. I have three different thermometers in there and none of them read same - there's actually about a 12 degree range among the three of them. Can you believe that? I'll have a hard time trusting any thermometer again.

Anyway, I bottled this high grav strong ale four weeks ago now. I tried a few along the way - all tasted great but fairly flat. Last one I drank was on the 13th and I decided not to touch again until the 23rd. I intend to give some away as gifts so I hope they come around soon. Most homebrewers I've talked to have been pretty reassuring but I'm still a little freaked out about it.

AHU

brewsmith said:

Interesting solution. Maybe I'll stash a sixer in the kitchen.

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go to kegging

Working on it. I'll be moving in about a month or so. Once I get settled in, I'm going to start working on a kegerator.

El Pistolero said:

60-65 is too cool for carbonation...they'll get there, but it will take a long time. Put them where they'll stay closer to 75 for a couple of weeks, then move them back to the cooler area for long term storage.

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Is the same true for lager beers, or will they get decent cabonation (in reasonable time) when kept at 50F?

Hello All!

I've been lurking for a while and decided I should join the fray. This topic interested me. This summer (in Utah) I had a batch of hefe that never did carbonate fully. Even after four months of aging it only had the slightest bit of pressure. The only thing I could think is that perhaps I left it in the secondary to long? I got really busy and it sat in the carboy for about 16 to 18 days at around 68-70 degrees. Does the yeast die out after it consumes all of the fermentables? I thought it just went dormant and would restart when more "food" was added.

As an added note...

This brew came out with a pretty high ABV. Around 9 percent. Does that have any effect on carbonation?

By the way, I decided to call the brew "Dave's Dry Heave Hefe"

You think that's bad...it's a frigid 55 here! I had to put on my longjohns.

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Brewsmith & El Pis - Kiss my butt! I haven't seen the high side of 28 or 29 degrees for nearly three weeks now!

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High of a whopping 8 degrees yesterday . . .BUT good news is we are in a heat wave, it topped out at about 20 today . . . .

die :cross: or just send some heat this way . . . .typing in mittens aint ez

2 degrees above right now, was 15 below yesterday morning.