Lack of carbonation

I brewed a Irish Red Ale with abit more hops and malt than a standard recipe. I mixed the dextrose accordingly and it's been bottled for a month now. However carbonation is very minimal there is a pssst when I open the bottle but that hasn't changed in the last two weeks. Any idea why carbonation has seemed to stall? Or should I give it more time?

Were they stored in a warm spot? Room temperature or slightly warmer is ideal.

It doesn't hurt to give those bottles a shake or roll them across the counter top every now and then to get the yeast back into suspension, either.

I was worried about the temp as its gotten colder recently so there temp can change from 60 to 70 depending on the day or the heat cycle in the house

I had a Fat Tire clone that acted like that. I attribute it to the yeast that it called for since it wasn't a high ABV beer.

It eventually carbed up, although not as much as I wanted.

Ya this isn't a high abv beer either--I am thinking of doing carb tablets or adding more dextrose but before I do that I want to make sure i am not overreacting

jprasad82 said:

Ya this isn't a high abv beer either--I am thinking of doing carb tablets or adding more dextrose but before I do that I want to make sure i am not overreacting

Click to expand...

Well, it pretty much needs to be close to 70.

Don;t do anything, especially add more sugar..unless you want bottle bombs!!!!!!!!!!

There's a simple reason they aren't carbed yet.

You didn't do anything wrong....They're Just not really ready yet.

The 3 weeks at 70 is only a "suggestion" or rule of thumb for low to average grav beers....below 1.060...But each beer is different and the gravity the longer it takes.

Read my blog Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning, for more info...

All you need to do is make sure it's above seventy degrees, and walk away for a couple more weeks.

NOTHING ELSE IS NEEDED....all beer will carb up on their own eventually. It Just takes patience.

jprasad82 said:

Ya this isn't a high abv beer either--I am thinking of doing carb tablets or adding more dextrose but before I do that I want to make sure i am not overreacting

Click to expand...

Unless you think you may have not added enough priming sugar, you are definitely over-reacting. We have all been through this.

Warm them, roll them, give them another two weeks. They will be fine.

thanks guys I'll move them over to a warm part of the house and roll them over during the process of moving them and give them two weeks

Would placing a blanket over them help also to retain heat?

jprasad82 said:

Would placing a blanket over them help also to retain heat?

Click to expand...

Yes.

I have to do the same thing in my loft this time of year..It's in the low 60's. I place the milkcrates that each hold a case of bottles into a goretex sleeping bag. I can stack about four crate in it iirc....

jprasad82 said:

Would placing a blanket over them help also to retain heat?

Click to expand...

Nope. Ambient air temperature is all that matters. The blanket will help mitigate any temperature swings to a small extent, but...

waldoar15 said:

Nope. Ambient air temperature is all that matters. The blanket will help mitigate any temperature swings to a small extent, but...

Click to expand...

Huh???? What?????

Gee, when the ambient temp in my apartment is cool, I wrap myself in a blanket and suddenly I get warmer......How do YOU think it's any different???

We are warm blooded animals. Beer is not. Don't think the small amount of yeast will be producing heat that a blanket will hold in.

I actually came up with a decent solution to place the beer in a high cupboard as normally I would have the beer on the floor but its winter and the degree variation from the floor to ceiling can be 10 degrees so at my high cupboard I can get a consitent 70-72 degrees