No carbonation on last two batches...need help!

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BrewStef

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
162
Reaction score
0
Location
Harpers Ferry, WV
I brewed two batches of Vertical Epic 05.05.05 five months ago. One was extract the other was all-grain. Both did not carbonate. Granted, I forgot to stir one of the batches after priming, but neither batch carbed. Both batches are still sitting in bottles. I left them both in bottles hoping they would eventually carb. They are sitting in a warm closet (stays between 70 and 77 degreees)

I need help in the best way to get them carbed. Since it has been so long it is my belief that I will need to add some yeast as the yeast in the bottles are probably dormant (let me know if you think I am wrong here). I also need to know what would be best to re-prime with, or if I should bother adding more priming sugar / prime tabs.

Here is info on the batches:

#1 All Grain version (10 gallon), brewed on 9/23/06
27.50 lb Breiss 2-Row Malt
2.75 lb 120L Crystal Malt
0.35 lb Chocolate Malt
3.50 oz Amarillo Gold
1.00 lb Candi Sugar
WLP550 Yeast (900ML starter)

SG 1.068 (target was 1.087 - Totally missed it!...my first AG)
FG 1.006 (target was 1.020)
~46 IBU


#2 Extract version (5 gallon), brewed on 10/11/06
12.0 lb LME Briess Pilsen Light
1.0 lb 150L Caramel Malt
0.15 lb Choclate Wheat Malt
2.10 oz Amarillo Gold
0.45 lb Candi Sugar
WLP550 Yeast (pitched on batch #1 yeast cake)

SG 1.084 (target was 1.091)
FG 1.029 (target was 1.023)
~46 IBU

I added some questionable prime tabs to one bottle and it still did not carb (can't remember which batch it was).

Basically, I need to know what dry yeast (if any) I should add to the bottles, and how much, and if/what type/how much priming sugar I should add. If prime tabs, any particular type better than another? The prime tabs I used before were some my LHBS had lying around in the back room in bulk but were opened (hmmm.)

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Both batches taste really good, I just don't want to screw em up trying to get them to carbonate! I know, I know...time to start kegging...

Thanks.

BrewStef
 
It might not be a factor but it seems to me, off the top of my head, that 13+ lbs of extract for a five gallon batch is an awful lot of fermentable. Have you used this much in the past? It is a lot more than I typically use.
 
On the extract batch, it was only 12 lbs of extract. It fermented like crazy. It needed a blowoff. Based on the activity of the fermentation, I am suprised that it did not fully attenuate further.
 
I had a batch of Wheat Doppelbock that never fully carbonated, and it really pissed me off. I've lightly shaken the bottles several times to rouse the yeast, and put it in my "Jamaica Room" (AKA guest bedroom with a space heater) to help it. Still, very low carbo. But I make sure that that will never happen again:

Here's a rule of thumb that has helped me immensely: whenever I age anything in secondary for longer than 2 or 3 weeks, I add a few pinches of generic rehydrated dry yeast to the cooled priming solution at bottling, and make sure it's well-stirred once added to the beer.


Since I started doing that, I have had no problems with carbonation at all. I recommend this practice to everyone who bottles aged beer.
 
Evan! said:

Here's a rule of thumb that has helped me immensely: whenever I age anything in secondary for longer than 2 or 3 weeks, I add a few pinches of generic rehydrated dry yeast to the cooled priming solution at bottling, and make sure it's well-stirred once added to the beer.

That is a really good idea. Would you suggest that I add a few grains of generic yeast to each bottle, carb tabs, or both? If yeast, what kind would you recommend?

Thanks.
 
I'm curious to know the kind of yeast to use as well. I have a IIPA that is sitting in secondary as we speak, and it's been there for about 2 weeks already. I'm afraid it won't carb up well now, especially since my IPA is not carbed after a week.

What kind of yeast? Can you describe the whole method please?

5gB
 
Come on, Evan... Homebrewers need to know, man! Give us the juicy details

5gB
 
Rehydrate some dry yeast...get an eye dropper and put a few drops of the yeasty mix in each bottle and recap.

Place them at 70-73 degrees and give the bottles a gentle rock every couple days to wake up the yeast.

Wait three weeks and test again. If nothing...get a keg set up and force carb.. :)
 
BrewStef said:
That is a really good idea. Would you suggest that I add a few grains of generic yeast to each bottle, carb tabs, or both? If yeast, what kind would you recommend?

Thanks.

I have had some similar problems in the past, and can add a bit of advice based on my experience.

Try adding a few grains of dried yeast to a couple of bottles first. Be sure to gently mix up the bottles a day later. If there is any residual sugar left, it should carbonate within a week if placed in a warm room for a week or two.

If not, then you need some sugar. There are a couple of critical steps here. First, you need to ensure that the bottles are de-carbonated as much as possible (otherwise, if you drop in carb drops they will cause an instant gusher and you will loose beer!). I suggest gently prying open the cap part way to vent the bottle, then chill them really cold. After that, add your carbonation drops and a few grains of dry yeast to each bottle. Re-cap and move to a warm room.

A note: don't add carb drops to your bottles BEFORE you test whether adding dry yeast will carbonate your beers. If your problem is yeast, not sugars, then adding carb drops and yeast may double-prime your bottles -- i.e., bottle bombs.
 
for what its worth i always rehydrate 1/3 pack of lavlin ec1118 yeast and add to my bottling bucket ever since i had a batch of scottish ale refuse to carb.
i haven't had a problem since - maybe a touch more sediment but it is worth it.
 
rod said:
for what its worth i always rehydrate 1/3 pack of lavlin ec1118 yeast and add to my bottling bucket ever since i had a batch of scottish ale refuse to carb.
i haven't had a problem since - maybe a touch more sediment but it is worth it.

Thanks. I suppose that yeast strain really doesn't matter? I was concerned that a yeast strain that attenuates more than that which was used to ferment could cause bottle bombs.
 
rod said:
for what its worth i always rehydrate 1/3 pack of lavlin ec1118 yeast and add to my bottling bucket ever since i had a batch of scottish ale refuse to carb.
i haven't had a problem since - maybe a touch more sediment but it is worth it.
Good idea for myself and glad you posted that. I have a belgian wit, hoegaarden clone that is low carbonated and just did the "gentle shake" with the bottles dance to see what would happen. I like that tip a lot. Much better than the whole "just get a kegging system" quotes. I plan on doing that at some point but certainly that type of answer doesn't help out the low carb issue that we sometimes run into.

Thanks for starting this thread.
 
Georgian Novice said:
Good idea for myself and glad you posted that. I have a belgian wit, hoegaarden clone that is low carbonated and just did the "gentle shake" with the bottles dance to see what would happen. I like that tip a lot. Much better than the whole "just get a kegging system" quotes. I plan on doing that at some point but certainly that type of answer doesn't help out the low carb issue that we sometimes run into.

Thanks for starting this thread.

I think you'll find my recommendation was well balanced (unlike myself after 3 Cheesefood Caramel Cream Ales I just kegged.)

I've actually had brews get a bit overcarbed after giving the cases a slight rock to and fro while conditioning.

Nothing exact about this science of home brewing.
 
BrewStef said:
Thanks. I suppose that yeast strain really doesn't matter? I was concerned that a yeast strain that attenuates more than that which was used to ferment could cause bottle bombs.

You are very right. With an OG of 1.029? I would DEFINATLEY not be bottling anyway. The rule of thumb is bottle when under 1020... secondly, if you are going to use a high attenuation yeast like a lavlin EC1118, then be VERY wary about adding sugar. A lavlin will easily take a 1.084 brew down to a .994 (My current apfelwein) meaning you have a possible .035 points of fermenting still left if you add lavlinEC1118. Yeast strain does not really matter when using once fermentation has basically finished (1.010 or less)

Basically, the attenuation of the yeast depends on the hardiness of the yeast that you are using. With 13 pounds of fermentables (12lbs extract and the other pound or so of graings) you are looking at a very high ABV beer. My suggestion is that your yeast have stopped fermenting at 1.029 because the alcohol content is too high for them to survive..(quick calc of 7.2%) so you may have killed your yeast. If you now go and add a much more tolerant strain, IE a champagne yeast which can survive up to 13-14% ABV, then you are likely to ferment out what was left in your beer and end up with somthing VERY dry.

My suggestion is that you may just never carb that beer unless you are willing to add the champagne yeast, resulting in a super dry beer. The other suggestion is to find a yeast strain that is more tolerant of ABV, but not as 'hardcore' as a champagne yeast. I dunno, maybe your yeast got stuck and fermentation did not complete. This is my guess, you were shooting for around a 9% beer, and are at 7.2%, so I would be wary about the unfermented sugar still in the beer. If I were you I would take the very smart advice of FlyGuy

FlyGuy said:
Try adding a few grains of dried yeast to a couple of bottles first. Be sure to gently mix up the bottles a day later. If there is any residual sugar left, it should carbonate within a week if placed in a warm room for a week or two.

Anyway, thats just my thoughts, who knows I may be wrong...

:mug:
 
Back
Top