Pumpkin ale

Bout two months ago I brewed my first pumpkin ale with spice, molasses, brown sugar and 6lb of Libby's caned pure pumpkin. It fermented good for about three weeks then I bottled it. The final gravity was at 1.017 but now It is having trouble carbonating. I used 3/4 cup corn sugar boiled with two cups of water and I always have good luck with this in other beers. Is there some thing I can do to get this brew up to snuff? Or any suggestions on what might of went wrong with the yeast?

Try table sugar I use it in all my darker beers. Don't have to worry about it affecting the flavor like in lighter beers. Works every time for me has a 103% efficiency rate where as corn sugar is 98%.

Also how long was it in the primary to much yeast may have settled out had this happen to me with a Dunkel once. Depends on the strain also some settle more than others.

It was in the primary for 7 days then I transferred it to the secondary for two weeks. I used English ale yeast wlp002 witch I have had nothing but good luck with in the past.

Where are you storing the bottles? If they are in too cool of a place the yeast could just be working slower or even dormant.

I suggest moving it to another room where the temperature is at least 72°F. Whenever I have bottles that won't carbonate then I move them into a warmer room and also shake them every 2 to 3 days in order to stimulate the yeast that are in the bottle.

Good luck,

John

Be patient. My first pumpkin took almost 3 months with Nottingham. I took it out of secondary too soon (I was very new at this) and then it over carbonated. It finally settled down at close to a year!

JOE_R said:

Be patient. My first pumpkin took almost 3 months with Nottingham.

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I've done five 5 gallon pumpkin batches so far (1 extract and 4 AG) and not a single one took any longer than the usual 2-3 weeks to carb up. I don't think it has anything to do with being a pumpkin ale.


Rev.

outlaw1 said:

Try table sugar I use it in all my darker beers. Don't have to worry about it affecting the flavor like in lighter beers. Works every time for me has a 103% efficiency rate where as corn sugar is 98%.

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What is your sugar to water ratio?

I use the same as corn sugar 1/2 to 3/4 cup for 5gals!