Critique my salvage plan

Well, I finally did it, I finally managed to have an undrinkable product.

Belgian Witbier, 3G AG.
Witbier - Witbier
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Batch Size: 3.000 gal
Boil Size: 4.500 gal
Boil Time: 90.000 min
Efficiency: 80%%
OG: 1.050
FG: 1.013
ABV: 4.8%%
Bitterness: 15.5 IBUs (Tinseth)
Color: 3 SRM (Morey)

Fermentables
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Name Type Amount Mashed Late Yield Color
Pilsner (2 Row) Bel Grain 2.250 lb Yes No 79%% 2 L
Wheat, Torrified Grain 2.000 lb Yes No 79%% 2 L
Oats, Flaked Grain 4.000 oz Yes No 80%% 1 L
Muntons DME - Extra Light Dry Extract 6.000 oz No Yes 95%% 3 L (here because the wheat crush was pretty bad, and I needed to up the pre-boil gravity a little)
Acid Malt Grain 2.000 oz Yes No 59%% 3 L
Total grain: 5.000 lb

Hops
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Name Alpha Amount Use Time Form IBU
Hallertau 4.5%% 0.500 oz Boil 90.000 min Pellet 15.5

Misc
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Name Type Use Amount Time
Bitter Orange Peel Flavor Primary 2.876 tsp 5.000 min
Corriander Spice Boil 2.876 tsp 5.000 min

Yeast
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Name Type Form Amount Stage
Wyeast - Belgian Witbier Ale Liquid 0.528 cup Primary

Mash
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Name Type Amount Temp Target Time
Protien Rest Infusion 1.445 gal 130.006 F 122.000 F 15.000 min
Conversion Infusion 3.504 qt 212.000 F 153.000 F 90.000 min
Sparge Infusion 1.029 gal 212.000 F 170.000 F 0.000 s
Top Off Infusion 0.000 tsp 212.000 F 32.000 F 0.000 s
Final Batch Sparge Infusion 1.751 gal 236.268 F 165.200 F 15.000 min


Hit my OG dead on into the fermenter. Rode fermentation for three weeks, had stable gravity readings three days apart at 1.012. Then my errors.

Calculated priming addition, but without thinking used the cold crash temperature instead of the highest fermentation temp. This meant I used a little less than half the needed sugar (table). Then, in a fit of thinking about something else, I made the solution the thickness of simple sugar. Some of it, therefore, didn't make it to the bottling bucket, and what was there was too thick to mix up (didn't realize it until I was washing the bucket and found a syrupy residue).

Thought I might be okay, but was definitely concerned. Let the bottles condition at about 67 for a week. My test bottle--plastic--was not firming up at all. Moved the bottles to be with my Belgian Golden Strong as I was doing the Belgian temperature ramp. Has been above 70 now for ten days, 78 the highest. Still no pressure in the test bottle. Took a glass bottle from near the end of the run, chilled it for about 36 hours, popped the cap last night and had no carbonation (a couple of small bubbles on the side of the glass).

So, to salvage, am considering going to the LHBS today and getting these: http://www.homebrewing.org/Prime-Tab_p_1986.html
They seem more versatile than the Coopers, in case I encounter a bottle with some pressure. My plan is to add 4 or 5 tabs to each bottle without carbonation, and if I come across one with carb, just use one to make up for what I'll lose from opening and resealing.

Will clean off the counter, hit everything with StarSan, open a bottle, add the needed number of tablets, put a loose cap on top and hope for a release of some CO2 into the headspace (should it be a good idea to give each bottle a light shake before decapping?). After I finish the adding to the whole batch, go back and seal the caps. I am thinking I will need to give the bottle a swirl then, and again every day until I can't see the tablets anymore.

So, am I going about this the right or wrong way? Please let me know, as the beer tastes good even without carbonation.

Since no one is telling me not to, I guess I'll get to this tonight or tomorrow morning.

Speaking from little or no experience. I have only done this once when I completely forgot to add sugar. It worked fine. Your only challenge is knowing whether you have any carbonation to start with. I would shoot a little low. I would shake your bottles before opening or after adding the tablets to resuspend whatever yeast is in there and give them a good chance to get going.

Did you not put the sugar in?
Yes I put the sugar in - wait longer
No, I forgot the sugar - your idea

Adding more sugar if you already added the sugar won't cure the problem. As far as your plastic test bottle, those are notorious for losing carbonation. You have to screw the cap on till your hand is raw for them to be reliable.

It says sugar was added but that much was found at the bottom of the bucket when done filling the bottles. It also says that a glass bottle gave the same result after what sounds like 3 weeks. Possible there will still be some carbonation on the way but my take was that there was less than needed. Hence the suggestion to use a bit less than might be desired.

I appreciate the feedback.

Didn't realize the brewday export didn't include dates. These went into the bottle 1/21. I can wait a few days to make it a full month wait. At best I would've got 50% of the needed sugar into the bucket. At best about 50% of that made it into the beer. The collapsed bottle is still collapsed (so I'm comfortable it's tightly sealed).

Those particular tablets recommend dosing with 5 per bottle for Belgians. I'm figuring 4. That way, even if I did get 25% of the necessary sugar into the bottles, I'm not seriously over priming.

Thanks again!

Added some Primetabs to my test bottle on Saturday. Left it alone until today. It had fully expanded. This told me that there was, most likely a priming sugar problem. Additionally, the 12oz bottle I chilled starting on Saturday had 0 carb (no sound when opening the bottle even).

Decided to tab the rest of the batch (1.25 case of 12oz bottles [3G batch]). Figured I could just barely pry up on the cap and only fully open those that made no "psst." Ran the capper over those bottles that I didn't open but in my experience, the caps would be fine.

Came up with 6 that needed no tablets, and one that geysered even at the slightest disturbance of the cap. Think I figured out where the sugar went.

Hope you just opened the ones with too much carbonation so you don't have a dangerous and messy bottle bomb.

Yeah, the 6 that had some signs of carbonation were simple placed in the fridge.