Do I just need to wait longer...

or any thoughts on this situation?

My 1st all grain brew was a Heffe. I wrote down the OG, but it got tossed apparently in the fiance's cleaning spree. Final G ended up at 1.008 after a week in the primary, and around 3-4 weeks in the secondary.

When I bottled it, I used 2/3 cup of regular cane sugar, boiled it for about 5 mins in 2 cups of water, poured it in my bottling bucket, then siphoned into the bucket to aid in mixing.

I have had them at room temp for about a week. I put one in the fridge this am. Just opened it, and to me it tastes a bit flat. Not really any visible signs of carbonation in the glass. It tastes pretty good actually, so I am a bit bummed on the lack of carbonation.

When I did extract kits I always put them in the fridge to carbonate as opposed to the room temp way this was done. Would that make a difference? I just ran out of room in my fridge for more beer lol. Is the 2/3 cups of regular sugar right, or did I mess that part up?

Thoughts?

Thanks for advance!

Yes. Carbing at room temp should be faster. But don't worry about a thing, give it a good two weeks.

You just need to wait. It takes longer than that. I try one at 2 weeks and sometimes it is carbed but almost always tastes "green" At 3 weeks lighter beers have been ready but bigger beers may take months.

It looks like you were a bit short on sugar to prime for style so it may take a little longer.

Edit: It does not matter whether extract, partial mash or all grain. The timing would be the same.

BrewLou said:

When I did extract kits I always put them in the fridge to carbonate as opposed to the room temp way this was done.

Thoughts?

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I'm confused. How did you carbonate bottled beer in the fridge?

Thanks all! I guess patients is a virtue

To answer the question, its what the directions for the "kit" said to do. Bottle and then place in fridge. Usually within a week they were nice and bubbly.

BrewLou said:

Thanks all! I guess patients is a virtue

To answer the question, its what the directions for the "kit" said to do. Bottle and then place in fridge. Usually within a week they were nice and bubbly.

Click to expand...

You may have read the directions wrong. You're supposed to wait for the bottles to carb and then put them in the fridge. Most yeast go dormant at fridge temps, and putting them in the fridge is usually used when you need to stop the carbonation process. I'm surprised you were able to carb the beer up at all unless your fridge is much warmer than most.

Memory didnt serve correctly. Directions stated to go at RT for a week, then finish carbonation in the fridge. Still doesnt make sense, but yeah... thats what it said.

Your questioning made me think, and I remembered I lost 2 bottles in my guest bedroom due to the way I used to carbonate. I used to load each bottle with its own sugar.

Regardless my Heffe is at RT still. Ill put one in the fridge next Friday, and another the following Fri, to see the differences in carbonation

Is 2/3 cup the correct amount for normal sugar though? Not using dextrose or anything. Just want to make sure I have it right for my next beer in the 2ndary. Im anxious about this one... Im ready for a vanilla porter!!!

after its 2nd week at RT it is much more carbonated, but can probably still use another week or two.

Opened a bottle last night and it poured with a nice head and was moderately bubbly upon tasting. The head went away withing 15-20 mins though and it became flat rather quickly. Figure that will improve as the carbonation continues.