Question:How long are your carbonation times?

Morning campers-
I have 2 batches in bottles right now, each bottled for 9+ days. My previous batches have all been nicely carbonated by now. Each of these batches are not yet. The difference in these is that they were each in the secondary for extended amounts of time, though each was still, albeit very slowly, building pressure on the airlocks. The Ale was on secondary for around 3 weeks, and the stout was on secondary for 6 weeks. As I said, both were making positve pressure on the airlocks; when equalized, the airlock would be moving up after a night.
Question-what are your normal carb times out there in brewland? Was I enjoying abnormal fast times previous to these batches? It is a little cooler in the house in the meat of winter-we have been keeping the thermostat at 65*F.....Any thoughts? I desparately hope that I have not lost both batches because I let them go in the secondary too long.

Don't worry, they're not lost because of being in secondary too long. I would say slower carbonation is due to the cooler temps. I'm a wimp so I keep my house at 72 or 73 degrees. My beers are always pretty well carbonated in a week to 10 days and almost always fully carbonated in 14 days.

i kinda like my ales not so carbonated, flat almost compared to typical store bought beers.

give them two more weeks, they should be fine

Truble said:

Question-what are your normal carb times out there in brewland? Was I enjoying abnormal fast times previous to these batches? It is a little cooler in the house in the meat of winter-we have been keeping the thermostat at 65*F.....Any thoughts? I desparately hope that I have not lost both batches because I let them go in the secondary too long.

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Using DME and conditioning at 65F or so, none of mine have been even minimally carbed in less than 18 days. I've taken to sitting a few in the kitchen next to the stove for a few days just so they'll be a little warmer, but in the winter it just seems like 3.5 to 4 weeks is what it takes.

I just opened a bottle of my Dortmunder that I bottled the day after Christmas and it was carbed nicely. I've also had a Belgiane Ale that I let go a month. Average time though is 2 weeks.

It's difficult to leave anything too long in Brewing, the problem is normally too short a duration.

I tend to go for 1 2 3.

1 week primary
2 weeks secondary
3 weeks carbonation (Bottle or Keg)

Usually the bigger the beer (Higher Gravity) the long the times required.

Thanks all. Good info. I have been using the original one that I opened as a gauge. I have been reopening it every other day to see if it keeps building pressure, which it has been (I am loving my new flipper tops). This way, I don't have to waste any more when checking.

I am hoping that they might be ready by this saturday- poker and football night!

Consider putting them in an area closer to 70-72 degrees. Several resources suggest this as an ideal range for bottle conditioning. I condition in my home office, which is this temperature all the time, and find that carbonation occurs as quickly as a week or so, and that the beers substantially improve in taste, aroma, mouthfeel and color over a month or more under these conditions.

Just stick them in the fridge a couple of hours before you're ready to drink. And make sure your poker and football friends are profuse in their appreciation!!

Follow-up- My Ale turned out great-just took a while to carbonate. The stout is moving a lot slower. Will a heavy beer resist CO2 saturation compared to a lighter beer? I know that it is building positive pressure in the bottle (I bottled a number of 12 testers), but ther beer is flat. It is going to have to age a while anyway, as it is still very harsh, but I would like to know that it is carbonated properly before I commit to tying up all my new flippers to months under the basement stairs.