question about carbonation

Hi,
I was wondering about possible fermentation time once it is in the bottle. I did a true brew Oktoberfest and messed that up, i stirred it after primary fermentation and now can't get the yeast taste out of it, but I have to say, that beer was about fully carbonated within a couple of days after bottling, and now two weeks later it is so carbonated, it reminded me of the most carbonated beer I ever had which was an atwater beer.

The second kit I did was a true brew porter and it has been bottled about a week now, and it barely has any carbonation in it at all. I know it should condition a few weeks, but feel like it should have more carbonation at one week and I am worried it isn't going to carbonate well enough. With the Oktoberfest, I used 5 oz of priming sugar, and with the porter the recipe called for and had the same 5 oz priming sugar. I boiled like I should have and poured it into the bottom of the bottling bucket while it was still hot. I am pretty sure I did the same with the Oktoberfest. I let the beer swirl into the bottling bucket as recommended by some on this board.

The porter is the one that is not well carbonated at one week. I don't mind opening one here and there and losing it as it ages since I want to know exactly what it does over time to find the best timing etc. Will this porter continue to carbonate and if it does not, is there a way I can rebottle it and force better carbonation without messing it up?

I just bottled another 5 gallon and the recipe only called for 4 oz of priming sugar, which based on the Oktoberfest should be fine since it was almost too carbonated.

the full recipe is below for the porter in question, the aroma and taste is great, I just need that carbonation!!!

True Brew porter with the following: All products made by Crosby and Baker
• Muntons Crushed Chocolate 6 ounces product of UK 2 row Barley Malt CB 3023K – steeped 30 minutes
• Muntons Liquid Malt Extract – Dark 3.3 lbs. typical analysis: solids 80%-82% Color (EBC) 50-60
• Muntons Dark Dried Malt Extract 1 lbs. product of UK Color 57 EBC / Lovibond 22 CB 2408K
• Muntons Dark Dried Malt Extract 1 lbs. product of UK Color 57 EBC / Lovibond 22 CB 2408K
• Malto-Dextrin 8 ounces / usage 4 ounces per 5 gallon beer CB 7150K
• UK First Gold Hop Pellets 1 ounce – Alpha 7.3% - Flushed Barrier Package CB 4169AKIT
• UK First Gold Hop Pellets 1 ounce – Alpha 7.3% - Flushed Barrier Package CB 4169AKIT
• Yeast – for 4.5 to 23L (1 to 5 IMP. Gal / 1 to 6 US GAL)
o Nottingham
o Brewing yeast Levure A Biere / GMO and Gluten Free
o DANSTAR www.danstar.com
o Net weight 11g POIDS NET

In my experience stouts and porters bottle carb/condition a little slower than my other beers. I've had stouts take over a month til fully carbed. Relax and wait the minimum of 3 weeks @ 70degrees before you get too worried.

I really, really, really hate recipes that say "add x amount of priming sugar." That's like making cookies, and adding 1tsp of salt regardless of the amount of flour/butter etc.

Use a calculator like this:
http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html

You need to know the actual volume you're bottling. Everyone's actual yield is different than the batch size.

As for the porter, give it two more weeks and see if it carbs up. If not, learn to enjoy flatter beer. Rebottling would be a PITA, and you'd probably pick up an infection along the way.

The colder the weather the longer it takes to bottle condition.
3 weeks is the MINIMUM time to bottle carb. and that's assuming 70F storage temperatures.

Yeah just be patient with it. When I used to bottle, i remember batches changing drastically from 10 days to 14 days. It's almost like they don't seem like they are going to carb at all and then all of a sudden they are ready. Don't even test any for at least 2 weeks. It's a waste of beer.

I can bottle condition any beer under 1.070 in less than a week. It's about yeast health and temperature...not anything else.