Help with carbonation

We have just recently jumped into the world of homebrewing. Starting from the first batch, you could say we have jumped feet first and have been brewing all-grain from the get-go. This is our third batch ever. We would like to avoid the lack of carbonation we saw in our second batch, which was an Irish Red Ale. For that second batch, we followed the recipe from Jamil’s book. We used 10 grams of Safale US-05. Our post-boil specific gravity was 1.060, admittedly a bit high; we were shooting for 1.054. At bottling the specific gravity was 1.024; still too high, the target was 1.014. We used ¾ cup of priming sugar. This batch sat in primary for 15 days at roughly 70 degrees.

This batch was delicious. The carbonation was poor: no head at pour and no effervescence in the body of the beer. We would like to avoid this with our newest batch and are waiting to bottle, hoping to solve the riddle of the missing fizz.

The third batch is from the Programmer’s Elbow recipe in Jamil’s book. We used 11 grams of Safale S04. Our post-boil specific gravity @ 60 degrees was 1.058 on March 25 (44 days ago! yikes!). Specific gravity today (May 6th) is 1.020 @ 70 degrees, which we adjust to 1.021. Still too high: goal was 1.010-1.016. Recipe says to carbonate using CO2; we however are batch priming.


Does this sound like a problem with yeast? sugar? both?

Please help! Thanks

Your final gravity in both cases does seem high. Perhaps your mash temperature are too high? If you think they aren't, perhaps your thermometer is not accurate?

If your mash temperatures are dead on, though, then I'd be wondering about the health of your yeast. Unhealthy yeast could also result in an undercarbonated beer.

And, by the way, who is "we?" Just curious

"We" are Mike and Brian. Pleased to meet everyone!

Pretty sure the yeast is healthy, and the thermometer is new and from a reliable brew shop.

Guess that leaves the mash temp to wonder about? Any other thoughts anyone??

How long have they been in the bottles, and at what temp. The biggest issue we get where new brewers are concerned in terms of carbonation, and 99% it is the reason; is time in the bottle and temp. If your beer has been less than 3 weeks @ 70 degrees for average gravity beers (up to 1.060) and it is not carbed, that is the problem.

You really don't need to add more yeast at bottling time for normal beers. There's plenty of active and healthy yeast at bottling time, even if you did a month in primary or under 6 months in secondary.....all beers will carb eventually.

Read this- Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning.