Veronis
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2013
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This was a birch beer extract kit (the little yellow & brown box). I made it with my 7 year old who loves birch beer, and really want to get this right for him.
I used Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast, rehydrated in 98 degree water (Red Star says 97-102) for 10 minutes, and added to 98 degree soda in bottling bucket.
I stirred everything in well, added the 8 cups sugar and ensured full dissolve, and bottled in PET bottles I got at my LHBS.
Sat in 71 degrees for 4 days, then moved to 69 degree location. It's flat as it gets.
The yeast expiration date was late 2014 somewhere, and had been stored properly.
3 days ago I turned all the bottles upside down and gave them a few semi-gentle shakes to force all the yeast back in suspension. Each bottle does have a thin layer of yeast at the bottom. Didn't make a difference.
1. Where might I have screwed up, and/or what should I do to fix it, if anything?
2. Lastly, is it true that if carbonation does work, you have to refrigerate these bottles once you reach acceptable carbonation levels or they'll explode? I keep seeing mixed comments on this.
I used Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast, rehydrated in 98 degree water (Red Star says 97-102) for 10 minutes, and added to 98 degree soda in bottling bucket.
I stirred everything in well, added the 8 cups sugar and ensured full dissolve, and bottled in PET bottles I got at my LHBS.
Sat in 71 degrees for 4 days, then moved to 69 degree location. It's flat as it gets.
The yeast expiration date was late 2014 somewhere, and had been stored properly.
3 days ago I turned all the bottles upside down and gave them a few semi-gentle shakes to force all the yeast back in suspension. Each bottle does have a thin layer of yeast at the bottom. Didn't make a difference.
1. Where might I have screwed up, and/or what should I do to fix it, if anything?
2. Lastly, is it true that if carbonation does work, you have to refrigerate these bottles once you reach acceptable carbonation levels or they'll explode? I keep seeing mixed comments on this.