Trying to save my beer; Create small warm area

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NHAnimator

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Just opened two batches of beer to find both flat in their bottles. One was a honey weizen, the other an Irish red. Both sat in primary for three weeks, secondary for two, and bottled at room temperature for one. The "room temperature" was about 63-66.

As I got next to no carbonation and no head, I'm assuming that it was a little too cool for the yeast to get started. I'm hoping to put them in a warmer environment, give them a little swirl, and wait a couple of weeks before resorting to something more drastic.

We usually keep our house in that above-stated range. We are in the northeast and temps aren't likely to get up to mid-70's any time soon. It also doesn't make sense to crank the heat up in the entire place for two batches of beer. I'm thinking of doing something like placing lamps (or even a heat lamp) in a closet or something like that.

Looking to find out how others might have dealt with trying to slightly heat up a small area safely.

Thanks in advance,
NHAnimator
 
Check out craigtube on youtube. He shows how to deal with this very thing. He uses an old dunnage container with Christmas lights & some kind of controller for the desired temp range. Looks strange,but seems to work...
 
One week is really early to be drinking the beer. How much sugar did you use? Wait at least another week, and let us know how it went.
 
That's true too. They do say to wait 2 weeks before cracking one. But his temps might be too low for this to work correctly in the usual time frame. Bottle aging is usually at around 70F for that 2weeks. But,flavor also comes into play here,since you're not just carbing them up in the bottles. You're aging them at the same time. And that can be 2-3 weeks for a wheat,to maybe a year or more for barlywines & lambics.
 
at 66 degrees, the beer will carb up within about three weeks or so.

If you have no hope that the area will get above 65 degrees, you could try moving some to a warmer place like the top of the fridge for three weeks.
 
Given the manufacturer's spec sheet (pdf) said 6 weeks, I figured I'd be pretty close if I tried drinking it after, say, 6 weeks. My primary was in the correct temperature (around 64) for two weeks. Moved it to 54 for one week. Then racked to secondary and left at 54 for two more weeks. I guess I was just a little surprised that it's not close to drinkable. I understand the spec sheet is just a guide, and things can be shifted a little in the overall process. That's the fun of learning it all.

Oh well. Just hope I can save them before it's all said and done.
 
I think you just need more time... I bottle and store my beer in the basement 58-62F. I bottle condition for 4-wks. All have carbed up nicely. An English Brown, Oatmeal Stout and an Irish Red.
 
Follow-up:

To educate myself, I opened another test bottle after two weeks and found progress - a little more carbonation and a little bit of head.

After 19 days, I put a bottle of the honey weizen in the fridge for 24 hours and just tried it: MUCH better. Flavors better, head better, carbonation better. Plenty drinkable. Now, if the rest of the batch can make it to 4 weeks... :p
 
Follow-up:

To educate myself, I opened another test bottle after two weeks and found progress - a little more carbonation and a little bit of head.

After 19 days, I put a bottle of the honey weizen in the fridge for 24 hours and just tried it: MUCH better. Flavors better, head better, carbonation better. Plenty drinkable. Now, if the rest of the batch can make it to 4 weeks... :p

I made the mistake of trying my 1st batch after 2 weeks and was quite disappointed. That said, after 3 weeks it was great and kept getting better.
 
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