10% ABV barley wine hasn't carbonated 25 days after bottling--wait or act?

[whahoppened]

I primed with 5 oz. corn sugar. I like this brew a lot but there's only been a faint tingle of CO2 since a week after bottling. I don't want a "fizzy" final product, but would definitely prefer a half-inch or so of nice foam on top. Anyone with BW experience--do I just need to wait it out another month or two, or do I need to re-bottle with a different approach?

 

[passedpawn]

I had the same problem. Mine was 11% and didn't carbonate after 4 months.

I won 1st place with it anyway (funny, heh).

Later, I opened every bottle, dumped into a bucket, added a half packet of dry yeast, and re-bottled. I did not bother cleaning bottles -- just got some new caps. I did not add new priming sugar.

It's now carbonated.

 

[demonrichie]

ive never done a barleywine but someone(i think it was revvy) said it may take longer with higher alcohol beverages to carb. plus a week is pretty short wait a couple more weeks at the very least then check if its more carbed.

 

[passedpawn]

heh. I missed that. Yea, a week is very short time. Give it a month before worrying. Sorry, I was skimming.

 

[whahoppened]

No, you read it right... sorry if I was unclear. I bottled it 25 days ago. After a week it seemed to develop a slight carbonation, and hasn't moved from that point since then.

 

[passedpawn]

No, you read it right... sorry if I was unclear. I bottled it 25 days ago. After a week it seemed to develop a slight carbonation, and hasn't moved from that point since then.

Ok, start worrying.










Naw, just kidding. See my previous post.

 

[Brewdouche-RuBrew]

Yea wait prolly

What kind of yeast used?

Put it somewhere warm about 70-75 dgrees

 

[SumnerH]

I primed with 5 oz. corn sugar. I like this brew a lot but there's only been a faint tingle of CO2 since a week after bottling. I don't want a "fizzy" final product, but would definitely prefer a half-inch or so of nice foam on top. Anyone with BW experience--do I just need to wait it out another month or two, or do I need to re-bottle with a different approach?

My 9% Belgian strong dark took about 6 weeks. My 11% barleywine took about 2 months. 25 days isn't panic time, yet, but I'd invert the bottles gently to rouse the yeast and make sure they're not in too cool a location.

 

[whahoppened]

What kind of yeast used?

Safale US-05, 2 11.5 g sachets pitched straight into the wort.

 

[Beernip]

How long was it in the secondary? If you are getting a slight fizz I would let it wait another month or two. It's a barleywine so it will only get better with age.

 

[wildwest450]

Remember that Barleywines aren't highly carbonated by style. Go by taste not head thickness.


.

 

[ksbrain]

I would view a small amount of carbonation as a good sign that it will eventually carb up.

 

[whahoppened]

How long was it in the secondary? If you are getting a slight fizz I would let it wait another month or two. It's a barleywine so it will only get better with age.

It was in secondary for a little under two months. Total time between brewing and bottling was four months plus one day.

 

[whahoppened]

Remember that Barleywines aren't highly carbonated by style. Go by taste not head thickness.


.

Agreed--I don't want something pilsner-fizzy, but right now it's basically flat and I'd like it to have a little more of a tingle. Kind of like Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. There are some small bubbles visible on the surface after pouring, but not much else going on carbonation-wise.

 

[bob1852]

Later, I opened every bottle, dumped into a bucket, added a half packet of dry yeast, and re-bottled. I did not bother cleaning bottles -- just got some new caps. I did not add new priming sugar.

It's now carbonated.

Yes, but does it taste like cardboard? wouldn't dumping the beer in the bucket oxidize the crap out of it?

 

[passedpawn]

No, it isn't fizzy.

Cardboard? No. There is so much alcohol in there you really can't taste anything else. Dark fruits, sherry, alcohol, I really don't like the stuff to tell you the truth. It won first place tho, so I can't say it's screwed up.

After the next December barleywine contest I'll probably give it away. I just gave away a whole batch of a belgian dubbel because it was too hot. I just don't like these big beers.