Barleywine is flat

[BriosBrew]

Hi all, first new thread I've ever posted!

I made a one gallon barley wine that is absolutley delicious and I am so proud of, but it ended at 12% and was made with US05, so when I bottled it with corn sugar for a low (barleywine appropriate) carbonation...zip, nada, nothing.

I foolishly dropped two carb tabs (from a packet that says 3 low, 4 mid, 5 high) in each bottle, crossed my fingers, and recapped.

The bottles give a little "pssh" when opened but the beer is flat in the glass.

So at this point is it smarter to:

1) Dump all of them in a bucket with a bit of rehydrated champagne yeast and rebottle
2) open them and sprinkle in a bit of champagne yeast, recap
3) have a friend keg it, force carb, use a bottling gun. In this version we only have 5 gallon kegs for one gallon of beer.


Let me know! I'd love to save this one. It is really yummy and took a while and a lot of hops to make.

 

[timdillon36]

Of the one/s you have tried, did you have a few sips and dump it or drink the bottle during the sitting. Also how long have have then been carbing. These types of beers can take months to carb and age.

Also recipe and as well as gravity reading could be helpful.

 

[Kee]

I've used option #2 successfully. Just sprinkle in a little dry yeast and recap.

 

[JonM]

How long have they been in the bottles? Last time I did a big beer like that it was like 4 months before it carbed up. Big beers just take longer.

 

[flars]

Try another bottle two months from now. Keep the bottles warm. 70°F to 76°F would be an optimum temperature. Carbonation takes longer with carb drops because they dissolve slower than corn sugar. High ABV brews are better with longer conditioning times. Eight months from now the beer will be even better.