not carbonating

[bigbeer]

hi, i have bottled some pretty high abv beer (2 different batches) and they have not carbed (been bottled for 5 motnhs). my question is, drik em flat or is there a solution? maybe make a simple syrup and put a bit in each bottle?

 

[pdxal]

We need more details.
Recipe? Fermented for how long before bottling? OG/FG? Did the beers taste good uncarbonated at bottling? Did you add fresh yeast at bottling? Is there any carbonation at all in the bottles you've tried? Are they conditioning at room temp?
Adding more sugar to a beer with dead yeast won't help, so we need to know if the yeast was healthy at bottling.

 

[bobeer]

and how much priming sugar did you add and what kind of sugar did you use? What c02 volume were going for?

 

[A2HB]

Ive had this same problem when I tried reusing us 05 yeast cake too many times, the beers never carbed up. Since its been 5 months like you said and still no carb those yeasties are probably goners. If youre serious about saving the batch I would get a pack of CBC1 or whtatever its called bottling yeast and put a few small pinches in each bottle and re cap. That will get em carbed up again. Or you can do like i did and say "eff it" and drink beer juice and just try to not let it happen againlol. Good luck to you in whatever decision you choose

 

[bigbeer]

It was a stone bitter chocolate oatmeal stout clone. Og was 1.093 I believe and fg was around 1.020 steady for a few months. Was in primary for 3 weeks and secondary for 2 months. I used wyeast 1099 whitbread (no fresh yeast at bottling) Bottled with 1 cup of dme I think (can't find my notes). Some bottles have slight carb and they have been at room temp for 3ish month in the bottle

 

[mpapotta]

I ran into samething with a 1.112 beer. I eventually used dry champagne yeast, it took very little maybe just a couple from the pack per bottle. Recapped and tilted the bottle upside down to get it in the beer. Within a week they started to carb. Your original yeast just are spent and don't have enough in them to eat the dme.

 

[bigbeer]

I ran into samething with a 1.112 beer. I eventually used dry champagne yeast, it took very little maybe just a couple from the pack per bottle. Recapped and tilted the bottle upside down to get it in the beer. Within a week they started to carb. Your original yeast just are spent and don't have enough in them to eat the dme.

Won't the ec-1118 dry it out too much?
What about making a simple syrup, cooking it and pitching some of my yeast from fermentation in there and adding a little splash per bottle? Think that would work?

 

[pdxal]

Wine or champagne yeast can't ferment any more than the priming sugar you added. They won't dry it out any further, or affect the flavor.
There is remaining unfermented priming sugar present in the bottles if they haven't carbonated. Better to just quickly uncap, add a drop of rehydrated yeast slurry to each bottle, and recap. Then, chalk this batch up to experience and re-yeast when you bottle high gravity and extended aging beers.

 

[bigbeer]

Wine or champagne yeast can't ferment any more than the priming sugar you added. They won't dry it out any further, or affect the flavor.
There is remaining unfermented priming sugar present in the bottles if they haven't carbonated. Better to just quickly uncap, add a drop of rehydrated yeast slurry to each bottle, and recap. Then, chalk this batch up to experience and re-yeast when you bottle high gravity and extended aging beers.

Ok thanks a lot for the advice guys! I'll be doing just this

 

[makokiller]

Get away from bottles. Start using kegs, and you will have carbed beer in days, not months.

 

[bigbeer]

Get away from bottles. Start using kegs, and you will have carbed beer in days, not months.

I have kegs but some stuff like ris or barley wine and many others meant to be aged should be bottled imo.

 

[fun4stuff]

I have kegs but some stuff like ris or barley wine and many others meant to be aged should be bottled imo.

Then force carb in a keg and bottle. Much easier and quicker.

 

[bigbeer]

Then force carb in a keg and bottle. Much easier and quicker.

Will they stay carbed indefinitely?

 

[fun4stuff]

Will they stay carbed indefinitely?

Follow instructions here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24678

Important points: make sure beer and bottles you are filling (as well as tubing) are chilled before filling and dispense at low psi (2). Fill nearly to the top until starts to foam over, place cap on bottle and invert to create more foam then quickly secure cap.

How well does it work? I have bottles that have held carbonation for 3 months (carbonation level tastes the same). I have a few bottles I'm holding for 6 months and one year. I think people report good results in that thread, which makes sense- providing you fill bottle nearly to the top and cap on foam, the co2 has nowhere else to go.

 

[Firewalker11]

I just had a Caribou Slobber not bottle barb and even though I am a keg guy all the way, I still like to understand the whole process but this one didn't take. I simple followed one of the many calculators online and made a starter with fresh yeast, added a premeasured amount in each bottle and let it go!

We opened up a few this weekend and they are doing just fine now after two weeks and should be better in a few more. Good luck, let us know which direction you go.