Too cold for carbonation?

[Token]

I think I messed up my pumpkin beer. Everything was going great, and I bottled the beer. I think I messed up when I put it down in the basement. I think it's about 56 degrees down there right now. Should I have left it "upstairs" where it's more like 70 degrees? (it's an ale) That was 2 weeks ago. Do you think it would help to haul it back upstairs to get some carbonation going? It tastes fine, but there's little to no carbonation. Dammers.

 

[Yooper]

Yes, it's too cold to carbonate at basement temps this time of year. Two to three weeks at 70 degrees would be ideal. You can bring them back upstairs, and gently turn end over end to rouse the yeast that has probably all fallen to the bottom in the cold temperature.

 

[Grinder12000]

I have your problem (living in Wisconsin). I have an unfinished walkout basement with an unfinished bathroom. What I did was move my carbonation into the bathroom, buy a $50 space heater with a thermostat and place a blanket over the doorway.

That little room stays at 70 and my beer is now carbing up great. Even at 65 I was having problems. 4 weeks would go by and I would have very little carbing.

 

[Token]

Thanks guys. Good to know all hope is not lost! I'll move them back up stairs and give each one a little tip to "rouse the yeast."

 

[monty3777]

Hmm. I live in Iowa and my basement is 60* I usually have carbonation in around 4 days - though not enough to make for a good beer. By the time 3 weeks go by the beer is fine. Wonder what the difference is?

 

[Grinder12000]

Maybe the style of beer? Amount of Corn Sugar??

 

[Token]

I don't know. But I took Yoop's advice and did the tilt thing after I brought them back upstairs. We'll see what happens.

 

[dontman]

Hmm. I live in Iowa and my basement is 60* I usually have carbonation in around 4 days - though not enough to make for a good beer. By the time 3 weeks go by the beer is fine. Wonder what the difference is?

Yeah, so do I. I'm with Hopetoperc and about 90% of the rest of homebrewers when I see my beers taking at least 3 weeks to have adequate carbonation.

Of course there is a big difference between CO2 pressure in the bottle and fully dissolved and absorbed CO2. Maybe that's the difference. Personally I can't stand falsely carbonated beer. Because it looks carbonated but it is deceptive and tastes like week old soda.

 

[Badger454]

Yes, it's too cold to carbonate at basement temps this time of year. Two to three weeks at 70 degrees would be ideal. You can bring them back upstairs, and gently turn end over end to rouse the yeast that has probably all fallen to the bottom in the cold temperature.

Is the point here to try to get all the sediment at the bottom of the bottle to re-dissolve into the beer? Or just some of it?

 

[Boodlemania]

I just bottled a weisbier and put it back in the basement where it fermented (currently at 57F). I've not had carbonation issues with other brews with the basement in the low 60's. I just thought it might take longer than 3 weeks to adequately carbonate, which wasn't an issue with me b/c I wanted to age the beer longer than that anyway.

Am I off base here?

 

[ifishsum]

Is the point here to try to get all the sediment at the bottom of the bottle to re-dissolve into the beer? Or just some of it?

It won't really re-dissolve, but yes the main point is to re-suspend the yeast sediment long enough to carbonate the beer.

Boodle, I would think you might have trouble getting your beer to carb at all at 57 degrees. The yeast may just go dormant on you and do nothing. I would store them at 70 for 2-3 weeks first to ensure carbing, then move them down for aging.

The difference in carbonation temperatures is probably due to the yeast strain and it's temperature tolerance. I'd think lager strains would carb better in lower temperature than ale yeasts, and even then some ale yeasts might work at 60 and some wouldn't.

 

[monty3777]

Is the point here to try to get all the sediment at the bottom of the bottle to re-dissolve into the beer? Or just some of it?

The sediment won't "re-dissolve" into the beer. What happens is that the yeast will feed on the priming sugar and the expended CO2 will be "forced into" the beer creating carbonation. The yeasts will still end up on the bottom of the bottle. This is why many people don't pour the last 1/4" into the drinking glass. Simply put - there will always be sediment so long as you bottle condition - and probably even if you don't.

 

[Badger454]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear enough. What I meant was, when rousing the yeast by turning the bottles end-over-end, do you want to disturb all of the sediment at the bottom to get the most amount of yeast back into suspension, or should it be done more subtly and leave most of the sediment in place? I know it should be done gently in either case as to not oxidize the beer.

I was afraid my bottles got too cold at one point and the yeast went to sleep (no carb after 3 weeks), I just want to wake em up and get back to work.

 

[Token]

Oh dear. I hope I didn't "over-rouse"! I tipped them upside down, did a gentle swish, then turned them upright. I DID find out i had two caps on incorrectly. As I walked past the bottles a little while later I heard a fizzing noise. Two bottles were making the noise because the caps weren't on just right. Oh well, I weeded those two out in the process!