DBONES
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2010
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 1
I know, RDWHAHB, but its hard to HAHB when they won't carb up. Bottled my first brew on 1/17/10, exactly 5 weeks ago, a wheat ale kit from The Home Brewer. Everything went fine, 2 weeks in the primary and 10 days in the secondary. OG and FG were right on according to instructions. Priming sugar was boiled and added. Bottles are stored in a closet with a constant 68 degrees.
I opened one 2 weeks after bottling and the beer was delicious, but very flat. Decided to give them a few more weeks. So chilled one (for 2 days) and tried again yesterday. Very little carbonation. Poured directly into bottom of glass (not down the side) and got about 1/4" of head. Still tasted fabulous for as little carbonation as it had.
Some possible beginner mistakes:
This was my first brew and I did not have any starsan, so I used bleach to sanitize everything during the brewing process. I've been in the restaurant business for 35 years and bleach is the only sanitizer I have ever used. I checked everything with test strips and did not exceed 50ppm. Did not rinse bleach but air dried everything including the bottling bucket.
Sanitized bottles in dishwasher not using any soap, however the dishwasher has an automatic jet dry dispenser which has no provision for turning off.
As I said, the beer is delicious, and drinkable, just very flat. Do you think it will ever reach full carbonation?
Thanks,
Dan
I opened one 2 weeks after bottling and the beer was delicious, but very flat. Decided to give them a few more weeks. So chilled one (for 2 days) and tried again yesterday. Very little carbonation. Poured directly into bottom of glass (not down the side) and got about 1/4" of head. Still tasted fabulous for as little carbonation as it had.
Some possible beginner mistakes:
This was my first brew and I did not have any starsan, so I used bleach to sanitize everything during the brewing process. I've been in the restaurant business for 35 years and bleach is the only sanitizer I have ever used. I checked everything with test strips and did not exceed 50ppm. Did not rinse bleach but air dried everything including the bottling bucket.
Sanitized bottles in dishwasher not using any soap, however the dishwasher has an automatic jet dry dispenser which has no provision for turning off.
As I said, the beer is delicious, and drinkable, just very flat. Do you think it will ever reach full carbonation?
Thanks,
Dan