Yeast and Carbonation Temperature

[ProfessorPlum]

Another noob here with a basic question that I couldn't seem to find answers to in other threads...
My most recent brew is substantially undercarbed and Im curious if the combination of fairly low temperature and the slight increase in pressure in the bottles could've halted the yeast. I used notty and fermented at around 64F which produced a nice clean taste and I attempted to bottle carb at the same temperature to keep any estery flavors down (I know the standard recommendation is 3weeks at 70, 3 weeks at 70, 3 weeks at 70) but I just figured I'd let it go longer at the 64F with no ill effects...apparently a wrong assumption. So, do you guys that bottle carb do so at 70F no matter your fermentation temperature? Does the small amount of fermentation that goes on during carbonation really have an effect on the taste?
It can be tricky to keep a consistent warm temperature up here in the frozen rockies in winter but I guess if its critical I can go with the aquarium heater/thermostat route.
Thanks

 

[Revvy]

Your yeast isn't dead. The answer is simple, if it is below 70 degress it's going to take longer than three weeks. That's basically it.

You don't have to bottle condition cool to avoid ester production, there is such little fermentation going on that you don't really need to worry about picking up esters from the little bit of sugar/yeast action happening.

If it's less than 70 it will carb fine as long as it's not in the low 50's, which will make the yeast dormant, but it's going to take longer. It can take twice as long for a beer to carb even 5 degrees below the 70, and over 70 you could have a beer done even faster (but not necessarily conditioned.)

The only factors that come into play is time, temp and gravity.

I have no clue what you mean by "bottle pressure" but only the three above factors really have any bearing on a beer cabring.

You can carb at whatever temp you want really, whatever your room temp is...But if you use the 3 weeks at 70 for average (1.050-ish) grav beers, as your average point, temps below are going to take longer, temps above less time, gravs below are going to take less time, gravs above more....approximately.

 

[Revvy]

Your fermentation temp is really only relevant to, if you carb to style, how much sugar it may take...But it's not really going to change whether a beer will be carbed @ 3 weeks or not. Bottling calculators ask you to factor in the warmest temp your beer was at in calculating how much priming sugar to add. BUT some argue that the amount/temp variation is really tiny.

 

[ProfessorPlum]

I also thought it would carb just fine at 5 degrees lower than the recommended 70F, just taking a little longer, however, its now been three months and there is still very little carbonation. As far as bottle pressure, I mean that while the yeasties are chomping down on the sugar and producing CO2, the pressure inside the bottles increases (which is what carbonates the beer). Not that this kills the yeast, but I have read that this increased pressure can limit the yeasts ability to produce more CO2, especially at lower temperatures and for specific strains, and thereby limit the final carbonation level, which seems perfectly logical.
All that aside, the beer tastes great so im not too terribly dismayed at the low carbonation, but was just curious.
Anyway, I'll just stick to a little warmer temp from now.
Thanks

 

[Revvy]

How much sugar did you add? What's the gravity of the beer?

 

[ProfessorPlum]

I used 50 grams of cane sugar for my 2.2 gallon batch, original gravity 1.065, final gravity before adding the sugar was 1.011. I havnt measured it since adding the priming sugar but I can taste the sugar in it...maybe my yeast went on a low-carb diet. After all, they had just come off a binge.

 

[kanzimonson]

It sounds like you've done everything right. I'm surprised that it hasn't gotten better in 3 months. I usually use about 108 grams on my 5gal batches so that seems right.

And don't worry about the bottle pressure. Papazian had me all scared about getting the perfect fill level, but I found that it's hard to mess up. High pressure will probably never kill your yeast in a bottle - if there's sugar in there, they're more likely to make bottle bombs than give up because the pressure's too high.

Not sure how to help you, though. I guess the easiest first step would be to put it in a much warmer place. It's EXTREMELY unlikely you killed your yeast.