Put in fridge too soon?

I bottled about a week ago and threw most of my beer in the fridge right away. I've now read that it should take 3 weeks at room temp to carbonate. Will it take longer since I've put everything in the fridge?

 

Yes it will. It may not even carb at all depending on how cold your fridge is.

 

Why not just take it out?

 

Warm is good when you bottle condition. They might not carb at all.

 

Take them out of the fridge, in about 3 days when they're warmed up, give each of them a shake to resuspend the yeast, and check on them in another 2-3 weeks.

Remember, The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.

And just because a beer is carbed doesn't mean it still doesn't taste like a$$ and need more time for the off flavors to condition out.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

Next time, 2 3 weeks, take 2 bottles, one from each case, or at least no near each other, stick them in the fridge for 48 hours minimum, and try them, if they are carbed and taste the way you like, go ahead and chill some more, if not try one in a week, and keep checking.

But don't chill the majority, til you know they're actually carbed up

 

When you put them in the fridge, the yeast goes to sleep, I don't know about you, when I'm asleep, I don't do anything.....

Neither will they. It's not that they will take forever, they just won't carb.

 

By putting it in the fridge you almost lock the flavor in too.

 

I think he means that they won't condition if they need it.


Maybe.

 

Bottom line is that fridge temps are colder than the active range for pretty much all ale yeasts. If you are not lagering, nothing is going on... i.e. the bottles will probably NEVER carb up.

Take them out, leave them at 70 degrees for three weeks. After that put a couple in the fridge for two days. If they are carbed nicely, you're golden. If not, wait another week and try again.

Don't put the whole batch in the fridge until you KNOW that they are carbed.

 

My initial fear was that the cooling and then warming might mess up the flavor? But now that I think about it, that temperature swing would only be problematic during primary fermentation, right?

 

Awesome, thanks for the replies guys. I've taken the beer out and placed it in a dark spot in the apartment. Hopefully this will start carbing up now so I can server and enjoy

 

No one asked you what kind of beer it was, i guess. I know Hefeweissens don't take three weeks to carb. You could take all the beer back out of the fridge except one bottle and try it in a couple days to see where you're at.

 

I read alot about 3 weeks, and usually do it, but preaty heavy APA I just made was good to go after a week in 70F and 2 days in a fridge, carbonated, good head, no off-flavors I can taste.
I still keep half of the bottles warm, but put another half into the fridge after 2 weeks. I think long refregiration is important too as it helps to remove the haze and make beer really nice and clear when cold, I think it also changes the tast as residual yeast settles.

 

Yah I'm brewing a citra pale ale, supposed to be a recipe that is similar to zombie dust. I won't use the word "clone" because that's pretty ambitious. I'll be happy if it just tastes like an APA to be honest.

I have a little anecdotal evidence to support your thought here. I threw everything but a 6pack into the fridge, and after about 2 or 3 days I cracked one open just to see what it would be like, and there was definitely some carbonation happening.

That's why I was confused when I checked on the rest about a week later... But now, lesson learned! Thanks again

 

If you watch Poindexter's time lapsed carbonation video, you'll see that what a lot of newbs think is carbed beer really isn't. Heck beer can gush when you open it before it's fully carbed, but that doesn't mean it's carbed at all.

It's all about the development of the bubbles in solution , and the lacing and heading proteins, NOT a hiss or even foam, that happens even when gas is only in the headspace.

It's NOT an instant process. It really does take around three weeks or more for it all to develop.

But when the beer is truly carbed it all evens out, across the bottles.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlBlnTfZ2iw]time lapse carbonation - YouTube[/ame]

Maybe you'll understand more after the vid.

 

I appreciate it Revvy. Now I know exactly what to look for. That video rocks!

 

Like that video, seen it before.
All beers are different though. I am drinking a beer after 2 weeks warm 1 week cold - with huge head, gorgeous lacing, nice sturdy bubbles, looks like or better than the last one video. Most do take longer. Frequent tasting is the key
I use enough small PET bottles

 

I think that's a good idea. Not sure i wanna be drinking a 12oz beer every other day for three weeks "just to see."