3 weeks in bottles, not very carbed, any ideas?

[markiemark]

Hi all,

I brewed two 5 gallon batches. One is a honey cream ale, the other is a winter ale. I brewed them within a day of each other. They have been in bottles for a little over 3 weeks now. I tasted a bottle of each at exactly the 3 week mark. The honey cream ale, a lighter ale with abv of about 4% is perfectly carbed and ready to go. The winter ale, 6%, is still not carbed. Its a little carbed, but pretty flat. When I poured it there was basically no head, and I just dumped it in the glass, didn't slow pour with a tilt or anything. I used the same amount and type of sugar for priming in each. I want to give these away as presents for Xmas, what should I do? Should I agitate the bottles and turn the heat up in my apartment?

Thanks

ps the honey cream is an extract, the winter is extract with steeped grains

 

[D_Struct]

All bottled beers are not equal, and some take significantly more time to carb. It's nothing to be worried about.

2-3 weeks in a room that's 70 degrees is the standard time to wait, but yeast are living organisms. They don't work on your timetable.

 

[pwndabear]

+1. more time is all i can suggest

 

[Crazybrew04]

give it some time. couple factors. 1 heavier than the other so it will take a couple minutes(weeks maybe) more to carb. temp is also a factor. but if it has some bubbly in it than you should be fine just give it a while. different yeast too? I made a 9.5% about 5 weeks ago and its still working on carb. I had it in my basement wich was too cold and it wasnt working out to good. I brought it up to my main floor which has helped but it is a slow process.

edit: when you give them away say merry xmas dont open until mid jan.

 

[EricT]

D Struct is right, just make sure they are at about 70F and maybe even turn them upside down to agitate the yeast a bit. I had a scottish that took 5 weeks to carb properly. Sometimes they just take longer.

 

[nstorm1121]

+1 to turning them upside down and swirling them. I do that on all of mine at the 1-week mark just to make sure.

 

[jonmohno]

#1 to your #1- rough em up a bit.

 

[fanch75]

I agree with what everyone is saying regarding turning the bottles upside down & swirling them a little, and making sure they are at 70 degrees. I bottled a Muntons Premium Pilsner, and they had almost no carbonation after 3 weeks in bottles.

It was low 60's in my basement, and after asking the same question as you on this forum, it was suggested to bring them upstairs and agitate teh yeast a bit. 3 weeks later and they are great.

 

[rico567]

Our basement is so cool (from the mid-50s in Winter to the low 60s in Summer) that I make sure I keep the bottled beer upstairs for at least two weeks...and then I usually crack a tube to make sure carbonation is well underway before transferring the bottles downstairs.

Also, I think this thread (and others I have read, as well as my own experience) demonstrates that carbonation proceeds differently in different beers. As with so many things in this fascinating pastime, there may be many variables:

1. type of beer (heavier beers appear to take longer to carbonate)

2. type of yeast

3. age of yeast

4. ambient temperature while conditioning

5. treatment while conditioning (bottles moved, shaken, swirled, etc.)

6. time

Brewed a batch of Scottish 80/- last year (had brewed same beer previously with no carbonation issues) that never did completely carbonate. Lost track of the last bottle in the back of the refrigerator until recently...and it was well carbonated.