5 month primary, 6 weeks in the bottle

[margarita_man]

The beer is still flat. This is a Porter kit from Defalco's and the 6th time I've made this same beer. OG was 1.056, 5 month primary @ 62-64*F, FG was 1.015, calculated 3.1 oz priming sugar based on temperature, bottle conditioned @ 72-74*F. Yeast was US-04, and the beer spent 5 months in a plastic bucket.

Put 2 in the fridge at 3 weeks, no joy on the bubbles.
Put 1 in the fridge at 6 weeks, still no joy on the bubbles.

It is now week 8, do I put another in the fridge for testing or re-yeast the whole batch?

 

[day_trippr]

Was there any "pssst!" when you uncapped the sample bottle? If not, that loooong fermentation may have dropped so much yeast there
weren't any left to chew up the primer. If so, I'd re-yeast...

Cheers!

 

[margarita_man]

Completely flat, no pssst! at all.

 

[Golddiggie]

Give it more time. Change your checking schedule to once a month until you have carbonation...

I wouldn't try to re-yeast it, since that can lead to contamination, oxidization, and worse... Better to let it go longer...

For reference, my brew buddy had a batch take 5 months to bottle carbonate.

 

[beaksnbeer]

5 months in primary is long time for a beer under .060 have to agree with the tripper yeast may have dropped and it may take a long time to get them to carb up...if at all. Next time check your readings and bottle or keg if you let your beer sit for extended lengths of time............my...02

 

[bottlebomber]

Ok here's what to do. There is SOME yeast in there, but it it going to take some encouragment to get them to do their thing. You are going to have to shake the bottles every 2 days or so, for about 2 weeks. By this time the yeast will be starting to remember why they exist, and will start carbing the beer. From that point you may shake them once a week, and within 6 weeks from first shaking them your beer will be at least mostly carbonated. In the future when you primary that long, and most certainly if you've secondaried for a long time, add a 1/3 packet of nottingham to the priming sugar mixture before you rack the beer into the bucket.

 

[day_trippr]

At the very least, take a close look at the bottom of one of the bottles. If you see something that just might be a bit of yeast on the bottom, and you have Job-like patience, follow bottlebomber's advice. Otoh, if you don't see something on the bottom that looks like it might be yeast, I'd definitely re-yeast.

Being frank, at this point I'd re-yeast on general principle. You've waited way longer than I would have for some sign of life in those bottles, especially if there was zero CO2 in the head space after all this time as you indicated...

Cheers!

 

[bottlebomber]

If it was an IPA id say definitely reyeast, but I don't think a porter is even near potential till 9 months. Just make something else that's quick that you can drink soon, and the porter will be amazing by wintertime. Who wants porter in August anyway

 

[Golddiggie]

Who wants porter in August anyway

I have a mocha porter (8%) that's in keg right now and is EXCELLENT... I don't care what the season is, great brew is great brew. I just won't be knocking back a lot of it right now.

 

[mrk305]

I am drinking an 8% porter now, also. Cheers!

 

[margarita_man]

There is a little sediment in the bottom, and I do stir up the yeast weekly. There seemed to be more bubbles in the bottle when stirred up yesterday, might put 1 in the fridge next week.
I also drink Porters 52 weeks per year.

 

[Golddiggie]

You could just leave the bottles alone, resting comfortably around 70-75F, testing one every month until carbonation is there (or complete)... I wouldn't try rousing the yeast in the bottles if it was me. IMO, it's better to let the yeast do what it needs.

 

[C-Rider]

If it was an IPA id say definitely reyeast, but I don't think a porter is even near potential till 9 months. Just make something else that's quick that you can drink soon, and the porter will be amazing by wintertime. Who wants porter in August anyway

I love my dark brews all year long

 

[dfc]

If it was an IPA id say definitely reyeast, but I don't think a porter is even near potential till 9 months. Just make something else that's quick that you can drink soon, and the porter will be amazing by wintertime. Who wants porter in August anyway

Granted heavier beers seem to go better with colder weather and vice versa, but I can drink a stout in summer and a blonde in winter and be perfectly fine with it.

 

[bottlebomber]

Alright alright I get it! You guys like porters! I just had one the other night, and it didn't kill me but its just a little thick on the palate for 105 degree weather. I can't imagine having one every night.

 

[day_trippr]

Alright alright I get it! You guys like porters! I just had one the other night, and it didn't kill me but its just a little thick on the palate for 105 degree weather. I can't imagine having one every night.

Ahahahaha! Get out of the frickin' desert, dude!

Big ABV Porters, Dopplebocks and Stouts are my bed time brews. I always have at least one on tap. I finish my day with at a glass or two of one or the others, and it sets me up for a very nice sleep indeed!

Cheers!