Another Carb Question

[MDB]

From reading alot on carb posts, I can see a relative consensus that you should carb in bottles for a minimum of 3 weeks at 70 degrees, and higher gravoty beers take perhaps alot longer. I carbed my first two batches so far for longer than that (an amber ale for 5 weeks and a dry irish stout for 4 weeks) but at about 60 degrees ambient temp in my cellar. Neither was terribly high gravioty (I forget at the moment but under 1.070) Not by design, but by necessity of space (and so sh!t luck I guess), I have Belgian dark ale carbing at 70 degrees inmy heated home office.

Question: my two batches carbing at 60 degrees are a little under carbed for my tastes -- would they benefit from moving them to the 70 degree space now, after sitting at 60 for a month plus? For future reference, (and by necesity of space) can I get good carbonation in the 60 degree with longer time periods than the recomended 3 weeks? Or is there something magic about the extra 10 degrees?

Thanks!

 

[helibrewer]

lower temp=longer, it should still carb to the same volume. You could try using a heating pad in your basement to warm the beer a bit while it's bottle conditioning or cover them with a large box and warm with a ceramic reptile heater....it's usually easier to warm than to cool.

 

[heyblinkin]

What are you carbonating with? and how much?

 

[ZenGeek]

NOOB DISCLAIMER: I'm only on my third brew, I've only opened my first, and it wasn't carbed well - so take what I say with a grain of salt.

'How to Brew' lists some yeasts as having temperature ranges that start well above 60F.

Cooper Dry Ale yeast (which is what I use) is listed as 65-75. Possibly they are dormant at 60 and wont carb at all, or at least not effectively. Perhaps your yeast strain is one that is also quite inactive at these temps.