Beer came out flat!

[djsereno91]

Today was the long awaited day to open my Pliny clone that I made a month ago. I opened the first bottle and there was barely any carbonation! I did a couple things differently this time and I'm wondering if you guys have any thoughts.

With this batch, I upgraded (or at least I thought it was an upgrade) to some swingtop bottles. I was under the impression that swingtops were great, and they did save me a bunch of trouble when bottling. After I bottled, I read online about complaints that they weren't capable of containing the pressures from carbonation. Has this been the case for any of you?

Secondly, I cold crashed as low as a could (~45 degrees) and used gelatin finings to clear up the beer. This seemed to work great as well. However, I'm worried now that not enough yeast made it into the bottles to provide carbonation. Is there any truth to this?

Not sure what to do now. I plan on shaking up the bottles a bit to stir up the yeast and hopefully they'll kick it into gear. Maybe two weeks wasn't long enough in the bottles. Any other suggestions?

 

[d3track]

How long did you wait at what temp? I find higher ABV needs more time (I only tend to bottle 1-2 per year) and often 6 weeks is closer to right amount of time before chilling.

But, I have never used swing tops, although I don't think they are bad, but those gaskets have to be in good shape.

 

[ChelisHubby]

I would give it one more week at least. Don't worry there is plenty of yeast in the beer if they can find sugar. I don't know anything about swing top bottles, but if they have good gaskets they should hold pressure.

 

[djsereno91]

I waited two weeks and they've been stored at room temp which has been 65-85 degrees. I know two weeks is definitely the earliest I should haven opened them but my last IPA tasted great after two weeks. The bottles and gaskets are brand new. They seem to be pretty tight fitting. Definitely requires some force to open and close.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

My last DIPA took 6 weeks to carb in the low 70s. Even with crashing and gelatin, there is still plenty of yeast there. Give it time.

 

[djsereno91]

Looks like I need to wait longer. On the bright side... It's damn good! Just a little flat

 

[kh54s10]

Right.. As stated there is plenty of yeast still in solution. The swing tops should work if there is a good seal. 2 weeks is too soon. This one may carbonate before it is fully conditioned. I would leave them for at least another 2 weeks and expect the flavor to get best in a few months or more.

 

[ElJefeBrews]

I've had an ESB completely flat at 2 weeks and ended up fully carbed at 4-5 weeks. It'll carb up, just give it time. I've found the longer I cold crash the longer carbing takes.

 

[Brauer]

How big was the batch and how much priming sugar did you use?

 

[SkidR0we]

I bought a case of swung tops brand new a while ago, and the first batch I bottled in them, half were flat. Seems the gaskets weren't sealing properly. I'd open another to see if the same thing happens. If after a few more weeks they are all flat, then change the gaskets and you should be good!

 

[djsereno91]

I've tried a couple bottles over the last two days since two weeks ago and... They are carbonated! Just needed time! Tastes great too.

Thanks for the advice everybody!

 

[djsereno91]

Hi all, follow up question... As mentioned above, some came out great! However, as I've been drinking them I've noticed that some have come out as total duds. This batch has been pretty inconsistent from bottle to bottle- some taste spot on, others not bad but just mediocre. I didn't really change anything in my process (other than the new bottles and temp controlling) so I don't know why this batch varies so much. Does anyone know why this may be?

 

[Aristotelian]

Could be a flaw in your priming method. Is it possible that your sugar did not get mixed evenly?

 

[ElJefeBrews]

Could be a flaw in your priming method. Is it possible that your sugar did not get mixed evenly?

Yep sounds like it didn't mix well. When combining your beer and priming sugar GENTLY stir it in. Do not splash when stirring as this will put oxygen into your beer and oxidation is a beer killer

 

[djsereno91]

That's what I was thinking. I guess I need to be better about making sure the priming solution is getting mixed more evenly

 

[perle]

I like to boil the priming sugar first, cool it, pour it in the empty bottling bucket and then pull over the beer from the fermenter. It mixes well this way and there is no need for stirring.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Actually, you don't even need to cool it. It's such a small amount of hot liquid compared to 5 gal of cool beer that you don't need to worry about killing any yeast. I will usually start my siphon and once there is about a gallon in the bucket, I add my priming solution. The beer in the bucket is more than enough to almost instantly cool the solution down to the temp of the beer and there is still plenty more beer to swirl in and mix well.

 

[EcuPirate07]

As stated above rack on top of the sugar water already in the bottling bucket, this mixes well and less chance of adding oxygen to your beer.

 

[djsereno91]

You know what, now that I think about it my priming method was a little different this time. When I went to bottle it this time, there was still a lot of degree floating around so I transferred to my bottling bucket/secondary, then gelatin fined, and then waited a few days. Then I poured the priming solution in and bottled straight from that bucket. Previously, I've transferred to the bottling bucket with the priming solution in the bottom already.