Beer won't carbonate after priming!

[DonWheelio]

I just made my first pumpkin ale and bottled it about a 1 1/2 - 2 weeks ago and it hasn't carbonated at all...usually my beers are drinkably carbonated after 1 week and definitely after 2. These beers have absolutely zero bubbles.

I took the beer of the yeast cake at week 1 and then put roast pumpkin in and let it sit for another 2 weeks then bottled it. Same process I've done for plenty of other beers, this one was just a bit higher gravity than usual, but nothing massive. From memory it was about 1.076 - 1.014

I don't keg so i need to prime them, but how much yeast do you use (I use packets) to get them carbonated to 2.5? I'm really worried about making bottle grenades as I've never had to add yeast to get carbonation going.

 

[iueelyen]

Sucks when that happens doesn't it?

I never try a beer until it's been 2 weeks. You might be trying a bit early at 1 1/2 week.
It's not the amount of yeast that you would be worried about it's the priming sugar. I think you can get by with hydrating your dry yeast and put a drop or two in each bottle. Provided you still have something (sugar) for it to eat you should be fine. If you suspect you are using a yeast that can't live in the current ABV then use Champagne yeast. I bottle my 10% abv Belgium with it.

I keep a jar of these in stock for just such a situation. Drop 2 in a 12oz bottle and 2 weeks later the beer is fixed. There’s enough yeast and sugar in 2 capsules to carb a 12oz bottle perfectly.

 

[Bobby_M]

Temps are getting lower being Autumn and all so the place you're keeping the bottles probably dropped a good 15F. Put them someplace warmer.

 

[jahdub]

You should wait a couple more weeks

 

[Jhatfield]

What is the best fermenting temp and best bottling temp for carbonation?

 

[BrewinBromanite]

What is the best fermenting temp and best bottling temp for carbonation?

Best fermenting temp depends on the strain. The manufacturer typically publishes an ideal temp-range. The lower end of the range, from my experience, typically leads to "cleaner" flavors for most strains. As for bottling, room temp is usually good, avoiding too cold and too hot (65-75 should be ok). The warmer, the quicker it will carbonate. 2-3 wks minimum is a good general rule of thumb for normal ABV beers to reach adequate carbonation.


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[Jhatfield]

Best fermenting temp depends on the strain. The manufacturer typically publishes an ideal temp-range. The lower end of the range, from my experience, typically leads to "cleaner" flavors for most strains. As for bottling, room temp is usually good, avoiding too cold and too hot (65-75 should be ok). The warmer, the quicker it will carbonate. 2-3 wks minimum is a good general rule of thumb for normal ABV beers to reach adequate carbonation.


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how does higher ABV affect bottling. Does it take longer?

 

[BrewinBromanite]

I don't really know if makes a difference now that you've got me thinking about it. I've only made beers in the 6-7% ABV range, so that statement probably needs further research. Let me re-state: for my beers, room room temp for 2-3 wks usually carbs up nicely. (Seems like I've read that somewhere, so now I've got something to look up...)


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[jahdub]

Higher ABV = longer priming. Especially when you're getting closer to the alcohol tolerance limitations of your yeast.

 

[DonWheelio]

It finally carbed after about 4-5 weeks, just fyi.

 

[BrewinBromanite]

Glad to hear! How's it taste?


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[BrewinBromanite]

I've never used pumpkin in a beer, but I'm wondering if it played any part in the carbonation. How's the head-retention at this point? Or it may have just been some combo of the priming sugar amount and/or bottle-conditioning temp that made it take longer than usual.


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[paperairplane]

I would not count on beer being reliably carbed in a week. Typical time period is 3 weeks. Higher abv = more time to carb.

Give it time, your beer will be better anyway. Or keg, then you can force it in 3 days.

 

[DonWheelio]

Taste is pretty good for a first effort, I'm happily drinking them as a desert beer! I have a second pumpkin beer I'm about to prime and it has more than twice the pumpkin so I'll let you know if it takes even longer to carb this time around.

Head retention is normal, I think the fact it was an 8% beer and the temperature I was keeping the bottles in dropped a few degrees Celsius made the biggest difference in time to carb. I've honestly never had a beer take that long and I've made 8% beers before, just not in autumn.

Does anyone know if over filling a bottle stymie carbonation as well?