Bottle conditioning

Terry08 · Jul 29, 2008

I do not believe I have a problem but the last brew I bottled was in the secondary for two weeks and was very clear going into the bottle. I opened up a bottle after two weeks just to check progress and there was minimal carbonation. Now I believe this is because it is winter here and the maximum temperature in my shed is no more than 15deg c. I would like comments on the fact that when the temperature rises which it will in a week or two. Will the yeast become active. The beer is absolutly delicious albeit flat.

The reason I ask is that this batch is the first I have made using a secondary and I am slightly concerned that the clearing has drasticaly removed the yeast too.

I must admit if this batch was kegged I would be one happy camper, probably be flat on my back with a smile on my dial.

Give me the good news please otherwise I will be calling this brew, wine.

paul_h · Jul 29, 2008

Mine are the same due to winter. The ones I did 4 weeks previous have carbed up though. It just takes time, so don't worry.
You have billions of yeast in you beer, so no, you don't remove them by racking into secondary, you just lose the early floculators.

Sigafoos · Jul 29, 2008

Heat and time are your friend. My bottles carb perfectly now.

Revvy · Jul 29, 2008

Read this, it give you some info and there is a nifty video...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=558191&postcount=101

Saccharomyces · Jul 29, 2008

At that temp I'd wait 6 weeks before opening the first bottle. I'll bet it'll be GREAT.

Yeah I know it's hard to wait...

Terry08 · Jul 29, 2008

Well that is what I thought. Patience a very useful attribute to have. The video was very informative but I was suprised just how cloudy the beer was. I would hate drinking beer with that clarity.

It is probably that the kits I use do not have ingrediants that stay in suspension.

You guy's have bolstered my confidence, thanks.

An interesting anecdote I have a Dark Ale 7 days old and it is about to be transfered into the secondary. I tested the SG which was done and the smell was enough to tempt me to pour off a pint. I cannot wait for this one to mature.

I have a real assembly line going now and the fact that I now use a secondary gets the primary free. The tropical fish heater suspended in the brew maintains a quick fermentation and it is finished in 3 days the next 4 clears the beer. This is when I used to bottle now that happpens two weeks later from the secondary.