Carbonation issue

[Thefirebuilds]

I recently (7/8/11) bottled an extract of Northern Brewer's "Caribou Slobber" - The beer is stored in my baesment at 65* I used 5/6th package of Munton's kreamx. I took one beer out of storage for "testing" on wednesday, refridgerated overnight and poured yesterday. The beer has a healthy head on it but I find the carbonation to be very lacking, the beer itself tastes flat to me. What could be wrong? What information am I lacking?

 

[Germelli1]

First issue is time. Yeast work on their own schedule and even two weeks is less than the three required to reach carbonation levels typically perscribed here.

Second is temp, they will no doubt carbonate at 66, but it may take a bit longer. The only issue of carbonating at 66 is if you want them done quickly! There are no adverse affects on the beer! Try moving them to a room that is at about 70-75 for a day-week. Sample one after they have been warmed up and I bet they will be good to go.

After they are carbonated, then you can cold condition them in the fridge, or cellar them like you are currently doing!

 

[Thefirebuilds]

ok, that is about what I expected and thanks for your thoughts. My upstairs is 76*, my basement is 63* and it's 100 outside, so I'm having a hard time getting the desired temps. Not sure how my darling bride is going to feel about 2 cases of beer laying about upstairs either But I may try that. Thanks!

 

[Aunt_Ester]

The yeast will produce c02 at the warmer temperatures, but the c02 will not dissolve at high temperatures. What this means is: when you pry off the cap you'll hear the *hss* from c02 production, but it's possible the beer will still be low in carbonation since the c02 was just sitting in the gap between beer and cap. As per Germelli1's advice, allow them to carb at warm temperatures for several weeks, then allow the bottles to cool in a fridge for at least 24 hours.

Moreover, you may want to add one bottle to the fridge at a time while testing so as not to delay the process with the rapid cooling and warming. That way all the beer is uniform in their conditioning and then you can chill when the carbonation is at an appropriate level.

 

[Thefirebuilds]

The yeast will produce c02 at the warmer temperatures, but the c02 will not dissolve at high temperatures. As per Germelli1's advice, allow them to carb at warm temperatures for several weeks, then allow the bottles to cool in a fridge for at least 24 hours.

Moreover, you may want to add one bottle to the fridge at a time while testing so as not to delay the process with the rapid cooling and warming. That way all the beer is uniform in their conditioning and then you can chill when the carbonation is at an appropriate level.

this is exactly what i've done. put one in, tested it, waited a few days, done another into the fridge and waited 24hrs.

 

[Germelli1]

ok, that is about what I expected and thanks for your thoughts. My upstairs is 76*, my basement is 63* and it's 100 outside, so I'm having a hard time getting the desired temps. Not sure how my darling bride is going to feel about 2 cases of beer laying about upstairs either But I may try that. Thanks!

Only move a couple at a time if space is an issue. Since the rest will reach carbonation at 66 soon anyway, you can just move enough up to whet your whistle while the rest get up to par!

Moreover, you may want to add one bottle to the fridge at a time while testing so as not to delay the process with the rapid cooling and warming. That way all the beer is uniform in their conditioning and then you can chill when the carbonation is at an appropriate level.

^Great advice

Another trick I shared in another thread this morning is I always bottle 1 bottle per batch in a 12 oz soda bottle. I squeeze it so the beer occupies every single vacancy in the bottle and seal it up. As it carbonates it pushes the bottle back to its original shape and reforms the headspace. It will also get very rigid when you squeeze it. Just serves as a very basic carbonation gauge!

 

[Thefirebuilds]

I kinda just hold them up to the light and look for yeast. This is my second brew, my first went a lot faster but temperatures were higher before the AC was on (68* in basement) and for this batch my friend talked me into gelatin finings which I think may have taken a great amount of yeast out of the batch, which may also be delaying the process.

 

[Germelli1]

I kinda just hold them up to the light and look for yeast. This is my second brew, my first went a lot faster but temperatures were higher before the AC was on (68* in basement) and for this batch my friend talked me into gelatin finings which I think may have taken a great amount of yeast out of the batch, which may also be delaying the process.

I have never used gelatin but from what I have read on here many people do and still bottle condition (some report longer times to carb and others say no effect). You have already figured out that you have a good reliable visible indicator for carbonation!

 

[Thefirebuilds]

well it's only the second one I've bottled, but I've brewed 7 batches They're still hanging out with the yeast.