carbonation woes

[BeerPressure]

Lately I've had trouble getting my beers to carb. Can too much water in the priming sugar solution cause low carbonation?

 

[springer]

whats to much? Ya a gallon would but a cup wont.

 

[BeerPressure]

Well I would just fill up a pint glass of water and then boil that on the stove. But I just dont understand why my last two batches wont carb. A southern english brown carbed to 1.5 volumes (Its supposed to be lower, but wont pour a head for ****) and some crappy bluberry wheat that has very little carbonation.

Can my capper be dying? I cant see any signs of leak on the bottle.

 

[Gremlyn]

Really, it's only 1.5 vol for that style? I use 400 mL of water to dissolve my sugar for a 5 gal batch, which is just less than your pint (assuming a 16 oz pint there), so that shouldn't be the issue. You won't get good head retention with that low of a carbonation, but you should still get some. Can you feel any bubbles on your tongue when you drink it? Are you using the calculation for the right kind of sugar? Cane and corn sugar require difference amounts.

 

[BeerPressure]

Really, it's only 1.5 vol for that style? I use 400 mL of water to dissolve my sugar for a 5 gal batch, which is just less than your pint (assuming a 16 oz pint there), so that shouldn't be the issue. You won't get good head retention with that low of a carbonation, but you should still get some. Can you feel any bubbles on your tongue when you drink it? Are you using the calculation for the right kind of sugar? Cane and corn sugar require difference amounts.

Yes, I am using a calculator for corn sugar and It's always worked. It does get bubbles but they die off quick. According to BJCP2008 that style is 1.3-2.3 volumes. The recipe i did said to carb to 1.5 vols and serv at 53-55 degrees.

 

[Gremlyn]

Head retention can be affected by many factors, one is carb level. Maybe 1.5 just doesn't give a good head. The others can be what was used to clean the glassware (like dish soap), the grain used to make the beer, etc. Is this the only beer you've had issues with?

 

[BeerPressure]

Head retention can be affected by many factors, one is carb level. Maybe 1.5 just doesn't give a good head. The others can be what was used to clean the glassware (like dish soap), the grain used to make the beer, etc. Is this the only beer you've had issues with?

This and a blueberry wheat I brewed that soured. And those are my last two beers i've opened.

 

[SeamusMac]

How much corn sugar (I'm assuming you use corn sugar) are you using at bottling?
Are you adding the priming solution to the bottling bucket before siphoning your beer into it?
Are you using a hand capper or bench capper?
Are your bottles twist-off bottles or pry-offs?

I've used a hand capper with twist-off bottles before and gotten really poor carbonation levels. I need to borrow my father's bench capper to do the job right.

 

[BeerPressure]

How much corn sugar (I'm assuming you use corn sugar) are you using at bottling?
Are you adding the priming solution to the bottling bucket before siphoning your beer into it?
Are you using a hand capper or bench capper?
Are your bottles twist-off bottles or pry-offs?

I've used a hand capper with twist-off bottles before and gotten really poor carbonation levels. I need to borrow my father's bench capper to do the job right.

I add however much corn sugar the calculation and style of beer calls for.
I siphon my beer onto the sugar solution.
I use a hand capper w/ pry off caps.