Do I Dump my Beer? Waaa!

[brewchick3]

So on advice I read online, I bottled my beer using cane sugar for priming for the first time. I boiled 2/3 cup in 2 cups of water and added it to the bottling bucket. I read that it will carbonate fine but take 3 weeks. So it's been 3 weeks. I opened a chilled bottle, there was the slightest "pfft" when I removed the cap with a little bit of "smoke" rising from the bottle. I was optimistic until I began to pour. Flat, flat, flat. And I am sad, sad, sad. Anything I can do to save it? Perhaps uncap and add priming sugar and recap? I'll try anything. I hate to dump it. I know I will travel far and wide for priming sugar next time.

 

[NoRoom4Error]

It's called a keg, keg, keg.... costs money but like the cheapest of whores... you will get HEAD (carbonation). Guaranteed.

Cheers.

 

[CS223]

I use the priming calculator located here Looks like you used enough, was it mixed well in the bucket? I'd suggest, tipping the bottles a few times to stir up the sediment & putting your bottles on top of your fridge or another slightly warmer place and give it another 2 weeks.

 

[opus345]

Never dump. Give it more time and it will carb.

While your waiting for that one to carb, start a new brew or an Apfelwein or Skeeter Pee. Don't leave the fermenter empty.

 

[0202]

Yes to above posts. Roll them or tip them to mix the beer up and sit them somewhere warm for a bit longer, then try a few bottles. They could be slow to carb or unevenly primed.

I found that whirlpooling the beer when racking into the sugar water in the bottling bucket was enough to make sure it mixed well.

 

[brewchick3]

Well. Unfortunately, a keg doesn't solve my current problem.

I always pour the priming solution into the bottling bucket first, racked the beer to the bucket and I swirl it with my giant spoon. It should be mixed in just fine.

I will try swirling and putting them on top of the fridge and wait and see what happens.

Anyone else have this issue before? I would love to hear from you. I don't wanna lose this brew. It's a great tasting (though flat) IPA.

 

[0202]

I had this issue in my first couple batches, and I whirlpooled as well. They ended up unevenly carbonated, but absolutely drinkable. Don't sweat it and give it some time. You can consider popping the caps and adding dry yeast or carb tabs, but I haven't researched those solutions enough to endorse them without recommending that you check up on them yourself. I know that others have and that the posts are on here.

I'd first let time take its time.

What's the temp where you are conditioning?

You sure the cap is on TIGHT?

 

[duboman]

Well. Unfortunately, a keg doesn't solve my current problem.

I always pour the priming solution into the bottling bucket first, racked the beer to the bucket and I swirl it with my giant spoon. It should be mixed in just fine.

I will try swirling and putting them on top of the fridge and wait and see what happens.

Anyone else have this issue before? I would love to hear from you. I don't wanna lose this brew. It's a great tasting (though flat) IPA.

Just be patient and give it more time! 3 weeks is the generally accepted MINIMUM amount of time required to properly carbonate and condition at 70F.

If you have them
Colder, warm them up a bit but they WILL carbonate for you, just be patient and NEVER DUMP BEER!

 

[NoRoom4Error]

A keg costs money but it solves ALL localized (ie, drinking at home) problems. People go to kegs for a reason. Primary -> Keg --> Drink

Well. Unfortunately, a keg doesn't solve my current problem.

I always pour the priming solution into the bottling bucket first, racked the beer to the bucket and I swirl it with my giant spoon. It should be mixed in just fine.

I will try swirling and putting them on top of the fridge and wait and see what happens.

Anyone else have this issue before? I would love to hear from you. I don't wanna lose this brew. It's a great tasting (though flat) IPA.

 

[FlyDoctor]

What temperature where you storing your bottles? If you had them at fridge temps for the 3 weeks they will never carb. Hey need to be at 70-80F for 3 weeks minimum. Also, if this is a bigger beer it will take longer. If this was a legged that you had stored at low temps for a long time before bottling, there may have been insufficient active yeast.

 

[frazier]

Time time time is on my side, yes it is
Time time time is on my side, yes it is
You're searchin for good times
But just wait and see...

Cheers!

 

[bGoliath]

Don't dump it! Try swirling all the bottles to reactivate the yeast and then give it more time (week or so).

 

[danorocks17]

A keg costs money but it solves ALL localized (ie, drinking at home) problems. People go to kegs for a reason. Primary -> Keg --> Drink

Perhaps Brewchick doesn't have the the space/funds for kegging. Kegging is awesome, believe me, but it is not for everyone.

 

[lowtones84]

Alright, nobody has mentioned this yet...yes, give them more time at warm temperatures. I would say give them another week or so. But after that, put them in the fridge for at least two days if not more like a week. Co2 dissolves more readily into cold liquid. I don't keg and I have never had a problem with a bottled batch not carbing.

Good luck!

 

[frazier]

Also, the bigger the beer, the longer it takes.

 

[FlyDoctor]

A person asking about bottling should not be barraged with "why don't you just keg" responses is just rude.

 

[lowtones84]

A person asking about bottling should not be barraged with "why don't you just keg" responses is just rude.

Agreed. Also, cane sugar should be fine, but was this a 5 gallon batch? 2/3 of a cup might be a little on the low side if it is. It's always best to weigh it rather than volume measurements, with around 1 oz./gallon being a good base line.

 

[beergolf]

A person asking about bottling should not be barraged with "why don't you just keg" responses is just rude.

I agree. It did nothing to help him with is current problem. Many of us do not keg for a variety of reasons. The answer to bottling problems is not to tell someone to keg. My usual over under for the keg comment in a bottling thread is 4 posts. This one was much faster.

Back on topic. Like the others said, keep the bottles warm for more time. Sometimes it just takes a little longerr. If you got the pfft whenyou opened a bottle it is in the process of carbing up. I have bottles fully carbed in a week and some take a lot longer to reach the best carb level.


Don't worry it will happen.

 

[psymonkey]

A person asking about bottling should not be barraged with "why don't you just keg" responses is just rude.

I was on my way to the bottom to post the same thing. Besides, I keg my beer now. I love it, but it isn't the end-all be-all if you ask me, and certainly is NOT the answer to questions about current bottling issues. That's rather childish, like screaming "get a mac" in a forum when someone asks how to print a document in landscape who happens to own a PC.

 

[brewchick3]

Thx everyone. Yes, I was also confused about being told to keg. I'm a new brewer and have only my kitchen to brew and store beer. I have no desire right now to keg.

And it is a 5 gallon batch that I used 2/3 cup cane sugar. If its low, will it still eventually carb up? I took a bunch, swirled the bottles and placed them on top of the fridge. I'll wait another week or 2 and see what happens then.

 

[jarrodaden]

No dump, just wait

 

[Revvy]

I can't believe youd even consider dumping a beer...Have you bothered to read the millions of flat beer threads on here? If you did you'd realize that carbing is foolproof. If they're not carbed when you exepect them to be, the only problem is that you're impatient.

The 3 weeks we refer to is the MINIMUM most beers take. If they're not carbed yet....then give them more time...Beers can take months to carb depending on the gravity.

 

[BrettFitz]

Looking forward to your follow-up post after ya wait a bit.

Just as a curiosity, why did you go with cane sugar? I don't use priming sugar for IPAs either, I use honey. I've had some slower carbs as well, and being a new brewer I still get a little nervous each time about carbing.

 

[supermoth]

Is it possible that you have uneven carbonation? If one is flat, there's always the possibility that another bottle in the batch will be overcarbed. Still, cane sugar should work fine. As others said, wait a little longer and see. Also, if you don't like the beer for drinking, use it for cooking!

 

[homebrewdad]

I can't believe youd even consider dumping a beer...Have you bothered to read the millions of flat beer threads on here? If you did you'd realize that carbing is foolproof. If they're not carbed when you exepect them to be, the only problem is that you're impatient.

The 3 weeks we refer to is the MINIMUM most beers take. If they're not carbed yet....then give them more time...Beers can take months to carb depending on the gravity.

This +100. We get dozens of these threads every single week. Just give it time, OP! Why on earth you would have even considered dumping the beer just baffles me.

Cane sugar is fine. You can use corn sugar, table suagr, cane sugar, malt extract, honey, maple syrup, candi sugar, and a HOST of other sugars to carb your beer.

Oh, and NoRoom4Error: don't be an asshat. Answering bottling questions with "keg your beer" doesn't help anyone, and instead of making you look clever (which most guys who make these kind of posts seem to think they are), it does the opposite. What you are doing is not helping, it's trolling, and nobody appreciates it.

 

[brewchick3]

Again, thanks! I appreciate all the posts. I will definitely wait. I tried 2 beers from this batch and both were flat. But I will wait it out and report back. Didn't mean to offend anyone by thinking about dumping, I was just a bit disappointed and wanted to make sure since I never used cane sugar. Only used it bc the home brew place is a bit of a distance and when I made the trek to buy the ingredients I forgot the priming sugar. So I went with table cane sugar.

 

[ShinyBuddha]

Oh, and NoRoom4Error: don't be an asshat. Answering bottling questions with "keg your beer" doesn't help anyone, and instead of making you look clever (which most guys who make these kind of posts seem to think they are), it does the opposite. What you are doing is not helping, it's trolling, and nobody appreciates it.

+1

To the OP, give it time. If you follow the priming guides you should be fine. Every beer is a little bit different than the one before it.

 

[Stauffbier]

Didn't mean to offend anyone by thinking about dumping, I was just a bit disappointed and wanted to make sure since I never used cane sugar..

No worries brewchick! Don't worry about offending anyone on this forum. There are far too many drama queens, zealots, and know-it-alls on here that will get all bent out of shape with you for saying you want to dump a batch. I'm sure most of them have even considered it once or twice before as well. Don't pay any mind to people like that. There are a lot of good people, though, that will give you good advice. Many of them have responded in this thread.

I agree with what a few have said. Give your beer time, and it will likely carb up just fine. It's hard to mess up carbing unless you do something stupid like I did once... Forgot to put priming sugar in before I bottled. Needless to say, that batch never carbed up, but that's ok. Those bottles are reserved for boiling bratwurst or making beer batter!

 

[Budzien]

I have messed up just about every way possible. I have had beers take a month to 6 weeks to carb, but they always carb. As far as the kegging nazis... Not everyone wants to mess with regulators, gas, and kegerators. I really enjoy bottling. It gives the kids and me some much cherished bonding time. Long story short, be patient. Please. let us know in a few weeks what the results are.

 

[NWMOBrewer]

Another anti "just keg" post. I keg and bottle. There are some beers I want to take with me to the parents house or something. Beer is slow but resilient. As many people here know, if you screw up beer, you make beer!!!

 

[Kosch]

Again, thanks! I appreciate all the posts. I will definitely wait. I tried 2 beers from this batch and both were flat. But I will wait it out and report back. Didn't mean to offend anyone by thinking about dumping, I was just a bit disappointed and wanted to make sure since I never used cane sugar. Only used it bc the home brew place is a bit of a distance and when I made the trek to buy the ingredients I forgot the priming sugar. So I went with table cane sugar.

How long did you chill for? I've found that if I test right around the 3 week mark I need to chill for a good 2-3 days for the carbonation to be right. After I've let them sit a couple more weeks it seems just overnight is fine.

And, like everyone else has said, 3 weeks seems to be the minimum, I tend to notice dramatic differences waiting 4 weeks. But our house tends to stay a bit cooler.

I'm sure it will be fine!

Cheers,

Kosch

 

[Budzien]

Even screwed up brew is still beer. Better than drinking water...

 

[Wolfhound180]

Even screwed up brew is still beer. Better than drinking water...

Water sucks! It really really sucks!

 

[homebrewdad]

OP - I don't think anybody is offended. It's your beer; what you do with it affects you, not us. Some of us may have been surprised or confused as to why you would consider dumping, that's all. No need to apologize, this kind of question is why we have this forum.

 

[GioGomez2010]

Hey man,
I had this same problem with my last batch and I'm pretty sure it was because my temp at home was ridiculous. Our heater was pretty much busted the whole winter, and inside my house it was an ice chest, poor beer had no chance of carbonating well. I left it though, and forgot about it and wouldn't you know before I knew it it was more carbonated though not perfect. The beer tasted great, just flat. I would say try some of the tips other guys have given you, and brew on. :rockin:

 

[scottab]

What was your og and fg? If it is a high gravity beer it will take more time to carb but it will carb. It sounds like you used enoigh sugar to prime. Don't do anything to yor bottles or you risk making bombs, infecting brew, oxidization... if you feel you must do something you can swirl the yeast in the bottles but i would not do even that. If you have them stored in a fridge remove them to a dark warm (not hot) place and wait a few days. Try another one at that point and if still not carbed as you would like wait some more days. There is no rule of thumb as to how long it will take your brew to carb. I have some that carbed in 2 weeks and some that took 4-6 weeks.

 

[jonmohno]

After a half dozen or dozen batches you will know what minimum carbonation is. And you will probably know exactly how much priming sugar for carbonation may be too much .Its a simple controlable process.Add sugar knowing exactly the volume your priming with-wait.Anybody mention its better to go with measuring priming sugar voulume in oz rather than Cups?
I had a low carbonated batch still after 4 wks.Swirled agitated them some and waited a week or two.Sometimes it just takes longer,others times its almost instant under a week.But i wouldnt say completely carbonated-instantly.

 

[brewchick3]

I'm happy to report that after only a few days, the brew actually has a little bit of head. A huge improvement from the weekend. I swirled the bottles and put them on top of the fridge. I'm enjoying one now and even though it's not fully carbed, it's enough to drink it and enjoy it. I wanted to test one out and now that I see improvement I can relax and wait it out for another couple weeks.

Thanks to everyone for the advice! It's a learning process and I'm glad I have my fellow home brewers to share their experiences and insight!

 

[beergolf]

I'm happy to report that after only a few days, the brew actually has a little bit of head. A huge improvement from the weekend. I swirled the bottles and put them on top of the fridge. I'm enjoying one now and even though it's not fully carbed, it's enough to drink it and enjoy it. I wanted to test one out and now that I see improvement I can relax and wait it out for another couple weeks.

Thanks to everyone for the advice! It's a learning process and I'm glad I have my fellow home brewers to share their experiences and insight!

That is what makes this forum such a great place. We are all here to help. When we started we all gleaned a lot of good info, now we are willing to pass it on.

Brew more.".

 

[homebrewdad]

I'm happy to report that after only a few days, the brew actually has a little bit of head. A huge improvement from the weekend. I swirled the bottles and put them on top of the fridge. I'm enjoying one now and even though it's not fully carbed, it's enough to drink it and enjoy it. I wanted to test one out and now that I see improvement I can relax and wait it out for another couple weeks.

Thanks to everyone for the advice! It's a learning process and I'm glad I have my fellow home brewers to share their experiences and insight!

Awesome news!

As Revvy loves to tell us, carbonation is pretty much foolproof. If you added your sugar correctly and capped your bottles firmly, it will carb - just give it time.

Now, try to quit drinking them while they are still flat and green, or you'll kick yourself later as your last few bottles are so much better than the ones you drink now.