First brew, can it be saved?

[birdley123]

I just opened some of my first brew. An Amber Ale extract kit from Midwest. I thought it went well, the first one I opened was great.
However, everyone since then has been F L A T, almost nil carbonation? The first was perfect?
What gives? Can this be saved? Ive given several to friends based on the first!

Any help will be appreciated....

FWIW, 2 weeks primary, 2 weeks secondary, 3 weeks bottle conditioning @70*

 

[JimRausch]

More info. please: What did you bottle it in? Were any of the bottles twist offs, or PET bottles with potentially loose caps? How long have they been sitting? At what temp? What was your carbonation procedure? Sugar solution in a bottling bucket, or fizz tabs?
Nice avatar by the way

 

[birdley123]

Bottled in glass, no twist offs. Extra sanitary. Sitting 3 weeks at 70. Used 5 oz. of priming sugar in one cup of water.

 

[kevinb]

Might just need some more time to carb up. I would let them be. Check again in another week or two.

 

[birdley123]

I just gave them all a gentle swirl and moved them to warmer second floor room where it stays about 72; we'll see...

 

[CarboyBoy]

How long did you chill the bottle before opening it? The CO2 needs time to dissolve back into the beer. Otherwise, much of the existing carbonation leaves the bottle from the head space as soon as you pop the top.

I open my first bottle after a 48-hour chill in the fridge (after 3 weeks conditioning), but I'm never really happy with the carbonation until the bottle's been in the fridge for a week or two.

 

[vinnythering]

Two questions, one of which is fairly stupid.

1) Did you forget to add the sugar/water to your bottling bucket?

2) If you added it, did you stir it in, dump it on top, or add it first and racked on top of it?

The reason I ask is because you could very easily have had your sugar drop to the bottom and not mix in well enough. This will end up with a bunch of flat bottles and a few overcarbed ones (in my experience anyway).

Also, I've very nearly made the mistake of bottling without adding my sugar before. Stupid question to ask, but it is totally possible.

 

[birdley123]

Two questions, one of which is fairly stupid.

1) Did you forget to add the sugar/water to your bottling bucket?

2) If you added it, did you stir it in, dump it on top, or add it first and racked on top of it?

The reason I ask is because you could very easily have had your sugar drop to the bottom and not mix in well enough. This will end up with a bunch of flat bottles and a few overcarbed ones (in my experience anyway).

Also, I've very nearly made the mistake of bottling without adding my sugar before. Stupid question to ask, but it is totally possible.

Glad you asked, i added the sugar a little at a time. After each gallon went into bottling bucket (5x), so i did not stir, i didn't think you should, thats why i added a little at a time. I left it in fridge for about 3 days before opening...

 

[JimRausch]

Glad you asked, i added the sugar a little at a time. After each gallon went into bottling bucket (5x), so i did not stir, i didn't think you should, thats why i added a little at a time. I left it in fridge for about 3 days before opening...

Bingo, this must be it. A pretty good guess as to why some are carbonated well and others aren't. The sugar didn't mix in well enough. Next time add it all in at the beginning, siphon your beer on top to mix it well. Also, I've seen it recommended to give everything a stir with a starsaned spoon every 12 bottles or so. I usually don't bother with this, but some believe it helps.

 

[vinnythering]

My guess would be that, since the first one was good but the rest afterward haven't been, that your sugar failed to mix in well enough. That seems unlikely because of how you added it, but it's definitely what it sounds like. Your sugar mixture was more dense than your beer and it just sunk to the bottom.