Flat beer

[chrish77]

Hi I am new to the brewing game and have done a lager, it has been bottled for about a week now, I opened a bottle today (Sunday 5th) to which it has not carbonated very well, can any one help

 

[sendkyleanemail]

No worries. Give it 2-4 more weeks. Try to keep it as close to 70F as possible.

 

[chrish77]

O.k will do thank you for your help

 

[kaconga]

Welcome! First thing is a week is not long enough for carbonation for most beers. If you haven't yet then you should read the bottling sticky. It will not only explain everything but also has some of the best tips I have ever seen. Keep your bottles around 70ish degrees and give them 2 more weeks before you even begin to worry. Then two days in the fridge and try one.

 

[chrish77]

O.k thank you for the help will give that a try

 

[unionrdr]

3 or 4 weeks at 70F is pretty much the norm. But I've found that 2 weeks fridge time gives thicker head & longer lasting carbonation. Some achieve this in only one week,so far as average gravity beers are concerned.

 

[Jarrat]

Try to keep the beer at a stable temp, don't allow it to get warmer and colder throughout the 24hr day.... it will slow things down a lot.

 

[chrish77]

O.k thank you all for your advice, and would it have made a difference me leaving it a couple of days extra in fermenter? Before I bottled it?

 

[kaconga]

O.k thank you all for your advice, and would it have made a difference me leaving it a couple of days extra in fermenter? Before I bottled it?

For carbonation? No. Conditioning is believed to be faster and more uniform when done in bulk instead of in the bottle. How long did you lager it?

 

[chrish77]

I left it in the fermenter for 10 days then Bottled it?

 

[lebucheron]

I'm guessing it's a cooper's lager or like. It's actually an ale. Leaving it in the fermenter for longer will condition the beer better (resulting in better tasting beer) but the carbonation only takes place once you've added the carbonation drops (or sugar) to the bottles or bottling bucket. Leaving it in the bottle for about 3 weeks is the suggested best bet time for proper carbonation.

 

[kaconga]

I left it in the fermenter for 10 days then Bottled it?

It should carb up fine then. Might not be like a true lager since they are stored at colder temps for a few weeks to a few months. Should still be tasty though.