Flat RIS
- Thread starter Eamster
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
JLeuck64
Well-Known Member
I would try this (and I have on my own stuff with good results) Take all of the bottles, one by one and tip them upside down. Gently swirl to dislodge all the sediment from the bottom. It helps to get the yeast back into suspension, then give it another month and crack one open again. If it doesn't work in a month or two, give it another try with tipping each bottle upside down and swirling the sediment back into the beer again.
When I had this problem I noticed it was ALWAYS associated with beers that I moved from the primary into the secondary for conditioning... once I just fermented in the primary and then went straight to bottling I never suffered from flat beer again. The yeast will do their thing if you transfer to a secondary but in my experience it just takes to dang long ( ;
When I had this problem I noticed it was ALWAYS associated with beers that I moved from the primary into the secondary for conditioning... once I just fermented in the primary and then went straight to bottling I never suffered from flat beer again. The yeast will do their thing if you transfer to a secondary but in my experience it just takes to dang long ( ;
Another option would be to pop them open, sprinkle a bit of champagne yeast into each bottle, and close them back up. If you've got a little hiss when you open, some carbonation occurred, but not enough to eat 4 oz of table sugar in a five gallon batch (presumably), so your yeast may have pootered out. Champagne yeast can live in higher alcohol than most beer strains and will only eat the simple sugar from your priming sugar, nohing else, so you won't get bottle bombs unless there's simply too much priming sugar in the bottles.
Another, more extreme option, would be to pour them all into a bucket/carboy, add champagne yeast to ensure that your old priming sugar is all fermented out, and then reprime and rebottle after a few days. That's the most certain option, but it's also a pain in the ass and a great way to oxidize your precious beer. The risk of swirling is that the sediment in the bottles is all dead yeast that can't work at the current ABV, while the risk of adding champagne yeast directly into the bottles is that there's not enough priming sugar left to ferment the beer, which would mean you'd have to open them up again later on to reprime each bottle. If you added champagne yeast and priming sugar in one go, you'd risk bottle bombs in the event that there's already ample priming sugar still in the bottles.
Another, more extreme option, would be to pour them all into a bucket/carboy, add champagne yeast to ensure that your old priming sugar is all fermented out, and then reprime and rebottle after a few days. That's the most certain option, but it's also a pain in the ass and a great way to oxidize your precious beer. The risk of swirling is that the sediment in the bottles is all dead yeast that can't work at the current ABV, while the risk of adding champagne yeast directly into the bottles is that there's not enough priming sugar left to ferment the beer, which would mean you'd have to open them up again later on to reprime each bottle. If you added champagne yeast and priming sugar in one go, you'd risk bottle bombs in the event that there's already ample priming sugar still in the bottles.
If there is some gas and you used proper priming sugar, maybe try placing them in a warmer place. If you're wary of this just try one bottle in the oven with the light left on, try for a week or two. Should be warm enough to allow the yeast to carbonate properly. Its worked for me for a few stubborn beers, including an RIS.
Cheers
Cheers
Come back and update us with your results and any further actions you take. I'm in a similar boat. Here's my thread if anyone is interested.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=548555
Ok. This is the issue now. Did the shake method and tried a few a month ago and still flat so I was going to add yeast them. Opened one and it was flat so added yeast. Opened next one and it was carbed. Another flat. Then another carbed. What to do now as I have no idea which ones are fine.
JLeuck64
Well-Known Member
I would ask what is your technique when bottling? For me, I pour the priming sugar into the bottling bucket then rack on top of it. Before I start bottling I sanitize a big a$$ spoon and gently, very gently stir the beer. While bottling I will stop after filling every four bottles and gently stir again, repeating this process until all bottles are filled then I cap them. Once I started bottling this way I never had issues with uneven carbonation through a batch.
HTH
HTH
Sounds like it might be an issue with inconsistent priming sugar in your bottles.
JLeuck64
Well-Known Member
I was thinking that maybe as you drink each bottle you could be prepared to add some yeast if it is flat when opened. Just have the yeast ready to drop in but if the bottle is carbed up go a head and drink it? Sure it would be ambient temps and not chilled but those heavy beers taste better as they warm a little anyways... Then as you work your way through the flat beers they could always be thrown in the fridge after they carb up.
Finally got around to fixing these beers a couple of weeks ago. Opened each one and added 1.5 ml of rehydrated champagne yeast in each one and added a carbonation drop. Recapped and waited. And voila we have carbonation. So tasty now. Thanks for all the help. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1480725908.532740.jpg
