Has anyone tried this?

[dubicus360]

So, what I am thinking about doing is opening the rest of a batch of under carbonated beer, putting it into a keg to force carb. Does anyone have any experience with this, and or knowledge? A little back story, I brewed a "barrel aged" molasses imperial Russian stout that is fantastic as is for flavor. However the carbonation is next to nothing. I carbonated with dextrose to style, but I imagine that after 3 weeks of primary and an extended secondary with bourbon soaked oak chips that there was not enough viable yeast to eat up the priming sugar. I tried this recipe again using a balcones barrel with the same result. The first version is nearing 2 years of age in the bottle, the second nearing 1 year. I had one the other day and it is still delicious, I'm just looking for a bit more of that rich creamy head. So what do y'all think? Should I just let those bottles be, or try and force carb to get something else out of the beer. I also have the same issue with another barrel aged beer, an imperial brown porter made with peanut butter, and aged in the barrel with cacao nibs.

 

[billl]

The problem is getting it back into a keg without introducing 02. If you are drinking them immediately, you won't notice. If it sits in a keg for any length of time, oxidation will rapidly take over.

An easier fix might be to mix up some sugar+water and add a little dry yeast.

They also make carbonation caps. You could carb them up right before you drink it.

 

[dubicus360]

The O2 was my main concern with the kegging. I do like the carb caps idea. With your other idea of some water, sugar and yeast. How would that work? Just make up a mixture and open the bottles adding a bit of the mixture to each? Thanks again for the advice.

 

[billl]

Yep - a bit of fresh yeast and sugar to carb. The downside is that you are guessing about how carbed it is now vs how much sugar is left.

 

[roguenroll]

im a complete noob, but I bought some carb caps, thinking I'll do some bottles when I go boating. See they fit on those bottles and replace cap, carb minutes before you drink. you might just need one. I got decent price,can post info if you want

 

[roguenroll]

just thinking you prob have regular bottles, the caps take PET, but a quick bottle transfer and you'd have it carbed in minutes.

 

[JoshuaW]

Personally I would mix up a very small solution of yeast, water, and sugar, and reprime them. Dont do anything crazy, and use a syringe so you can get a good measurement. Open them gently, recap gently, and be sure to use O2 scrubbing caps. Maybe store them in a box just in case

I wouldnt risk O2 exposure on something you have that much work in.

 

[Bellybuster]

you've got this much aging time in, why mess with something that you say tastes good. Next batch add a bit more priming sugar.
I can't imagine screwing with a beer I've aged for 2 years.

FWIW I've bottled beers that were in secondary close to a year without adding yeast and they carb'd fine