Head but no carbonation bubbles

[chuckthebutcher]

I am drinking a low gravity wheat beer that I bottled exactly 2 weeks ago. When I poured it it developed a nice head that it maintained for the time I was drinking it. However, I didn,t notice any carbonation bubbles rising from the bottom, and it tasted flat. Does it just need more time, or did I carbonate it wrong? Thanks.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

How long has it been in the fridge?

 

[chuckthebutcher]

It was in the freezer for an hour. Good question. That's probably it right. I'll put one in the fridge for 48 hours then I'll see if it changes. Thanks.

 

[Subdivisions]

If it's the same thing after a couple days cold then you need another week of conditioning. It could be that the amount of carbonation you have right now all goes into the head when you pour it and the rest is flat.

 

[serum]

Carbonation changes with time so give it a bit longer. Wheat also gives you good retention which I guess is why the head it had stayed all the way through.

I can't remember the exact details of the hows or whys. I think it's something to do with the CO2 dissolving into the beer rather than sitting in the headspace. Someone can probably give a more accurate explanation.

2 weeks is a good point to make sure you're getting carbonation but it might not be the best to test the finished beer.

How did you prime it?

 

[Pkrd]

Its junk in your beer causing nucleation points... so the C02 comes out of suspension very quickly forming the head, and leaving no bubbles behind. Chilling drops the junk out.

 

[KangerBrew6]

2 weeks isn't long enough. I get eager to taste my stuff and I always factor in that over ensuing weeks the carbonation will increase. I marvel at how different the taste is after 2 months in the bottle compared to 2 weeks. Patience is a virtue so they say.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I usually leave it 3 weeks in bottle, 5+ days in the fridge. When chilling the c02 needs to move into the beer. This happens much more easily when chilled. Look up keg carbing charts for fridge temp vs room temp to understand why.

It takes time for the c02 to enter the liquid and come to equilibrium.

 

[Owly055]

2 weeks isn't long enough. I get eager to taste my stuff and I always factor in that over ensuing weeks the carbonation will increase. I marvel at how different the taste is after 2 months in the bottle compared to 2 weeks. Patience is a virtue so they say.

The carbonator device I built yesterday helps alleviate this problem. I use the flip top EZcap bottles........ I just posted a photo of it on another thread.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4u3vvcqvdo9qcu9/carbonated.jpg?dl=0


H.W.

 

[peterj]

I usually leave it 3 weeks in bottle, 5+ days in the fridge. When chilling the c02 needs to move into the beer. This happens much more easily when chilled. Look up keg carbing charts for fridge temp vs room temp to understand why.

It takes time for the c02 to enter the liquid and come to equilibrium.

This is actually a common misconception. Since the bottle is a closed system it builds up pressure which increases the solubility of CO2. So a fully carbonated bottle at room temperature will have virtually the same amount of CO2 dissolved in the beer as a fully carbonated bottle at fridge temperature. But the bottle at room temp will have a higher internal pressure which makes it possible to have that much CO2 in solution at that temperature.

But, as pkrd said chilling for a few days will help drop out solutes which can act as nucleation sites and cause CO2 to leave the beer more rapidly.

Sounds to me like you just need to let it carbonate longer though.