Help with FLAT beer. Frustrated.

[TimFarAway]

So I cracked open the 1st bottle of my 4th batch. No head, and almost no carbonation. Its a Dark Kolsch (St. Arnold's SANTO clone attempt). 2 Gallons racked into the bottling bucket, with 1/4 cup of priming sugar (from Northern Brewer's calculator) Boiled 1cup water, then added the sugar, let it boil for 10 min. Let it cool then added to bucket before gently racking on top. OG was 1.059,after 3 weeks FG stabilized at 1.010. Let it sit for 2 weeks then 3 days in the fridge. Seems like it should have some bubbles. Caps seemed like they were on tight, no different from earlier batches that carbed up nicely.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance for any insight.

p.s.: 2nd bottle was the same, flat.

 

[electrolight]

I had this exact same problem just recently. Used kolsch yeast to brew an Oktoberfest beer. So I'd like to see the help you get.

 

[boydster]

Warm them up and wait longer. 2 weeks is rushing it. 3 weeks at 70° is a good baseline. If you added your sugar and sealed your bottles, they will carb up. Patience.

 

[electrolight]

I have waited 5 weeks and they are sitting at about 72-76... Just cracked one 2 days ago, real flat and extra sweet.

 

[boydster]

I have waited 5 weeks and they are sitting at about 72-76... Just cracked one 2 days ago, real flat and extra sweet.

Now that sounds like an issue. What was your OG/FG? Yeast strain? Other pertinent info you can think of?

 

[TimFarAway]

Mine was sweet also. Is it possible that the yeast all died before I added the sugar?

 

[electrolight]

OG: 1.062
FG: unk

Never took an FG since the last 5 beers were on the money or better Yeast strain was a cake of Kolsch. Temps were ferm temps were 70-72. I did bottle maybe two weeks earlier than I should have (still a bit cloudy) but I wanted another batch in the carboy cause I new it would be the last time for about 2 months that I could brew.

EDIT: Also, not trying to steal your post OP, just figure we have the same problem... so why clutter with 293847298374892 threads.

 

[boydster]

Did you pitch on the full cake? It sounds like a yeast health issue - the sweetness you are noticing is probably from underattenuation, and yeast that can't finish the fermentation will struggle with carbonation. Not knowing the FG, I am speculating a bit, but the symptoms you are having point towards unhealthy yeast IMO.

 

[TimFarAway]

No Problem about stealing the thread, Info is info. We're all here to help eachother out.

I took my bottles out of the fridge and will give them another week in the cupboard at room temps to see where they're at. It's a little disappointing when you are really looking forward to that 1st bottle, and feel like you've waited enough, and ... you haven't waited long enough. 3 weeks in the fermenter, stable FG, and then 2 weeks bottle conditioning seems like exactly what I've done before. Those turned out fine.

Not sure what the diff this time was. Bottling my next batch tomorrow, so don't want this to happen again.