My beer has no bubbles!!!!!

[mawa]

Hi guys!

4 weeks ago I bottled a Blonde Ale that i bought at Austin Homebrew. The brew day went along fine and I did't have any problems. I put it in primary and after 2 weeks transfered it to secondary.

For one reason or another, the brew sat in secondary for 5 weeks when i finally had the time to bottle using the priming sugar provided with the kit. I've opened a bottle every week since then, the last one being this past weekend, and it just doesn't have any carbonation (there's a psssts when i open it but not enough to even form any foam). The brew is very tasty and I would really be sad if I had to throw it away.

What can I do?
- Just wait?
- Open all the bottles, empty them in the bottling bucket put some yeast and rebottle (it seems like a lot of trouble but I'm willing to do it to save it!)?
- Open each bottle and put a pinch of yeast in each and recap?
- Go out, buy a box of tissues to wipe my tears when I'm flushing it down the sink?

Thanks in advance for yout help!
Mawa

 

[david_42]

Carbonation drops and a pinch of dry yeast.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Is is warm enough where you have your bottles conditioning? I know that my basement is warm enough to condition bottles in the summer, but definitely is not warm enough in winter. This time of year my bottles spend a couple of weeks in the warmest room of the house.

 

[mawa]

It is warm enough I think...where it is, its gotta be between 60 and 70 at all times

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

If you don't want to open them and add stuff (I would be afraid of that) maybe give them all a swirl to rouse up the yeast. Is there sediment visible at the bottom of the bottles?

Sometimes you just need to be patient, too. Maybe just forget about them for a few weeks.

 

[Engelramm]

Hi guys!

4 weeks ago I bottled a Blonde Ale that i bought at Austin Homebrew. The brew day went along fine and I did't have any problems. I put it in primary and after 2 weeks transfered it to secondary.

For one reason or another, the brew sat in secondary for 5 weeks when i finally had the time to bottle using the priming sugar provided with the kit. I've opened a bottle every week since then, the last one being this past weekend, and it just doesn't have any carbonation (there's a psssts when i open it but not enough to even form any foam). The brew is very tasty and I would really be sad if I had to throw it away.

What can I do?

Drink it flat.
Or just wait some more...

I've got an Old Ale that's as flat as can be. It tastes good, so I'm drinkin' it.

 

[mjm76]

I would put a few in a warm place.....perhaps on top of your refrigerator for a couple of days. The pssst....should be a good indication that you have some yeast activity, so it may just be a waiting game, or a change in conditions to make it a little more favorable for the yeast.

 

[mawa]

Thanks for the replies!

I think I'm going to do what mjm76 suggests.....just place it in a warmer place and be patient.....I'll try it again this weekend

Thanks!
Mawa

 

[MariaAZ]

My first batch, an American pale ale, took quite a while to carbonate. It's been 5 weeks since bottling and it's finally getting good bubbles.

 

[FlyGuy]

Same thing happened to me with a batch I bottled 2 months ago. If you are CERTAIN that you added enough priming sugar and mixed it evenly, just gently shake/swirl the bottles to resuspend the yeast. Move the bottles to a warmer spot and give them 2-3 weeks. I have done this to a couple batches now, and every one has been carbonated fully.

One note -- I have also tried 're-priming' beers with carbonation drops/PrimeTabs. If you do this - beware of adding those drops to partially carbonated beer - you will cause an instant gusher if you don't de-carbonate them first! (I.e., then give the bottle a gentle shake to release suspended CO2, GENTLY pry the cap open just enough to release the pressure, let sit for a bit, and THEN add the carb drops.) Chilling the beer also helps to avoid a gusher when you add the drops.

 

[GregKelley]

It is warm enough I think...where it is, its gotta be between 60 and 70 at all times

Well, its actually important, is it near 60 or 70? I had a Belgian that sat in the secondary for 2 months. Had it in bottles and after 3-4 weeks at 64-65 degrees, it was still flat. A good two weeks at 69 degrees and it was carbonated.

 

[mawa]

It's closer to 60 during the day when the house in empty and i turn of the heater and closer to 70 duting night when the heater is on....

I did swirl all of the bottles at the begining of the week and placed 6 of them close to my water heater. I'm going to try againd today and see what happens....anyway, i have two 6 packs of sam adams brown ale and another one of 2 Below as a safety net!

Happy weekend!

 

[BierMuncher]

... A good two weeks at 69 degrees and it was carbonated.

I agree. My English Ale was down stairs at 64 for two weeks....NOTHING.

I moved it to an upstairs southside bedroom where the temp is always around 72.

Two weeks later it was nicely carbonated. The temperature makes all the difference.

 

[poetic_entropy]

This is my third batch
making a Cooper IPA (3.75#)with xtra cascade and wilamette hops ( I live in washington so They are right off the vine)
and 2 # LME



It has been in the bottle for 3 weeks barely a hint of carbonation. I used carb tabs this round, instead of priming sugar, 4 tabs per 12 oz. has never dropped below 65 deg.

Tastes sweet and yeasty

Waiting it out and see,


Good luck

Primary: another funny honey IPA:rockin:

 

[Terrence]

Some good info here. My first batch (american amber ale) is about a week from bottling and I've been curious about the necessary conditions for bottling.