My double IPA will not carb

[jerly]

I've had my double IPA from Austin Homebrew in bottles for about three months now. The carbonation is the exact same as it was two months ago. It makes a very faint pfft sound when I open it, but it is very flat. I read somewhere that you can fix a beer that does not carb by adding a carb drop and a pinch of yeast to each bottle and recap.

Would this work? Or will I risk bottle grenades by adding the carb drops? I could have forgotten to add the priming sugar but I have no idea. It was four months and five or so batches ago.

Since it is a double IPA the alcohol is higher, could I have possibly killed the yeast? Should I add some champagne yeast. Any other ideas from anyone?
Thanks

 

[Fatabbot]

I'm brewing the same kit next weekend. What type of yeast did you use initially?

 

[david_42]

Yes, the yeast could be dead. Do the chamagne yeast and carb drop trick. Make certain you use the right number of drops for the bottle size, as the products vary.

 

[jerly]

I'm brewing the same kit next weekend. What type of yeast did you use initially?

I used the white labs 002 califonia ale yeast. I did make a starter.

 

[jerly]

Yes, the yeast could be dead. Do the chamagne yeast and carb drop trick. Make certain you use the right number of drops for the bottle size, as the products vary.

So, say the yeast died, would the carb drops combined with the sugar I added when I bottled be enough sugar to cause bottle bombs.

Ah, never mind. I'll just make sure they're boxed and stick them in some other container.

 

[jerly]

To add the champagne yeast, should I just sprinkle some dry or rehydrate and add with a dropper or something similar. I imagine if the alcohol killed off the yeast, it's going to be pretty hard to infect this batch if I'm careful.

 

[rod]

for higher alcohol beers i have been rehydrating 1/3 pack of lavlin ec1118
and adding to the bottling bucket - have had good carbonation - even on a
10.5% barleywine

 

[jerly]

for higher alcohol beers i have been rehydrating 1/3 pack of lavlin ec1118
and adding to the bottling bucket - have had good carbonation - even on a
10.5% barleywine

I'll keep that in mind for the future, but right now I'm going to be adding more yeast to already bottled beer. I'm trying to figure out if I should rehydrate the yeast first or just sprinkle a pinch or two into each bottle.

 

[rod]

i would rehydrate first as the yeast needs a chance to get started .
probably an 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per bottle of the liquid will work

hopefully someone who has experienced your problem will chime in to confirm or deny my suggestion - it is what i would try - but its your beer-if you want to add a few grains of dry yeast per bottle as it is easier - go ahead

 

[jerly]

i would rehydrate first as the yeast needs a chance to get started .
probably an 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per bottle of the liquid will work

hopefully someone who has experienced your problem will chime in to confirm or deny my suggestion - it is what i would try - but its your beer-if you want to add a few grains of dry yeast per bottle as it is easier - go ahead

Yeah, I'll probably go the rehydrating route. A dropper should work I think.

Thanks

 

[Mad Scientist]

What is the present alcohol content? I brewed an IIPA a while back that took the btter part of three months to carb. Also, I find that when you reach the limit of the yeast, agitating the bottles seem to help.

Is this the AHS kit that uses eight ounces of high alpha hops?