My first brew is not carbonating

[fletcher677]

I bottled my first brew two weeks ago today. The taste is good, but it is not fully carbonated yet. Can this process take longer than 2 weeks? I also only got 36 bottles of beer out of the batch instead of the 48 I should have gotten. I know you lose some in the transfers, but it didn't seem like 12 full beers. Any suggestions?

 

[mgortel]

What temperature are you bottle conditioning them at?

Do you have any carbonation yet?

How much sugar did you add at bottling time and did you gently stir it to mix it up?

I usually wait 3 weeks for carbonation to complete.....but after 2 weeks you should have a good bit of carbonation if bottle conditioning if you are conditioning at a minimum of 70-72 degrees

 

[fletcher677]

I am storing them at room temperature around 70.

I boiled 5oz of corn sugar with 2 cups of water, then added it to the bottling bucket before transferring the beer. I didn't mix it any more than that.

It has a bit of carbonation, but still taste flat. Should I give it another week?

 

[fletcher677]

Will it carbonate any in the fridge?

 

[jakeymon]

I had a similar problem with my first brew, an amber ale - very little carbonation after two weeks. I inverted each bottle and put them back down at room temp (65 deg here in San Francisco) for another week. It helped - better, if not perfect.

I think you don't want to put it in the fridge if you can avoid it, unless you're making a lager.

 

[Biergarden]

Just wondering how long it was in the fermenter for. Sounds like you got enough priming sugar into the bottling bucket, so I'd let it go until it fully carbonates. If the yeast was weak going into the bottles, it's going to take some time for what viable yeast there is to so the job.
Hang in there and be patient.
Consider kegging your product. It's sooooo much better to deal with.

 

[mgortel]

Do not put it in fridge.

Definatelyy give it another week.

When you add priming sugar to bottling bucket next time make sure to give it a LIGHT stirring.....do not want to aerate beer and switch it around just a light stir.

Honestly....think you just need to let it condition a littel longer.....you could do what jakeymon said and invert bottles....and if there is a place in house warmer than 70 degrees put there for next week.

I am almost never happy with carbonation level until the 3 week point......let us know how they are in a week.