No carbonation - any recourse or just dump?

[jlietzow]

I bottled a Grapefruit IPA a few weeks ago but have absolutely no carbonation. Nothing. I am sure that I added the priming sugar as indicated in the recipe when I bottled.

I did have to filter extensively when I bottled as I had dry hopped loose. Perhaps I filtered out the yeast?

In any case, is there any recourse or do I just have to dump this beer?

 

[parrothead64]

Don’t dump it. What was the temp? You might try to warm it up

 

[jlietzow]

It has been pretty consistent at 68 degrees. I had other beer carbonating at the same time (in just one week) so I assume that the temp was ok.

 

[seatazzz]

One thing you can try, buy a packet of a clean fermenting yeast (like Safale 05 or Nottingham). Uncap your bottles (sanitarily of course) and tap a few grains into each, then re-cap. Swirl gently, and put the bottles into a warmer spot (like 70-72). This may get it going. I don't think you "filtered" out your yeast, but there may not have been enough viable cells left to finish carbonation. What was your priming sugar volume?

 

[jlietzow]

I used 5 ounces of priming sugar.

 

[eric19312]

Can you describe your filtering system? Have you successfully carbed other filtered beers? My guess is even if you got rid of most of the yeast it will carb pretty soon.

One thought is faulty caps. Had a friend bottle entire batch with non sealing caps designed for some sort of arts and crafts projects. When you checked a bottle for carb was their yeast in bottom of the bottle? If so and you filtered maybe your bottles just arent sealed well.

 

[jlietzow]

I don't see any evidence of yeast at the bottom of the bottles (I've tried 3 so far), which makes me question the yeast.

My filtering is pretty primitive - just poured through a funnel with a fine mesh filter multiple times. I had a mess with hops loose in the beer that caused lots of challenges that led me to filter multiple times.

 

[jlietzow]

I like the idea of adding some yeast to each bottle and recapping. Perhaps I'll get some US-05 and try it out. I've had good success with that yeast.

 

[eric19312]

Any chance you forgot the priming sugar? That filtering you described would not get rid of yeast. Do a test...put a sugar cube in one bottle, put a bit of yeast in another bottle, give both bottles 4 days or so in a warm place and see which one hisses when opened. Then you know what to do to save the rest of the batch.

 

[bigdawg86]

I have pulled and recapped two batches with excellent success. An 8.5% IPA with US05 and a 14% imperial stout with champagne yeast. I got a 5mL syringe and used about 2-3mL of rehydrated yeast slurry each bottle and recapped. They all carbed fine after that.

 

[Saunassa]

I have pulled and recapped two batches with excellent success. An 8.5% IPA with US05 and a 14% imperial stout with champagne yeast. I got a 5mL syringe and used about 2-3mL of rehydrated yeast slurry each bottle and recapped. They all carbed fine after that.

This idea is one i will remember as it is easier to be consistent.

 

[flars]

From two of your posts it seems you filtered the beer after fermentation and just before filling the bottles? This will oxidize the beer. Drink these beers fast after they are carbonated.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I don't see any evidence of yeast at the bottom of the bottles (I've tried 3 so far), which makes me question the yeast.

My filtering is pretty primitive - just poured through a funnel with a fine mesh filter multiple times. I had a mess with hops loose in the beer that caused lots of challenges that led me to filter multiple times.

That won't be fine enough to impact yeast.

As someone else indicated it'll certainly oxidize it.

I would refrain from doing that in the future.

 

[jlietzow]

Thanks for the feedback all. This particular batch was a nightmare to bottle - many lessons learned from multiple mistakes (hopefully not to be repeated).

I'm gonna go get a small syringe and try adding rehydrated S04 yeast to each bottle (that's all that I have on hand). Hopefully I can still salvage it.

 

[foam_top]

Thanks for the feedback all. This particular batch was a nightmare to bottle - many lessons learned from multiple mistakes (hopefully not to be repeated).

I'm gonna go get a small syringe and try adding rehydrated S04 yeast to each bottle (that's all that I have on hand). Hopefully I can still salvage it.

How many bottles are we talking here? I would test it with just a few bottles first. Imagine all that time uncapping, syringe injecting, recapping 40+ bottles. With a few bottles you only lose 4-7 days. If it works, you can drink those beers while you fix the rest. If it doesn't work, you can save your yeast slurry for another batch, and perhaps more importantly, your time!

 

[beermanpete]

How does the flat beer taste? Can you taste the priming sugar? If you added the sugar and it never fermented it will taste sweet. If you forgot to add the priming sugar or it fermented but has bad caps it will not have any sweetness to the flavor.

 

[Bubbles2]

Yeast is smaller then 1 micron. I doubt your filter is smaller then that. In other words the yeast is in there.

If you take a capped bottle and shake it real good. Do you see / hear any activity? And if you do, is there any thing leaking from the caps?

Experiment-
Plastic soda bottle with screw cap, sanitize bottle, create prime sugar, just a small amount. 5 min simmer of like 1/3 cup h20 with Tbsp of sugar. Let cool add Tbsp of mixture to bottle, top off with a bottle you just opened. Check it in a week, if bottle is getting firm (from carb pressure) you now know where you ..... #2'd the deal.

Almost easier to toss it, use it for fish and chips batter, then to keep messing with a batch that is going to be oxidized and never know where Start point is with carb, attenuation and so forth.

 

[jlietzow]

Well I added 5ml of rehydrated S04 to each bottle over a week ago and so far no improvement. I moved it upstairs (warmer) and I'm just gonna let it sit and see if anything happens. I suspect that I'll be dumping it in a couple of weeks. Not a big loss - it has an odd taste, I assume due to the oxidation from my bottling mess. The good news is that I have a few other beer ready to enjoy so I can just chalk this one up to a learning experience. Thanks to everyone for the assistance. If it ends up carbonating I'll post an update.