No carbonation in a wee heavy, looking for a reason

Bathtubbrewer · Dec 24, 2013

I brewed a wee heavy right before Thanksgiving and bottled it Thanksgiving weekend. Because of all my help (a 5 and 3 year old), I forgot to add more yeast when bottling. 2 weeks later, I cracked a couple open and zero carbonation. In an effort to "save" the batch, I opened all the bottles, gently poured them into a bucket, rehydrated some US-05, and re-bottled the batch. Opened a couple today, and still no carbonation. Not even a little. I'm assuming the high alcohol (~10% per beersmith) killed the added yeast, but any other ideas would be appreciated. Assuming I'm right, what should I have done? Used Scottish yeast? Thanks in advance, and Happy Holidays to all.

thadass · Dec 25, 2013

Did you add any priming sugar before bottling?

Vigo_Carpathian · Dec 25, 2013

thadass said:
Did you add any priming sugar before bottling?

Lol ^

thadass · Dec 25, 2013

Really though, several mentions of adding yest but not sugar.

Bathtubbrewer, just in case you didn't add the priming sugar: at the end of primary fermentation and prior to bottling, there is usually plenty of living yeast (even in many 10% beers, but adding more is OK) but just no fermentable sugars left for them to consume. You add a measured dose of sugar prior to bottling which the suspended yeast in the bottled beer consume and create CO2, which carbonates your beer.

Bathtubbrewer · Dec 25, 2013

Sorry, should have mentioned that I did add the proper amount of priming sugar. Also, after priming and bottling, I stored the bottles at about 73 degrees.

mlanoue · Dec 28, 2013

I think it may take a couple of months to get carbonation with a high gravity beer like that. This is exactly what happened with my Northern No. 1 kit a couple of years ago. It's about 11 percent ABV and took forever to carbonate in the bottles.

fleeba409 · Dec 28, 2013

i bottled a dubbel the third week of october. not a hint of carbonation on thanksgiving. cracked one open yesterday ant it was good and bubbly. just give it a while and eventually it will be ready.

Cyclman · Dec 28, 2013

I have an Imperial Pumpkin that didn't carb, turns out the alcohol level was too high for the yeast. Planning on adding some yeast with a higher tolerance to each bottle.