Pitch yeast when priming?

[Polifemo]

I'm bottle conditioning, and have been having low carbonation, even after four months of undisturbed storage at about 68 degrees. I've been careful about rinsing out my sterilant well, and am adding the right amount of priming sugar, which I boil in water. I add to the priming bucket, and siphon the beer on top. My capper seems to be putting a perfectly good seal on my bottles, which are not the twist-off kind. I'm a bit stumped, but suspect that my yeast is petering out. For simplicity's sake, I use dry yeasts, and leave my beers in primary for two weeks before botttling. Should I pitch some more yeast when I prime to get some live yeast in there for carbonation? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Yooper]

If you only have beers in primary for two weeks, and then bottle, I'm thinking the lack of viable yeast isn't the problem. Even after lagering and doing long secondaries, I've never had yeast just poop out on me.

How much priming sugar are you using? And what kind of OGs and FGs are you getting?

 

[Polifemo]

Thanks, YooperBrew, for the response. I am using the standardized package, 5 oz. of corn sugar. I don't measure OG and FG. Since my hydrometer broke, I've just been waiting two weeks and bottling. Not a good idea? I'm fairly short on free time...

 

[Cryptochronolite]

Seriously. You've gotta learn the hydrometer. It's really not hard at all. I'm a girl and even I can do it.

You pretty much CANNOT solve any fermentation problem without measuring OG. You've gotta get another right away - or you can have fizzled out beer.

 

[Tripod]

Seriously. You've gotta learn the hydrometer. It's really not hard at all.

Polifemo said it broke... But at like $10, it's a no-brainer to replace it.

I'm in kinda the same boat - with less carb than I'd like to see after plenty of time in the bottle and good temps. On a buddy's advice I was using 1 1/4 cup of DME for priming before realizing that it might not be the correct amount of OUNCES of DME to carb my beer. Now I go to TastyBrew.com | Homebrewing Calculators | Botting Priming Calculator and measure my priming DME by weight.

-Tripod

 

[davebl]

Take your temps up to 72+.

 

[Mainebrew]

Yeah what Crypto said, CHEAP INSURANCE.