Problems getting beer to carbonate properly

[agelb44]

Hi Guys,

I've been using priming sugar to carbonate my recent home brews. So I dissolve the sugar in boiling water, add the water to the bottling bucket and then bottle the beers and give them about 2 or more weeks to carbonate. Out of 5 batches, 3 have been under carbonated and are incredibly flat. Any advice on how to avoid this? Is it possible to use CO2 to carbonate beer before bottling?

 

[kev211]

What temperature are you carbing them? If you're priming them and sticking straight in the fridge you wont get any carbonation. Have you been using a priming sugar calculator?

 

[slym2none]

Advice on how to avoid under-carbonation? Add more priming sugar.

You can use CO² to carbonate your beer before bottling, you just have to have a kegging setup to do it.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, back when I bottled, I let the bottles sit for three weeks in the upper-60s °F then cold-conditioned for at least a week to allow the beer to absorb the CO2 trapped in the head space. Skipping that last step could easily result in flat-ish beer.

You can certainly "force-carbonate" beer in a keg and use something like the Blichmann beer gun to fill bottles. Done well, carbonation is maintained through the packaging process - and you don't have to wait a month for the bottle to carb and cold-condition.

But there's obviously an investment required - the keg, CO2 cylinder, regulator and miscellaneous bits could easily add up to a couple hundred bucks...

Cheers!

 

[AkBrew907]

What temperature are you carbing them? If you're priming them and sticking straight in the fridge you wont get any carbonation. Have you been using a priming sugar calculator?

Also curious what temp you are allowing them to carb at. Keep them at room temp for a week and pop one and check.

 

[agelb44]

Thanks guys.

I've been keeping them at about 70 degrees. Haven't used a priming sugar calculator (what is that?), just been following instructions from a set of ingredients I bought. Could bottle sanitation have an effect on carbonation? (Been reusing bottles but putting in effort to sanitize properly)

 

[kev211]

Ya, I would definitely recommend a calculator. The recipes are based on whether or not you got everything the way they did (kinda).

So heres some priming sugar calculators.

Northern Brewers

Brewers Friend

Just out of curiosity, what was your recipe and end results?

 

[brew703]

Also, make sure you use the highest fermentation temp, not the actual temp of the beer at the time of bottling.
You definitely need to use a priming sugar calculator. Here's the one I prefer to use, http://www.brewunited.com/priming_sugar_calculator.php.

 

[kev211]

Also, make sure you use the highest fermentation temp, not the actual temp of the beer at the time of bottling.
You definitely need to use a priming sugar calculator. Here's the one I prefer to use, http://www.brewunited.com/priming_sugar_calculator.php.

Forgot to include that one. Homebrewdad's is also a great tool

 

[GrogNerd]

also measure priming sugar by weight, not volume

used to be 2/3 cup corn sugar or 1/2 cup DME or somesnit

mine carbonate much better now

there's also a trick if 1) you're SURE you used enough sugar, 2)kept them at 70 for 3 weeks

turn upside down for 3 days, back right-side up for 3 days, then fridge for 3 days

good luck!

 

[brew703]

I've been putting mine on top of my upright freezer. the bottles stay about 77 degrees.

 

[agelb44]

Thanks, will definitely use the calculators next time. I had the most carbonation issues with a batch of rootbeer I was brewing and also an oatmeal stout (don't remember the exact recipe). They both tasted fine flavorwise, but the lack of carbonation made them pretty gross. I've got 50 bottles of Kobayashi Wheat Sorachi Ace and 50 bottles of a Czech Pilsner that were bottled 13 days ago. Probably will try one tomorrow and see what the damage is. Will get back on how they taste

 

[kombat]

cold-conditioned for at least a week to allow the beer to absorb the CO2 trapped in the head space. Skipping that last step could easily result in flat-ish beer.

I think that's a myth that's been de-bunked. It doesn't make sense.

Think about it this way: When you buy a commercial beer from the store, and t was on the shelf (not a fridge), do you have to wait a week for the CO2 in the neck to go back into solution? No, of course not. You throw the 6-pack in the fridge and you're drinking it within a couple of hours. Or throw it in the freezer, and drink it in 30 minutes (don't forget it's in there!).

Why would a commercial beer still be plenty carbed after just 30 minutes of cooling, but a homebrew require a week?

 

[IslandLizard]

If you did add the correct amount of priming sugar, most kits include it, check the caps, bottles and capper. Maybe they don't seal well enough to hold the pressure. If the bottle lips aren't perfectly smooth (such as a molding seam) they will leak when pressure builds. Try different caps.

 

[day_trippr]

I think that's a myth that's been de-bunked. It doesn't make sense.

Think about it this way: When you buy a commercial beer from the store, and t was on the shelf (not a fridge), do you have to wait a week for the CO2 in the neck to go back into solution? No, of course not. You throw the 6-pack in the fridge and you're drinking it within a couple of hours. Or throw it in the freezer, and drink it in 30 minutes (don't forget it's in there!).

Why would a commercial beer still be plenty carbed after just 30 minutes of cooling, but a homebrew require a week?

First, most commercial beers are not bottle conditioned.
Second, cold beer holds carbonation better than warm beer, and if the beer was bottle conditioned and NEVER cold, you can bet there's a lot of CO2 trapped in the head space that you probably wanted in the beer...

Cheers!

 

[govner1]

Thanks guys.



I've been keeping them at about 70 degrees. Haven't used a priming sugar calculator (what is that?), just been following instructions from a set of ingredients I bought. Could bottle sanitation have an effect on carbonation? (Been reusing bottles but putting in effort to sanitize properly)

If I bottle I use 1 oz/ gal of beer & then store @ room temp for 10-14 days. I then chill one and test. If more carb is needed wait another week.
Also, I find it effective to stir the beer in the bottling bucket every 6 bottles. The priming sugar mixture tends to sink to the bottom since it is denser.
Last, (or first) make sure you cool the priming sugar mixture to room temp before adding to your bottling bucket b

 

[kombat]

First, most commercial beers are not bottle conditioned.

Totally irrelevant. CO2 is CO2. Doesn't matter where it comes from, all that matters is the volumes of it in the package.

Second, cold beer holds carbonation better than warm beer, and if the beer was bottle conditioned and NEVER cold, you can bet there's a lot of CO2 trapped in the head space that you probably wanted in the beer...

Again, irrelevant. It's the volumes of CO2 in the bottle. Warmer temperatures will mean higher pressure in the headspace, but the temperature history of the bottle is totally irrelevant. All that matters is a) how many volumes of CO2 is the liquid pressurized to, and b) what is the current temperature of the bottle.

CO2 from bottle conditioning doesn't take any longer to go back into solution than CO2 from a canister.