I brewed and autumn amber ale and followed instructions completely. Ive waited the time after bottling and I had one last night and it didnt carbonate. It also has a very sweet taste to it. Its almost too sweet. Any thoughts?
problems with natural carbonation
- Thread starter marklay
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Now, I am a new guy here, too... And I am sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong, but I think you need to wait longer. I could barely stand waiting for my first batch, and it tasted like pure sugar. A few weeks later it was perfect.
What temperature did you condition at ?
What temperature did you condition at ?
What do you mean "Ive waited the time after bottling"? Can you give us a timeline for what you've done so far.
Just so you know, most kit instructions kinda suck. That's one reason people end up on sites like this.
Just so you know, most kit instructions kinda suck. That's one reason people end up on sites like this.
NA_Wreckdiver
Well-Known Member
Don't know what you did....but,
You should (still can if you didn't) keep them at room temp (70ish) for 3 weeks, then put them in the fridge for 2-3 days.
If the beer is high (8%+) it could take as long as 6 weeks at room temp before they carb properly.
You should (still can if you didn't) keep them at room temp (70ish) for 3 weeks, then put them in the fridge for 2-3 days.
If the beer is high (8%+) it could take as long as 6 weeks at room temp before they carb properly.
homebrewdad
Well-Known Member
Yep, three weeks at 70 degrees is the baseline for most beers. If sooner, the beer is probably not ready. If you kept it in the fridge, the yeast went to sleep and it will be flat and sweet.
Speaking of instructions - are you sure that you reached your final gravity? Did you measure it with a hydrometer, wait a couple of days, then measure again BEFORE you bottled? If not, it could be sweet because it wasn't done fermenting... which means that you could end up with bottle bombs.
Speaking of instructions - are you sure that you reached your final gravity? Did you measure it with a hydrometer, wait a couple of days, then measure again BEFORE you bottled? If not, it could be sweet because it wasn't done fermenting... which means that you could end up with bottle bombs.
They have been at room temp for two weeks. Its been sitting about 75 degrees in my house. and yes I checked the FG before bottling and I forget what it was but it hadnt changed for a few days. The instructions all for two weeks. I have done a couple other styles now that worked out so when this didnt i was a little concerned. Thanks for the help. I guess i will wait a little but longer and see how it goes
Three weeks is not two weeks, and 3 weeks tends to be the minimum for most average grav beers. Some take longer. Bottle carbing is FOOLPROOF. You add the sugar and the yeast will do the rest. In it's own time.
This might be a stupid question marklay, but what type of sugar did you use, in what amount, and how did you add it? It's highly unlikely that you would get no carbonation in a month unless there's another underlying issue. What were your Original and Final Gravity numbers? How long was fermentation, and at what temperature? What yeast did you use?
It was a kit and it was the priming sugar that came with that kit. about 3/4 cup i believe or close to. I dont remember the yeast i used and the OG and FG were spot on with what the instructions were saying and i made sure it was done fermenting. It was sitting about 70-75 the entire fermentation and bottled time frames. Its almost as if the yeast are not doing anything.
Hmmm. You could try turning the bottles end over end to see if there is yeast sediment on the bottom. Gently do that to a couple of beers, and then set them someplace warm (on top of the fridge, for example) to see if that gets them going.
Also, check the caps to make sure they are on tightly (like in a commercial beer bottle cap). Either the yeast prematurely stopped working, or the caps aren't on correctly.
Just thinkin', how did you mix in the priming solution?
sidepart
Well-Known Member
I'm a relatively new brewer too here and just recently shot myself in the foot regarding carbonation. Out of curiosity though, does anyone think it's possible that the yeast has fallen out of suspension before bottling? Maybe some additional yeast needed to be added? Don't suppose you used any finings...like gelatin? I've read some stories about some additional yeast being required if gelatin was used.
Couldn't even begin to tell you what to do next. I imagine you could dump it all out into a bottling bucket, add some yeast and rebottle. Not sure how much yeast, or if that'd be a liability.
Couldn't even begin to tell you what to do next. I imagine you could dump it all out into a bottling bucket, add some yeast and rebottle. Not sure how much yeast, or if that'd be a liability.
Obliviousbrew
Well-Known Member
Geordan said:
I was thinking the very same thing
Wouldn't surprise me at all, everything else seems normal.
OK so I don't know anything about the lactose thing but I used the priming sugar that came with the kit. But assuming I used the wrong stuff is there a way to tell or be able to fix it or is the carbonation a lost cause at this point
OK so I don't know anything about the lactose thing but I used the priming sugar that came with the kit. But assuming I used the wrong stuff is there a way to tell or be able to fix it or is the carbonation a lost cause at this point
Sounds like you boiled your finished beer,or have leaks in your caps?.You using the twist ons? If you had a good finish gravity i dont see why it wouldnt carb. You shure your yeast fermented your wort and how do you know-was the yeast dead and not ferment your wort?I havent had any take that long besides strong abv beers,but not saying it cant happen either.
Did you forget to add the yeast to ferment your wort? Heavy clorinated water can kill yeast (i think)not shure if completley though.
Did you forget to add the yeast to ferment your wort? Heavy clorinated water can kill yeast (i think)not shure if completley though.
This wouldn't affect your beer's ability to carbonate but the next time, boil your priming sugar with water for a few minutes, let it cool off a little, and pour it into your bottling bucket. Then siphon your beer into the bottling bucket on top of the sugar - don't stir it. This introduces oxygen into your beer, which you don't want.
Try shaking up the bottles again, and moving them in a warmer part of your house (though right now, pretty much every part of everyone's house in the country is pretty warm).
If you still have no carb after a week or two, you can get a package of safale-05 yeast, and open each bottle and add a few grains of yeast, re-cap, give each bottle a little shake, then go back to waiting another couple of weeks.
Try shaking up the bottles again, and moving them in a warmer part of your house (though right now, pretty much every part of everyone's house in the country is pretty warm).
If you still have no carb after a week or two, you can get a package of safale-05 yeast, and open each bottle and add a few grains of yeast, re-cap, give each bottle a little shake, then go back to waiting another couple of weeks.
sidepart
Well-Known Member
jonmohno said:
He definitely pitched yeast and it worked. He did get attenuation in his gravity. The sweetness he has is probably from the priming sugar.
Sounds like for whatever reason though the yeast has fallen out or become completely utilized. Just add some more and recap.
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
Hello, Im at 8 weeks of 70deg bottle conditioning on 2 of my extract brews and they are just about finished getting carb'd up, some times it just takes the yeasties longer than other times for them to do what they do, it will happen sooner or later.
Making good beer is like watching grass grow, so get a chair and wait, it will happen.
Cheers
Making good beer is like watching grass grow, so get a chair and wait, it will happen.
Cheers
looneybomber
Well-Known Member
Hello, Im at 8 weeks of 70deg bottle conditioning on 2 of my extract brews and they are just about finished getting carb'd up, some times it just takes the yeasties longer than other times for them to do what they do, it will happen sooner or later.
Making good beer is like watching grass grow, so get a chair and wait, it will happen.
Cheers
8wks! Wow. In every batch I have brewed, I always fill one PET bottle so I can check carbination levels periodically (squeeze the bottle). Even my ~10.5% RIS carbed in about 2-2.5wks at ~67-68%. That was my slowest carbing beer thus far.
I'm thinking, after a month if it's sweet and there's no carb, either the wrong sugar was used (lactose as mentioned) or the yeast is sleeping/dead.
