Struck in a bottle

[GoodRatsBrew]

So here's my quandry... 2 weeks ago I bottled a nice Chocolate Cranberry Porter, however after sampling yesterday(18 days after bottling) ZERO carbonation... only a faint "fzzzt" upon opening the bottle. I reviewed my notes and I think I only used ~1/4 cup priming sugar instead of 3/4 cup. BIG QUESTION... Do I pop open remaining brews and add ~1 tsp sugar to each bottle, or if I get my kegging system from Santa just open them all and keg the beer? Any and all comments much appreciated.

 

[TipsyDragon]

at this point i would just pop them open and drop in a few coopers tabs in there and re-cap them.

 

[Bensiff]

If you dumpt them into a keg you are going to get a lot of oxygen mixed in, I would go the TipsyDragon route...I've never used coopers tabs before though, so I can't speak from personal experience on their effectiveness.

 

[TipsyDragon]

I've never used coopers tabs before though, so I can't speak from personal experience on their effectiveness.

me either but they are just chunks of sugar so the yeast wont know the difference. the instructions tell you how many to use per bottle. but a word of warning i have heard they leave harmless floaties in your bottle.

 

[GoodRatsBrew]

Thanks Fellas!!! I think that's the route to go. Here's hopping a safe and Hoppy Brew Year!!!!!!

 

[WrongCoastBrewery]

So here's my quandry... 2 weeks ago I bottled a nice Chocolate Cranberry Porter, however after sampling yesterday(18 days after bottling) ZERO carbonation... only a faint "fzzzt" upon opening the bottle. I reviewed my notes and I think I only used ~1/4 cup priming sugar instead of 3/4 cup. BIG QUESTION... Do I pop open remaining brews and add ~1 tsp sugar to each bottle, or if I get my kegging system from Santa just open them all and keg the beer? Any and all comments much appreciated.

I would give it more time. Remember 3 weeks at 70F. 3 weeks at 70F. Plus three weeks is a rule of thumb. It can take more time. I would leave them be for another week and a half then evaluate where they stand. Plus each bottle is its own ecosystem. Not each bottle could be like that. Give it more time.

 

[RM-MN]

I would give it more time. Remember 3 weeks at 70F. 3 weeks at 70F. Plus three weeks is a rule of thumb. It can take more time. I would leave them be for another week and a half then evaluate where they stand. Plus each bottle is its own ecosystem. Not each bottle could be like that. Give it more time.

I'll second that. A porter can take some time to carbonate. If you had a "fzzzt" on opening, you had the start of carbonation. Adding anything just yet is setting you up for serious over-carbing if not bottle bombs.

 

[zacster]

I'd just wait it out. I've had a batch that were still pretty flat after 3+ weeks that I just gave up on. A few months later I decide to give one a try and it was amazing. It turned into my best homebrew ever.

In the meantime, why not make another batch??? You can't have too much you know.

 

[GoodRatsBrew]

True... Time is on my side... (Yes it is) And Santa brought another carboy and a GC to the local HB Emporium so as the first book on homebrewing I ever read says "Relax, have a homebrew!" I think I will wait it out and sample this sometime around Valentine's Day... Cranberry Chocolate Stout how romantic.

 

[Minky]

Just remember, GoodRat,
Your beer must be chilled for a considerable length of time before opening to allow the CO2 to be absorbed into the beer. I'm not sure what is ideal, but try 24 hours.

I used to stick one in the freezer for half an hour before opening and got the same result you did.

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

I would give it more time. Remember 3 weeks at 70F. 3 weeks at 70F. Plus three weeks is a rule of thumb. It can take more time. I would leave them be for another week and a half then evaluate where they stand. Plus each bottle is its own ecosystem. Not each bottle could be like that. Give it more time.

He clearly stated in his first post that he only added 1/4 of a cup of priming sugar. That's about 1/3 of the standard amount, which means his beer is never going to be fully carbonated no matter how long he waits.

Anyway, I second the Coopers carb drop idea. I think they suggest adding 3 to each bottle, so if you added 2 to each bottle that'd probably get you close to where you want to be.

 

[JeepDiver]

He clearly stated in his first post that he only added 1/4 of a cup of priming sugar. That's about 1/3 of the standard amount, which means his beer is never going to be fully carbonated no matter how long he waits.

Anyway, I second the Coopers carb drop idea. I think they suggest adding 3 to each bottle, so if you added 2 to each bottle that'd probably get you close to where you want to be.

Doesn't sound too clear to me.

and I think I only used ~1/4 cup priming sugar instead of 3/4 cup.