Three weeks in the bottle and no carbonation

[HillWilly]

This is my first beer and it is Midwest Supply's Hex Nut Brown Ale.

I bottled this three weeks ago and still not getting ANY carbonation. Any advice? What is the optimal temperature for carbonation?

Thanks!

 

[Revvy]

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.

And just because a beer is carbed doesn't mean it still doesn't taste like a$$ and need more time for the off flavors to condition out.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

 

[HillWilly]

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

Thanks for the quick reply and pointing me in the right direction!

 

[BrewerBear]

HillWilly you may read Revvys thread Of patience and Bottle conditioning. There is alot of good info in it.

 

[WileECoyote]

Hello, My first 3 batches were also flat after 3 weeks, and 4 weeks, just a bit carbed after 5 weeks, after 9 to 10 weeks they had better carbonation, at 12 to 14 weeks fully carbed, my first batch was a midwest irish red ale, I used 3/4 of a cup (measured) corn (priming) sugar, not compacted, also not the full 5oz in the kit.

Now I use just a tiny bit more corn sugar, just a slight bit 7/8 cup corn sugar or right at 7/8 cup, not packed down, and now my brews are carbed up just about right, at or right around 3 weeks.

Revvy (carbonation guru :rockin is right it will carb sooner or later, Im just impatient and really don't want to wait 3 months for my brews to carb so a bit more sugar it is for my brews, I have had 1 bottle bomb out of 5 batches at the 7/8 cup corn sugar, but I do keep my freshly bottled brews in big ice-chests (lid shut) when carbing, so not much of a mess to deal with.

Good luck and welcome to the brewing madness.

Cheers

 

[Revvy]

Now I use just a tiny bit more corn sugar, just a slight bit 7/8 cup corn sugar or right at 7/8 cup, not packed down, and now my brews are carbed up just about right, at or right around 3 weeks.

Revvy (carbonation guru :rockin is right it will carb sooner or later, Im just impatient and really don't want to wait 3 months for my brews to carb so a bit more sugar it is for my brews, ....

:

Guys, how many times do I need to say this, throwing MORE SUGAR is never the answer to carbonation. It DEFINITLEY won't make carbonation happen any faster, in fact it will make it take LONGER than it would normally.

You never want to add more sugar when there's an issue with carbonation. The problem with carbonation is not with the sugar. If you added sugar and a beer isn't carbed YET.....it's not that there's not enough sugar it's that the yeast is slow in eating the sugar that is already there.

Adding more sugar to a carb issue is just going to mean that when the yeast DOES get around to eating ALL the sugar, what was originally added, AND what the person adding to "fix" the problem, they're going to end up at the best overcarbed beer, and at the worst, Bottle bombs.

With big beers (and with any carb issues) is that you have sluggish, slow moving yeast.....It wakes awhile to consume the sugar in there. I've had big beers take 6 months to carb up.

One way to help the process along with big beers is to add fresh yeast at bottling time. Adding yeast is never harmful, because yeast can ONLY eat the fermentable sugars present, and do nothing more. It can't make more sugar and therefore you wouldn't run the risk of bottling bombs....

Please folks who read this, get out of the mindset of adding MORE sugar.....

 

[Nikeirons]

One way to help the process along with big beers is to add fresh yeast at bottling time. Adding yeast is never harmful, because yeast can ONLY eat the fermentable sugars present, and do nothing more. It can't make more sugar and therefore you wouldn't run the risk of bottling bombs....

Please folks who read this, get out of the mindset of adding MORE sugar.....

That's good info.
On a big beer how much yeast would you add to a 5 gallon batch to help it along?
I have a Chimay blue beer ready to bottle soon and was wondering if I should add. I used WLP500. Would I use the 500 or a dry yeast?

 

[WileECoyote]

Guys, how many times do I need to say this, throwing MORE SUGAR is never the answer to carbonation.

Hello Revvy, I wasn't haphazardly throwing more sugar at my beers.

As I stated, that when I measured my sugar out, it was less than came in my kit, so I didn't add the full amount of sugar that was sent with this kit, by Mid West, is Mid West wrong sending 5oz of priming sugar in their IRA kit?

Maybe you should consult with Mid West and have them reconsider the way they figure out priming sugar amounts.

It is my understanding that their is a quite a difference in the amount of sugar, in the way that it is measured (i.e. compacted or not compacted) as I stated.

It is also my understanding that their can be a significant difference in the amount of sugar depending if it is measured by weight or volume too.





You never want to add more sugar when there's an issue with carbonation. The problem with carbonation is not with the sugar.

If you didn't add enough sugar to begin with, It is the problem.



Adding more sugar to a carb issue is just going to mean that when the yeast DOES get around to eating ALL the sugar, what was originally added, AND what the person adding to "fix" the problem, they're going to end up at the best overcarbed beer, and at the worst, Bottle bombs.

My problem is, the way measures sugar, that is what I fixed by adding a tiny bit more sugar to my measuring cup.
And 1 bottle breaking in 5 batches and none are over carbed.



With big beers (and with any carb issues) is that you have sluggish, slow moving yeast.....It wakes awhile to consume the sugar in there. I've had big beers take 6 months to carb up.

I had no Idea a Irish Red Ale was a big beer and should take almost 6 months to carb up.



because yeast can ONLY eat the fermentable sugars present, and do nothing more. It can't make more sugar

+ 1 to THIS above.



Please folks who read this, get out of the mindset of adding MORE sugar.....

Unless you are not adding enough sugar to begin with, That was my point. and once again I stated that I did not add enough sugar to begin with.

Revvy I know that you have a huge amount of experience over me, but trying to make me look bad, by overlooking most of what I stated isn't cool.

Guess I wont be posting on any more carbonation threads, since you made it perfectly clear, my limited experience's are unwelcome.

Oh-well
Cheers

 

[WileECoyote]

Also sorry for not knowing how to multi quote, I tried in the post above and it obviously didn't work.

Cheers

 

[beerman0001]

This is my first beer and it is Midwest Supply's Hex Nut Brown Ale.

I bottled this three weeks ago and still not getting ANY carbonation. Any advice? What is the optimal temperature for carbonation?

Thanks!

Since nobody asked what was your bottling procedure?

 

[Brewnoob1]

Did you bulk prime in a bottling bucket or use cooper's drops? Sugar straight to the bottle? Need more info in order to help.

 

[menerdari]

And temperature you are storing the bottles at?

 

[HillWilly]

And temperature you are storing the bottles at?

Did you bulk prime in a bottling bucket or use cooper's drops? Sugar straight to the bottle? Need more info in order to help.

Since nobody asked what was your bottling procedure?

Thanks for asking.

Used bulk priming sugar that came with the kit. Saturated per instructions and emptied contents into bottling bucket. Siphoned beer into bottling bucket and gave it a gentle stir. Bottled, capped then stored in my pantry.

Beer has been stored between 67 and 73 degrees depending on the time of day. Perhaps it is the cooler evenings that is slowing down the fermentation of the priming sugars. I'm not sure...I'm only guessing. Is there any type of test besides open one each week and taste? How do you know when it's perfect or as good as it is going to get without making a bomb?

I'm here to learn, so I appreciate everyone's help.

 

[BrewerBear]

Thanks for asking.

Used bulk priming sugar that came with the kit. Saturated per instructions and emptied contents into bottling bucket. Siphoned beer into bottling bucket and gave it a gentle stir. Bottled, capped then stored in my pantry.

Beer has been stored between 67 and 73 degrees depending on the time of day. Perhaps it is the cooler evenings that is slowing down the fermentation of the priming sugars. I'm not sure...I'm only guessing. Is there any type of test besides open one each week and taste? How do you know when it's perfect or as good as it is going to get without making a bomb?

I'm here to learn, so I appreciate everyone's help.

Getting a little cooler at night could be slowing it down,also sometimes it just takes a little longer.
Priming sugar that came with kit was most likely 5 ounces,no worries about bottle bombs there.

 

[tektonjp]

Unless you are not adding enough sugar to begin with, That was my point. and once again I stated that I did not add enough sugar to begin with.

Revvy I know that you have a huge amount of experience over me, but trying to make me look bad, by overlooking most of what I stated isn't cool.

Guess I wont be posting on any more carbonation threads, since you made it perfectly clear, my limited experience's are unwelcome.

Oh-well
Cheers

Wow, don't be so thin skinned. Don't let Revvy scare you away. His burp is worse than his belch, so to speak. (Sorry Rev). But I kind of agree with him, that just upping your sugar blindly is a quick fix. If you don't have your own brewing software, there are a few sites with carbonation help. Carbonating to style and taste is not about cup measurements. It's about knowing the temp you fermented at and the amount of co2 volume desired. By adding sugar calculated on those, you not only avoid bombs but can dial in to a great brew. I heartily recommend moving beyond cup measurements for priming. You won't regret it.

 

[WileECoyote]

Wow, don't be so thin skinned. Don't let Revvy scare you away. His burp is worse than his belch, so to speak. (Sorry Rev). But I kind of agree with him, that just upping your sugar blindly is a quick fix. If you don't have your own brewing software, there are a few sites with carbonation help. Carbonating to style and taste is not about cup measurements. It's about knowing the temp you fermented at and the amount of co2 volume desired. By adding sugar calculated on those, you not only avoid bombs but can dial in to a great brew. I heartily recommend moving beyond cup measurements for priming. You won't regret it.

Thanks, but I wasn't just upping my sugar blindly, I made 3 batches the way I was told to by the majority of the people on this forum, I did ask quite a bit of questions about amounts of sugar to add on this forum, but was getting so many conflicting answers that it was insane to try to figure out which was right, especially as a beginner, so I went with the answer that was replied the most, which was 3/4 cup of sugar.
That amount (3/4 cup) ended up to be about 4 oz by weight in a 5gal batch, A batch that the manufacture intended (and calculated) to have 5oz by weight in that 5gal batch, And what I have figured out since that first batch is that their are well over 1/2 a dozen ways to measure the same ingredient and none come out to the same amount, try measuring 5oz of feathers by volume and then by compacted volume and then by weight, all 3 will be way different amounts.

So you see I didn't just blindly add sugar, I figured out how much more sugar to add for the way I measured, to come up with the proper amount of sugar that should have been in that first batch to begin with, by weight is how I should be measuring, a pound is a pound is a pound, its constant.

So I bought a scale to do better measuring, but my scale sucks, its accuracy is way off, so I will be ordering another one (digital this time) as soon as I can, to better my measuring process just like you are heartily recommending, some of us have limited income right now and have to pick and choose what we purchase, some times its a $25 scale or $25 of ingredients, I can brew using a measuring cup and altering the amount in it to match the way I measure, but I can't brew without ingredients.

Good Day

 

[WileECoyote]

Thanks for asking.

Used bulk priming sugar that came with the kit. Saturated per instructions and emptied contents into bottling bucket. Siphoned beer into bottling bucket and gave it a gentle stir. Bottled, capped then stored in my pantry.

Beer has been stored between 67 and 73 degrees depending on the time of day. Perhaps it is the cooler evenings that is slowing down the fermentation of the priming sugars. I'm not sure...I'm only guessing. Is there any type of test besides open one each week and taste? How do you know when it's perfect or as good as it is going to get without making a bomb?

I'm here to learn, so I appreciate everyone's help.

Hello, another thing to consider is the amount of time you let your brews sit in the fridge before opening the top, IMO this will make a difference in how much carbonation is in them, as the co2 needs proper time to go back into the liquid once refrigeration has begun, from what I have read and works best for me is 4 days in the fridge before opening.

Hope this helps
Cheers

 

[estricklin]

Unless you are not adding enough sugar to begin with, That was my point. and once again I stated that I did not add enough sugar to begin with.

Revvy I know that you have a huge amount of experience over me, but trying to make me look bad, by overlooking most of what I stated isn't cool.

Guess I wont be posting on any more carbonation threads, since you made it perfectly clear, my limited experience's are unwelcome.

Oh-well
Cheers

Pretty much all of the beers I've brewed were carbed after 1-2 weeks, I try one every few days until I think they are ready to start drinking. 1 1/4 Cups DME/ 5 gallon batch is my usual. If I brew one and I feel like it needs to age I will, but I haven't had much luck with making bad beer taste better with age, or helping it carb, (by age I mean past 6 weeks). Maybe one day I will change my mind about all this.

 

[WileECoyote]

Pretty much all of the beers I've brewed were carbed after 1-2 weeks, I try one every few days until I think they are ready to start drinking. 1 1/4 Cups DME/ 5 gallon batch is my usual. If I brew one and I feel like it needs to age I will, but I haven't had much luck with making bad beer taste better with age, or helping it carb, (by age I mean past 6 weeks). Maybe one day I will change my mind about all this.

Hello estricklin, thats some good information on using DME instead of sugar.

Thanks and Cheers

 

[BrewerBear]

You can use just about anything fermentable. sugar,brown sugar,molases,honey among other things.