Troubleshoot- Inconsistent Bottle Carb

[Bamsdealer]

So, I've done a fair amount of browsing through here and I still can't figure out my problem. My first brew carbed perfectly, my last two have been inconsistent. I used the same process for both. Boil 5 oz corn sugar in a pint of water, chill, add to bottling bucket. Use the auto siphon to rack brew from the primary or secondary to the base of the bottling bucket. Bottle. Bottle condition at room temp.

Now, I haven't had any gushers but some are undercarbed, but not sweet. It's not a yeast issue. Should I stir my beer after I rack into the bottling bucket. I've been trying to disturb the brew as little as possible to not introduce oxygen, but if it means an even distribution of priming sugar solution throughout the brew I might have to. Thoughts? Experiences?

 

[kh54s10]

I too have had a little inconsistency. I put the sugar solution in the bucket then make the siphon of the beer swirl around the bucket. I have recently tried to remember to, very gently, stir the beer with a sanitized spoon, before bottling.

Some that seemed inconsistent, appear to have gotten better with longer aging.

 

[zachattack]

It sounds like you're doing it right. I like to make sure I have a really gentle vortex going on as the beer flows from the siphon into the bucket. One way to do this is tuck the outlet of the siphon tube under inside of the spigot and point it to the side. That way as the beer enters it gently runs along the inside circumference of the bottling bucket and makes a slow vortex. This way it gets mixed pretty well.

Also make sure you're chilling the bottles really well (a few days in the back of the fridge), or else none of the CO2 will get re-absorbed by the beer.

 

[Bamsdealer]

I've taken notes and racked my brain, but I'm just having a hard time figuring where I did anything differently between brew 1 and 2/3. Maybe it was the way the siphon was directed when I racked to the bottling bucket. As you noted, I didn't notice a vortex after getting a gallon or so into the bucket. I'll be careful about that next time and give it a gentle mixing with a sanitized spoon.

 

[E-Mursed]

I don't carbonate my beer with priming sugar anymore - I carbonate and bottle from a keg.

What you need to do as the basics are...IMO

Make sure your priming sugar is COMPLETELY dissolved.
Don't be afraid to GENTLY stir your beer to incorporate the priming sugar.
Give your beer a CHANCE to carbonate - 2 to 4 weeks at 70 degrees would be a great environment for this.
Don't be afraid to get a SMALL amount of suspension yeast in your bottling bucket.


Cold bottles are only necessary/highly suggested when you are transferring carbonated beer from a keg to bottles to ensure the CO2 stays in suspension. A majority of people bottle with their beer with bottles that are at room temperature or warm from a sanitation cycle in the dishwasher with excellent results.

Brewing beer is an art and like all art it is open to interpretation...especially in the process and results.

 

[Revvy]

How long are you waiting with your beer above 70 before declaring that you have a carbonation problem?

 

[Bamsdealer]

Closing in on 4 weeks now. I tried 6 so far. The last two have been undercarbed. I'm wishing I would have paid more attention to the order I was bottling to see if the first bottles had more or less than the last few.

 

[lgilmore]

I add my carbing sugar mix a little at a time a little bit after each gallon has drained. Then stir gently with a clean spoon and bottle. No problems yet.

 

[jasonclick]

I made a Belgian Ale from an extract kit. After 2 weeks of bottling, I chilled a few about 4... 3 of which were ok but 1 was a gusher. I let them age for another week and then put them in the fridge. They've been in the fridge for about a week now and the past 2 I've had are basically flat... one no carb and the other very little. Not sure what went wrong. I used the priming sugar that came with the kit. I didn't stir it though. I dissolved it in water and put a the bottom of the bottling bucket before siphoning from the fermenter.

If I open a few more and they are flat as well, is there any saving the beer? Should I pull them out of the fridge and let them age for a few more weeks? Thanks!