Uncarbonated beer

[Yooper]

My last two batches of beer have been uncarbonated. The first time I assumed I didn't mix the priming solution or something. Now, the second in a row is almost 2 weeks old (a bit young, I know) and not just undercarbed but seemingly UNcarbonated. All my other batches have been perfect.

I am thinking that it's too cool to carb properly. It's cool up here in the northwoods, sitting about 64-65 degrees in the house. I put a space heater on the boxes holding the bottled beer today- now it's 69.8 degrees inside the box.

I used 5 ounces of priming sugar for both batches, dissolved in 2 cups water. I cool this solution, then add it to my bottling bucket. I then rack my beer into the bottling bucket, swirling my putting the racking tube under the surface. It seems to be well mixed. Then I bottle in sanitized bottles, using one-step and no detergent. I use a basic 1-2-3 method, and my beer is pretty clear. In the uncarbed batches, there is a dusting of yeast on the bottom. I have gently shaken the bottles to get the yeast back into suspension (about a week or so ago, I think).

Do you think the temperature is the problem? I would think it would still carb at a lower temperature, but take longer. The first batch has been sitting at 64-65 degrees for over a month, with no carbonation. What am I doing wrong?

Lorena

 

[the_bird]

I've had beer with virtually zero carbonation after two weeks be fine in three, even without having low temps. I'd do what you're doing, bumping the temp up to 70 or so, and give it another couple weeks. Sounds like you're doing everything right.

 

[Walker]

I think the temp is probably the issue.

I recently had over 4 cases of new brew that was sitting in my house at about 75°F and it was not carbonated after 2.5 weeks. I moved 2 cases of it into the garage where it was 10° warmer and they were carbed fine three days later. The ones that were still in the house were not yet carbed.

-walker

 

[rod]

i am having the same problem with my batch of cheesefoods caramel cream ale - 3 weeks in the bottle and i have some carbonation but no head at all - i am hoping it is just the dme taking longer than the corn sugar i usually use

 

[Walker]

i am having the same problem with my batch of cheesefoods caramel cream ale - 3 weeks in the bottle and i have some carbonation but no head at all - i am hoping it is just the dme taking longer than the corn sugar i usually use

Yeah, DME will take longer. I had been priming my IPA with DME, but got impatient and started using corn sugar. With the DME, it was taking about 50% longer to carb that with corn sugar.

 

[user 4295]

You are on the right track by getting the bottles warmer. 70-75˚F should be fine. Try giving each bottle a gentle shake every other day for a week or so to get the yeast back into suspension and you should be good to go in a couple of weeks.

John

 

[Yooper]

Thanks all- I'll try to keep the space heater on while I'm home. It means some temperature fluctuations (64 degrees up to 71) but at least it might work.

Rod- my caramel cream ale carbed beautifully in two weeks! Of course, I made it in the summer and the temp where I store my bottled beer was about 75 degrees. That's the aggravating part- I've made 10 or so brews in a row with great carbonation and head. Some of them didn't taste very good due to my learning curve, but they sure looked gorgeous. Now I have great tasting beer that won't carbonate.

Again, thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate it.

Lorena

 

[Trappist Artist]

I've found that if I don't remove the One-Step from my bottles, that will really cut down on the carbonation. I usually run the bottles through the dishwasher (without soap). The water should rinse out most of the sanitizer, and if it doesn't the heat from the drying cycle should take care of the peroxides in the One-Step.

Otherwise, just sit and wait...

 

[texasgeorge]

I had my nice roasty red ale do the same thing. My closet is pretty much a constant 77F. After two weeks, nothing. 3 weeks, nothing. 4 weeks, some bubbles. 6 weeks, TASTY, YUMMY, BUBBLY, HEADY, ROASTY BEER!

RDWAHAHB

 

[Rethin]

Everyone has blamed the temp.

I don't disagree.

But don't overlook you caps. If the bottles aren't sealing correctly (bad capper or bad caps or even bad bottles) you could get flat beer.

I read somewhere once that a simple way to check is to use a balloon. Just put it over the cap. If it starts to inflate after a week or two you know you have a bad seal.

 

[rod]

Everyone has blamed the temp.

I don't disagree.

But don't overlook you caps. If the bottles aren't sealing correctly (bad capper or bad caps or even bad bottles) you could get flat beer.

I read somewhere once that a simple way to check is to use a balloon. Just put it over the cap. If it starts to inflate after a week or two you know you have a bad seal.

good idea!

 

[jkenvere]

Hmmm. I was going to post a question about this very subject as I have a batch that still has no head bottled Sept 18th . A batch I bottled Sept 26th is fine, both were treated the same way and are sitting on the same shelf at about 65F.Both are kis from cans. The batch that is flat is a Coopers Lager. My record show it was racked to a ( secondary? ) after only 3 days @ 1.020 SG. The other beer is a Coopers real Ale it has plenty of head. Records show I racked it after 5 days. Could it be that racking off the sediment to soon looses something important? I know some people just leave the beer in the primary vessel for the 2 weeks then bottle. I like the idea of racking off the sludge and waiting a bout 3 weeks to bottle.

 

[Pumbaa]

Lorena

Do you have forced air or base board heat? Try placing the bottles fairly close to a base board heater or near a forced air vent (with a blanket round it) and see if that helps

 

[Yooper]

Well, we haven't turned the heat on yet! But I did move it to a space heater, and YES we have carbonation! Not a lot yet, but it's coming along nicely.

jkenvere- I always rack mine to secondary after at least a week, so I don't know the answer about moving it after only 3 days. What was your final s.g.?


The bad thing about living up north is the COLD temperatures. It's about 58 degrees in my bedroom these days. But soon, I'll start my first lager! My basement is 55 degrees in the winter, and with the poor-woman lagerator I built, I think lagers will be the ticket. (I think lagers will carbonate in my next of the northwoods, right?)

Lorena

 

[jkenvere]

[
jkenvere- I always rack mine to secondary after at least a week, so I don't know the answer about moving it after only 3 days. What was your final s.g.?

Because it's hard to take a reading from a glass carbouy without using a wine theif I'm guilty of not bothering. I've only bein taking a reading after the beer settles down ( day 3-5 ) I then leave it for 2-3 weeks until it is clear. I guess I could check it when I rack to bottling bucket but I always put the priming sugar in first so it will mix in.,