Undercarbed, any suggestions?

[autonomist3k]

Brewed a raspberry wheat, it's been in bottles for 3 weeks today, I had them stored at 70 to 78 degrees the whole time, I used 3/4 cup of corn sugar. It's drinkable but undercarbed, and there's no head at all when poured.
When I pop the bottle top off you can hear the carbonation and see a cloud of co2 in the bottle.
Any suggestions?
Would the co2 soak into the beer better if I put them in the fridge for weeks vs a day or two before drinking?

 

[kombat]

Inconsistent carbonation problems are why I moved to kegging.

 

[pluchar]

Get the tablets and then recap them. Won't be perfect, but it will be drinkable.

 

[BigFloyd]

Try one week in the fridge. If that doesn't do the trick, give them another week or two at room temp. Sometimes it takes a bit longer than the normal three weeks.

I would not attempt to pop the caps, add carb drops and recap.

 

[deadfall]

I'd listen to Big Floyd. I started using a priming calculator to help with exactly how much sugar to add. I wait till I know exactly how much is in my bottling bucket then I weigh out my priming sugar. This way I avoid bottle bombs or under primed bottles.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

 

[duboman]

If you popped one open and heard the pfft then they are carbing up and just not there yet, give them another week at so and try another

 

[RM-MN]

Check to see that your glassware isn't the problem. I had the same symptoms and it was soap residue that kept destroying the head. Rinse your glass really well, perhaps even do a salt scrub to get any residue off the glass before you pour. If you still don't get any heading, think about how you cleaned your bottles and if there is any soap residue there. That was my problem, now solved.

 

[autonomist3k]

I threw a few in the fridge and I'm going to check on them in a week to see if that changes anything, if not then the rest will have been sitting for another week anyways.
I followed the recipe for priming sugar amounts, and the "how to brew" book said the same, so I'm certain I used the correct amount.
Thanks for the carb calculator that'll come in handy on the batch I'm bottling next week.

When I cleaned my bottles I scrubbed them with onestep, then put them in the dishwasher and put onestep in it instead of detergent.
Anyone see anything wrong with that process??

I've learned about using oxyclean since then and will use that before sanitizing next time.

Thanks!

 

[RM-MN]

I threw a few in the fridge and I'm going to check on them in a week to see if that changes anything, if not then the rest will have been sitting for another week anyways.
I followed the recipe for priming sugar amounts, and the "how to brew" book said the same, so I'm certain I used the correct amount.
Thanks for the carb calculator that'll come in handy on the batch I'm bottling next week.

When I cleaned my bottles I scrubbed them with onestep, then put them in the dishwasher and put onestep in it instead of detergent.
Anyone see anything wrong with that process??

I've learned about using oxyclean since then and will use that before sanitizing next time.

Thanks!

Two things come to mind. First is that the dishwasher usually doesn't do much to clean the inside of bottles, the opening is too small and the bottle too tall. You've probably solved that by hand washing them beforehand. The second is that the dishwasher may have used something like "RinseAid" to keep the glassware from getting water spots when drying. Any residue of that will kill the head on your beer as fast as you can pour it.

 

[brew_ny]

It's drinkable but undercarbed, and there's no head at all when poured.

being drinkable is a good thing

there is more to the head then just CO2

what was your recipe ?

S_M

 

[autonomist3k]

The only thing I put in my dishwasher was onestep, I was mostly using my dishwasher for the heated drying cycle to get a little sanitation.

 

[mcmeador]

How much space are you leaving in the tops of the bottles?

 

[BigFloyd]

The only thing I put in my dishwasher was onestep, I was mostly using my dishwasher for the heated drying cycle to get a little sanitation.

Many dishwashers have a small reservoir in the door that contains an anti-spotting agent. A tiny amount is automatically dispensed during the rinse cycle.

 

[autonomist3k]

How much space are you leaving in the tops of the bottles?

Very little, whatever space is left after topping off with the bottle filler.

 

[autonomist3k]

Many dishwashers have a small reservoir in the door that contains an anti-spotting agent. A tiny amount is automatically dispensed during the rinse cycle.

I'm pretty sure mine doesn't have that. I'll have to check.

 

[autonomist3k]

being drinkable is a good thing

there is more to the head then just CO2

what was your recipe ?

S_M

1 lb white wheat malt
8 oz carapils
4 oz crystal 20
7 lbs wheat liquid extract
1 oz hallertauer 60 min
1 oz halletrauer 20 min
wyeast american wheat ale
4 oz raspberry extract in secondary

 

[brew_ny]

with the extract and carapils you should have good head retention

so indeed co2 maybe you problem, I would put one in the fridge for a week to see

they may need a bit longer software says in a 5.5 batch with you grain bill and yeast

an OG of 1.062 with an ABV of 6.16 %, so if you pitched enough yeast and added enough priming sugar you should be good to go

all the best

S_M

 

[autonomist3k]

Sounds like all I can do is wait, I'll see how the ones I have in the fridge are carbed next weekend.
Thanks!

 

[autonomist3k]

Tried one after 4 days in the fridge, I'd say it's a little more carb'd.
I'm skeptical of whether a longer storage time in the fridge is going to help.

 

[autonomist3k]

Interesting, maybe I under pitched...

http://byo.com/stories/item/693-getting-good-beer-foam-techniques