Wassup with my bottles?

[skelrad]

I brewed a dead simple extract recipe as my first batch in late December. It's been in the bottles for 3 weeks now. I'm curious if what I'm seeing in my bottles is normal or if I did something wrong with my priming sugar. I used corn sugar, dissolved in water and poured in the bottom of my bottling bucket. I then siphoned the beer from the primary into the bottling bucket, but did not stir after the fact. I thought the act of siphoning would mix up the sugar good enough.

I opened my first bottle after two weeks and it poured a huge head that took forever to go down. I though "I must have used too much sugar." But last night, after about 3 weeks in the bottle, I opened up a bottle and barely had any head at all. It was carbonated, but just barely. It was pretty flat by the time I finished drinking it. As far as I can tell the cap was on good.

Is it normal to have duds, or did I mess something up in the process? I've got two all grain batches to bottle in the next few weeks, so I want to get it right!

Thanks!

 

[Hang Glider]

I have found that the act of siphoning on top of my sugar mixture is sometimes not enough. Now, I stir gently but thoroughly prior to bottling.

 

[Jenks829]

There is a chance you may have had some non-uniformity in the dilution of the priming sugar. You may have some volcanoes and some flat beers in this batch. Next time, after all the beer is in the bottling bucket, gently swirl with a sanitized utensil. Gently because you don't want to mix too much oxygen into the beer.

 

[Sacreddog717]

How long were they refridgerated before opening?

 

[dvdanny]

Yea i do the same as you only I give it a slight whirl when I am about halfway through racking and once again before I start bottling. Although I once used a 5gal carboy to bottle and didn't really stir it at all and still got consistent carbonation so I dunno.

 

[McGarnigle]

How long were they refridgerated before opening?

That's what I was thinking. If the first beer was never in the fridge long, that's why it's over-foaming.

 

[skelrad]

How long were they refridgerated before opening?

The first one I tried was not in the fridge all that long. The flat one I tried was in the fridge for a few days. I'll just have to see how the rest turn out. If nothing else, I guess I've learned to mix the sugar in better just in case that was the issue.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

The first one I tried was not in the fridge all that long. The flat one I tried was in the fridge for a few days. I'll just have to see how the rest turn out. If nothing else, I guess I've learned to mix the sugar in better just in case that was the issue.

Sounds like you're supposed to put them in the fridge for 48 hours before you try one from what I understand.

 

[earwig]

Did you boil the sugar to dissolve or just mix it with water? You should be boiling it.

 

[skelrad]

Did you boil the sugar to dissolve or just mix it with water? You should be boiling it.

Yep, I boiled it and then let it cool. As far as I can tell I did everything right except possibly not mixing the sugar in well enough. I guess time will tell. Even if they end up being flat, the beer is still tasty!

 

[srl135]

Sounds like the mixture was uneven. This may be a noob suggestion, but you may be able to throw in some carb tablets and re-cap the duds..

I am in the process of evaluating my first bottled batch right now so who knows.. i may be in the same situation! Good luck, im sure it still tastes good

 

[earwig]

I'll add, no need to let it cool. You can rack right on top of the hot mixture.

 

[jonmohno]

I'll add, no need to let it cool. You can rack right on top of the hot mixture.

Do you think you could do this with 2 gal batches with about 1 1/2 water priming sugar as well?

 

[earwig]

Do you think you could do this with 2 gal batches with about 1 1/2 water priming sugar as well?

I'd say so, the proportions are the same and it cools down very fast once the beer hits it. Others can chime in but I don't see a problem.