Why is my beer flat?

[FBbrew]

Opened my first brew today. Amber ale. Two weeks in fermenter, two weeks in bottle, taste great but flat. Caps were tight (kinda). Confused

 

[choosybeggar]

How much priming sugar you add? What's the OG/FG? What temp are the bottles at? What does kinda tight mean?

 

[CBMbrewer]

Most people bottle condition for at least three weeks. I'd say give them another couple weeks in a ~70F area then open one. If there is still no carbonation re-post then.

 

[mike_in_ak]

These are screw on caps?

 

[FBbrew]

Bottles in fridge. Priming sugar was in the kit. Caps are not screw off but are not as tight as store bought.

 

[Tadpole]

After you bottle, you need to let them condition at room temp basically.....not in the fridge. After 2,3, or 4 weeks depending on the beer, then put it in the fridge, let it chill and rest, then drink.

 

[freisste]

Bottles in fridge. Priming sugar was in the kit. Caps are not screw off but are not as tight as store bought.

How are they not as tight? Can you move them?

 

[UnDeadPresident]

After you bottle, you need to let them condition at room temp basically.....not in the fridge. After 2,3, or 4 weeks depending on the beer, then put it in the fridge, let it chill and rest, then drink.

This. The yeast will go dormant at fridge temps. Take them out and let them sit at room temp for a couple of weeks, probably in the same spot you did your fermentation. Give one a test run after that. If it's where you want it to be carbonation-wise, then toss em all back in the fridge. If not, let them sit a bit longer at room temp, repeat.

 

[duboman]

If you can move the caps then they were not Capps properly and should be recapped.

In addition, generally 2 weeks is not enough time, ideally 3,at 70F but again, if not capped properly all the co2 is escaping!

 

[mike_in_ak]

Wonder if they were the wrong size of caps.

 

[YeastHerder]

If you capped and immediately put them in the fridge, you might want to give them a good shake to rouse the yeast you put to sleep after they have reached room temp again too.

 

[masskrug]

How much priming sugar you add?

+1. A general rule of thumb is 1oz of priming (corn) sugar per gallon.

Edit: If you put the bottles directly into the fridge the Yeasties went to sleep. They need to hang out at fermentation temperatures for 2-3 weeks before entering the fridge. They have to eat priming sugar and fart CO2 bubbles

 

[FBbrew]

Getting them out of fridge now. To shake or not to shake? Caps are not loose just easier to get off than store bought. Had multiple people tell me and read on here to chill for two weeks after bottling. What did I misunderstand? The beer has a really good flavor, just flat, and would love to save it. Plus I have another batch in the fermenter to come out next week.

 

[duboman]

Getting them out of fridge now. To shake or not to shake? Caps are not loose just easier to get off than store bought. Had multiple people tell me and read on here to chill for two weeks after bottling. What did I misunderstand? The beer has a really good flavor, just flat, and would love to save it. Plus I have another batch in the fermenter to come out next week.

First the beer needs to carb up and condition for three weeks at 70F, then fridge time.

If you fridge first, the yeast goes to sleep and won't carbonate your beer

 

[Randomnoob]

Yeah, I got tasty carbonated beer after just 10 days of conditioning the bottles.

 

[FBbrew]

Out of fridge now. Will yeast "wake up"?

 

[jethro55]

Of course they will. They are temperature dependent creatures.

 

[JLem]

Getting them out of fridge now. To shake or not to shake? Caps are not loose just easier to get off than store bought. Had multiple people tell me and read on here to chill for two weeks after bottling. What did I misunderstand? The beer has a really good flavor, just flat, and would love to save it. Plus I have another batch in the fermenter to come out next week.

When you add the priming sugar to the beer, you are giving the yeast more sugar to ferment. Unlike primary fermentation where you use an airlock that allows the CO2 to escape, you cap the bottles, trapping the CO2 inside, causing carbonation. For the CO2 to be produced, the yeast need to ferment the sugar you added. Just like your primary fermentation, this bottle fermentation won't happen unless at the proper temperature (i.e. 60-70F). Once the bottles are carbonated, you can stick them in the fridge. Leaving them in the fridge for a while helps the beer absorb more CO2 and also allows some cold conditioning (helps with beer flavor and clarity). However, you can start drinking them as soon as they are chilled (most of us do) - just realize that the ones you leave longer will likely taste better.