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Message
Homebrewing: Lack of Carbonation.....again
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:25 pm
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:25 pm
Well, like i said earlier, my bourbon barrel imperial stout is not carbonating. It has been in my chest freezer outside 2 weeks ago, but the temps have been in the mid 50's then. So, i decided to move the bottles inside and swirl them around a bit.
1 week later, i pop the top. I hear a small hiss, but i get no head when pouring.
Suggestions? Wait it out another week? Or should i buy some of those carbonation drops, open up a couple, drop some in and see how that goes?
Beer tastes great, just needs some carbonation.
ETA: Also, when carbonating with the corn sugar, i used about 4 oz. of corn sugar instead of the 4.5 oz. in the bag (from AHB). I'm wondering if that did it, or maybe the high ABV might have somethign to do with it, or the temps.
1 week later, i pop the top. I hear a small hiss, but i get no head when pouring.
Suggestions? Wait it out another week? Or should i buy some of those carbonation drops, open up a couple, drop some in and see how that goes?
Beer tastes great, just needs some carbonation.
ETA: Also, when carbonating with the corn sugar, i used about 4 oz. of corn sugar instead of the 4.5 oz. in the bag (from AHB). I'm wondering if that did it, or maybe the high ABV might have somethign to do with it, or the temps.
This post was edited on 1/28/13 at 4:27 pm
6
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:34 pm to BugAC
I would let them sit at room temp for a couple more weeks. Some beers just take a while esp an imperial stout.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:36 pm to turbotiger
quote:
I would let them sit at room temp for a couple more weeks. Some beers just take a while esp an imperial stout.
Well it sits at 9.2%, so age won't matter. I guess it is gradually carbonating, because when i first opened it, i heard no fizz sound, but a week later after sitting at 68-70 it had a more pronounced sound.
I haven't had beer issues since my 5th brew, this is number 11.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:39 pm to BugAC
I've always had problems with too much carbonation. Isn't that too cold. Mine always did fine around 70s for the carbonation stage. Always used German flip top bottles that I got from the getrank markt that I had washed a couple times. Maybe the higher alcohol content?
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:48 pm to BugAC
quote:
after sitting at 68-70
75 is a better temp for carbing.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:49 pm to BugAC
I think it's the temp. Give them a bit more time for that mini-fermentation to happen in the bottle.
I wonder though, if the bourbon barrel had something to do with it. Thinking back to many bourbon barrel aged imperial stouts, most of them have very little carbonation anyway.
I wonder though, if the bourbon barrel had something to do with it. Thinking back to many bourbon barrel aged imperial stouts, most of them have very little carbonation anyway.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:53 pm to BugAC
I would give it a few more weeks. Between the ABV and sitting a few weeks at 50 degrees the yeast were probably just working a little slow.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:58 pm to BMoney
I did one a few years back and ended up with too much carb and it took away from the beer. The best imperial stouts, IMO, are barely carbed and flow like syrup.
Bug, if it were my beer, I'd sit on it a while longer before doing anything. Might just be taking a little longer from a lower than normal yeast population since it was transferred a few times and left to sit for a little while. Might not have been a bad idea to have added some yeast at bottling, but hindsight is 20/20.
Bug, if it were my beer, I'd sit on it a while longer before doing anything. Might just be taking a little longer from a lower than normal yeast population since it was transferred a few times and left to sit for a little while. Might not have been a bad idea to have added some yeast at bottling, but hindsight is 20/20.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 4:58 pm to LSUGrad00
Yeah, i'm going to let it sit another 2 or 3 weeks before cracking open another one.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 5:35 pm to BugAC
Let me know when you do, the sample from this weekend had me wanting more 
Posted on 1/28/13 at 6:13 pm to BottomlandBrew
quote:
Might not have been a bad idea to have added some yeast at bottling, but hindsight is 20/20.
Hindsight? I talked about this weeks ago.
Keg. Do it.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 6:38 pm to s14suspense
quote:
Hindsight? I talked about this weeks ago.
Keg. Do it.
Shouldn't you be skiing?
Posted on 1/28/13 at 7:23 pm to BMoney
quote:
Shouldn't you be skiing?
Mountain closes at 3:30 biyotch.
Posted on 1/28/13 at 7:28 pm to BugAC
After having one beer over carbonate, I'm scared of that way more than under.
After racking, I probably only have 4-4/12 gallons of my porter, so I don't plan on using the entire packet of priming sugar either
Worked out pretty well with my breakfast stout last time
After racking, I probably only have 4-4/12 gallons of my porter, so I don't plan on using the entire packet of priming sugar either
Worked out pretty well with my breakfast stout last time
Posted on 1/28/13 at 9:07 pm to s14suspense
quote:
Keg. Do it.
Fo sho.
Posted on 1/29/13 at 9:39 am to BugAC
Pretty sure bottle carbing should be done at room temp. You're still relying on the remaining yeast to produce the CO2 to carbonate the beer. Yeast like to sleep when they're cold.
Posted on 1/29/13 at 10:14 am to Boudreaux35
Like others said, consider investing in kegging. You have much total control over carbonation and don't have to worry about cleaning / filling all the bottles
Posted on 1/29/13 at 10:24 am to SUB
quote:
Pretty sure bottle carbing should be done at room temp. You're still relying on the remaining yeast to produce the CO2 to carbonate the beer. Yeast like to sleep when they're cold.
Bottle carbing was done at room, well.... Come to think of it, i had my ferm fridge temps set at 55 to drop off some of the yeast before bottling. I never raised the temps up at bottling time.
quote:
Like others said, consider investing in kegging. You have much total control over carbonation and don't have to worry about cleaning / filling all the bottles
I know i really need to do this. The only thing is, how long can beer sit in a keg? I also would like to give out beers, could i just pour some beers from the tap into bottles?
A beer like this, i also want to age, so i don't really know how to do that once it is kegged. However, a 9.2% beer should probably be bottled anyway for cellaring reasons.
Posted on 1/29/13 at 10:33 am to BugAC
quote:
I know i really need to do this. The only thing is, how long can beer sit in a keg?
Beer can last for years in a keg that is properly sanitized, sealed, and pressurized.
quote:
I also would like to give out beers, could i just pour some beers from the tap into bottles?
I do this all the time, it works great for people who are going to drink the beer fast. If you are looking to bottle and then cellar the beer I would invest in or borrow a counter pressure filler.
Posted on 1/29/13 at 10:37 am to BugAC
quote:
The only thing is, how long can beer sit in a keg? I also would like to give out beers, could i just pour some beers from the tap into bottles?
I bottle from my taps all the time and don't lose any carbonation with my counter pressure filler. You could use the counter pressure filler to fill bottles to give out to friends and to age some bottles.
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