slow priming pilsner?

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 9:16 am

I'm up to my 13th brew and have never had a flat beer to date.
This is a Coopers Heritage Pilsner that was left fermenting for 3 weeks then bottled with Dextrose to prime.
Brew 13 -Anna's Ale July 24th 2005
Ingredients:
1 can Coopers Pilsner
200g lactose
1 can Coopers Light Malt
tap water to make 23 litres
Added filtered/boiled water to make 23 litres pitched yeast at 21c.
averaged about 18c on fermenter for 3 weeks.

Seemed all OK.
Is it just that the Pilsner takes longer to prime? It's been in the bottle for only 3 weeks.
Any advice would be great thanks.

Silk

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 9:39 am

Silk, a couple of questions.
Where are you storing the primed bottles? They can take longer to come good if they are cold, may just need more time.
Are you sure your capping is OK?
How many have you tried?

And what was the 200g lactose for?

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 9:54 am

Undercover, The bottles are stored upright in a dark underground bunker at a fairly constant 10-12c
Resonably cold yes. The capping is fine.
I've tried 2 of the stubbies to test early to see it's progress. The beer has very little sedimant and is a bloody marvelous drop - just flat, only the smallest hint of gas not on openning but when you look at it.
The lactose was just to sweeten the beer a bit. I've used it a few times lately. Just a taste I'm in at the moment.

Oliver had mentioned in a recipe that he had bottled without any sugar and still achieved a gassed beer but it had taken a lot longer....

Cheers
Silk

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 9:56 am

I'd leave them for a month or so, maybe bring a couple indoors and try them in two weeks.

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 10:16 am

patients sounds like the call.
Thanks Undercover man
Silk

Paleman · Post by **Paleman** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 5:14 pm

One of my favourites, give it at least a month to gass, two months to appreciate. Lager yeast takes much longer to work.

GTI86 · Post by **GTI86** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 8:40 pm

Had the same problem recently had to bring them inside to gas up its been
fairly cold at home often not geting over 8degres

bobbioli · Post by **bobbioli** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 9:47 pm

I had the same ? couple months ago here. the pils finally came around and turned out to be one of the best I have ever made.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Thursday Aug 25, 2005 11:52 pm

Ive had the same thing with the Bavarian Lager, gave it six days in the brew room at about 14*C for a bit of secondary action, then 3 weeks of cold conditioning in the shed fridge, then another 3 weeks sitting in boxes in the shed. Still very lightly carbonated, but has just enough bubbling on your tongue to avoid the flat feeling.

Dogger Dan · Post by **Dogger Dan** » Friday Aug 26, 2005 2:32 am

I wish I could remember who said this but,

"Life is to short for Lagers"

Dogger

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Friday Aug 26, 2005 9:56 am

While waiting for the larger I've put down an Ale. It'll probably beat the Larger to the table and keep me going for a while.
I was going to buy an old fridge to put the largers in for priming and wait about 5 months but I think now it is cold enough up here in the hills not to worry about that.
I'll have to let you know how this larger brew turns out
Cheers
Silk

Tyberious Funk · Post by **Tyberious Funk** » Friday Aug 26, 2005 11:49 am

My Bav lager is only JUST starting to develop enough fizz to keep me happy after 6 weeks. A combination of a lager yeast and being stored in a rather cool garage is probably the culprit. I reckon by summer they'll be an absolute ripper.

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Friday Aug 26, 2005 8:20 pm

Dogger Dan wrote:I wish I could remember who said this but,

"Life is to short for Lagers"

Dogger

It seems to take twice as long to brew lagers and I seem to drink them twice as much,\.

Post by **Oliver** » Saturday Aug 27, 2005 1:50 pm

silkworm wrote:... the bottles are stored upright in a dark underground bunker at a fairly constant 10-12c ...

I think this is your problem. It's probably a little too soon for secondary fermentation to have finished. Give them at least another few weeks, or move them somewhere warmer.

Cheers,

Oliver

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Monday Sep 05, 2005 7:14 pm

Hi Silkworm,
If the yeast in the coppers pilsner is an ale yeast it needs to ferment at a higher temperature than 13c that your storing the bottles. Below 18c will make the yeast extremely sluggish if not dormant.

Put the bottles in a warmer place say around 20-25c and things should speed up and about 2 weeks later the beer should be gased enough.Cheers
AC

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Monday Sep 05, 2005 7:38 pm

Coopers Pilsner yeast is definitely a lager yeast. Sulphur smell when I open the fermentation fridge door.

silkworm · Post by **silkworm** » Tuesday Sep 06, 2005 8:24 am

With approval of the boss I've moved the bottles into the loving warmth of the house for a couple of weeks. I'll be history if any of them pop now! The temp stays up around 20c and should solve the problem.
Cheers for the help
Silk