No carbonation?

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 1:44 pm

Hi all,

Just tested a coopers stout after 14 days in the bottle and to my horror it was flat as a tack. What have i done?

I used the kit, brew enhancer 2 and 500g of LDME. I primed with two carbonation drops per bottle.

Bottles have been in the garage where the temp has been a bit low.

I have moved all the bottles inside where it is warmer.

Will it improve or is there anything i can do to help it?

buscador · Post by **buscador** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 2:04 pm

did you bottle into glass or PET?

i have noticed that PETs take less time to carb, but 2 weeks is still a bit young sometimes

glass bottles take 3-4 weeks to get nice and bubbly

b

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 2:11 pm

I used PET, its strange because i have never had a problem with carbonation before?

buscador · Post by **buscador** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 2:32 pm

are you re-using caps
i know there iis another thread going on this but i bite the bullet and use a new cap on PET everytime, although i have moved swiftly over to glass in the last few months,

the last brews i did with PET that used re-used the tops came up a bit and i could move the top just that litle bit to hear carbonation gas escaping, it pissed me off so much because we take so much time for each bottle

i too use the carb drops, maybe the measurement are changing but i steadily get nice carb..that said, i am more patient than i was earlier on, maybe its cuz i have brew to drink while i wait

b

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 3:20 pm

I do the same, buy new caps each time. I'm lazy, one less thing to wash and sterilize and at about $3 a pack i figure its not going to blow the budget.

buscador · Post by **buscador** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 3:41 pm

i do rinse my caps before use however i dont think this had anything to do with carbonation

my advice: keep those bottles a bit longer, move onto the next brew and keep trying

may I suggest,,
1 can of Morgan's Golden Sheaf Wheat
1 can of Cooper's Wheat Malt Extract Liquid
10g of Saaz hop pellets @ 20 minutes
10g of Saaz hop pellets @ flameout
6g of Morgan's Ale Yeast or good ale yeast
19L

buy a pot at kmart 10L= $25, if you havent done so already, i bought a pot especally for brew, dont want to taste spaghetti!!
boil the liquid malt in 2 L of water, and add hops throughout , i believe my boil was for 40 minutes, then added kit and stirred , then added to 7L cool water in fermenter, then topped up to 19, 20 L if you rack it, i usually lose a liter to the trub

once you go liquid malt youll never go back to BE1 or BE2, trust me..

b

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Sunday Jun 03, 2007 5:23 pm

Thanks for the advice Buscador, much appreciated.

I will definately try the liquid malt.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Monday Jun 04, 2007 11:45 am

Sounds like it's just the low temp. Should be fine after a week in the warmth.

Prawned · Post by **Prawned** » Monday Jun 04, 2007 12:48 pm

Yeah i have been having the same problem in these colder months, Left a brew for 3 weeks and the bottles were starting to get hard, But cooled one down and poured it.. almost no carb at all, still tasted really good though. Another 2 weeks down and its getting really good, Head is nice and thick and lasts the whole glass. Maybe even over carbed now

but i dont really mind a fizzy ale!

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Monday Jun 04, 2007 9:05 pm

Thanks guys, I hope they do improve, I would hate to have to tip em.

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 5:13 am

If they remain flatish don't chuckem, just make another batch with a bit more carbonation and drink them mixed 50/50. Waste not!

p.s I reckon you can get away with stout being slightly less carbed anyway.

Rysa · Post by **Rysa** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 6:19 am

Nice pic Prawned! Good angle.

It's making me thirsty.

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 8:12 am

If they remain flatish don't chuckem, just make another batch with a bit more carbonation and drink them mixed 50/50. Waste not!

p.s I reckon you can get away with stout being slightly less carbed anyway.

Longrasser · Post by **Longrasser** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 8:45 am

Nice view of the Hills Hoist mate

Paramidget · Post by **Paramidget** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 9:25 am

Longrasser wrote:Nice view of the Hills Hoist mate

All I saw was the beeeeeeer!!!

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Tuesday Jun 05, 2007 10:52 pm

I'd say temp is the most likely culprit. Put them in a foam esky where they are insulated against the day/night fluctuations.

Remember, the yeast in the bottles needs to be at it's brewing range to carbonate properly. Anything under and you'll send it to sleep before it's finished its work.

Also a small thing with carbonation drops is to rotate the bottle a few times immediately after bottling...otherwise they can get stuck to the side of the glass/plastic and because of the reduced surface area exposed to yeast it can take longer.

Hope it works out for you

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Wednesday Jun 06, 2007 6:05 pm

Yep I agree Pale_Ale, its got to be the temp. After moving them all inside i accidently left one out on the kitchen bench for a few days, anyway I checked it and the bottle was really firm. So i cracked it and to my surprise it had carbed up, not heaps but enough. I'll leave the rest in their box for a few more weeks and see how they go.

Thanks guys...

Allnewtome · Post by **Allnewtome** » Monday Jun 11, 2007 2:00 pm

Well moving them all inside into the warmth did it. All bottles are carbed up, probably even more than any of my other beers.