homebrewandbeer.com

A few weeks ago I bottled a brew made with an ale yeast and left it to it's own devices.

Since then I've tried a couple of bottles and they've been rather flat - after some deduction I've put this down to the fact that Melbourne's weather at the moment doesn't really lend itself to ale yeasts hence carbonation hasn't kicked in yet. I borrowed a heat belt when the brew was still in the fermenter but since I've bottled they've had no option but to be left in the cold.

Now I've just got my own heat belt and have started thinking of ways to heat up the bottles with the hope of kick-starting some carbonation. I'm not too sure about just wrapping the belt directly around the bottles, so the idea I came up with was to place some bottles into a fermenter, fill it up with water to near the top of the bottles and then wrap the heating belt around the fermenter.

Does this idea sound OK to anyone? Has anyone else been able to heat up their bottles by using a heating belt?

have not used a heating belt - but I put all the bottles in a plastic fishing tub- cover the bottles with a towel then place an electric blanket on top of the towel and then another towel on top of it. Use a modern electric blanket with a safety circuit ,in case the blanket gets wet, then use the low settings for overnight heating - seems to work

I made a melamine box that just fits 28 bottles with a false bottom, underneath that I have 2 light fittings with 1 40W and 1 60W globe fitted. So when I switch one or both globes on depending on the temprature the bottles dont get the light but do get the heat. I also cut a bit out of the lid and stuck a thermometer on it so I can see if I have to switch an extra light on or turn one off. Keeps my maturing bottles at about 20 to 24c in the winter

Flosso,

I guess you could do it.

But you reckon there's nowhere warm to put the beer at the moment? Not even in the lounge for a couple of days?

Oliver

send em up ere

I recently brewed what I called my "super lager" with a a kilo and a half of dextrose. The brew is about a month old and it hasn't gas up yet. I live in Tassie where the average winter temp is about 14 during the day and about 4 over night. I keep the bottles inside. Is it the temp or the amount of alcohol that could be the problem? Would appreciate any advice (except for moving to the mainland). Cheers.

Tnanks for ther replies guys,

Oliver - the heater at my place would only get used at night maybe 4-6 hours a day tops, and even then it wouldn't get used every day. I don't know if this temperature fluctuaction would be good for the beer when something like the heat belt or some light-globes could be used instead to provide or more constant temperature.

I'll try my bottles in the fermenter idea and report how it goes.