Carbonation Problems

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Mattress

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Morning,
I've only made a few brews but my last couple have been under-carbed after 4 weeks in the bottle compared to the 1st 2 brews

After doing some reading I think I know where I may have gone wrong. With these brews I used a secondary fermenter for the 1st time. Both of them spent 10 - 12 days in my primary fermenter, transferred to my secondary before crash chilling for 3 days, bottled with carbonation sugar added at bottling. I think I may have dropped the yeast while crash chilling and there wasn't enough in the bottle to get the carbonation tokick off - would this be correct?


With my next brew I'm planning to bulk prime in my secondary and leave it at fermentation temps for a few days before crash chilling. Will this help improve the carb levels?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks

Mattress
 
Morning,
I've only made a few brews but my last couple have been under-carbed after 4 weeks in the bottle compared to the 1st 2 brews

After doing some reading I think I know where I may have gone wrong. With these brews I used a secondary fermenter for the 1st time. Both of them spent 10 - 12 days in my primary fermenter, transferred to my secondary before crash chilling for 3 days, bottled with carbonation sugar added at bottling. I think I may have dropped the yeast while crash chilling and there wasn't enough in the bottle to get the carbonation tokick off - would this be correct?


With my next brew I'm planning to bulk prime in my secondary and leave it at fermentation temps for a few days before crash chilling. Will this help improve the carb levels?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks

Mattress

3 days crash chilling will drop your yeast but not all of it. There will still be enough to carb

do not add your sugar days before. It will ferment out before you bottle. Straight before

how much sugar did you add and what was it?
 
Thanks Don,
I used Carbonation drops, 2 for each 750ml. Did this with my earlier brews and they were fine after 4 weeks in the bottle. Not so much the last 2.
 
Would ask are the bottles stored in a cool area?

If so move to a warmer area for the yeast to fire up

Cheers.
 
Ok, I've done some more reading.

Seems that the normal practice is to bulk prime just before you bottle.

Is it ok to crash chill before this and do you need to let the wort warm up a bit before bulk priming?
 
You can bottle cold, it's also helpful to reduce foaming in the bottle, if you find the foam annoying.
 
Hi Mattress,

I have had similar issues using the ESB liquid wort kits.
My local HB store did mention the yeast dropping out and suggested bulk priming and making sure the bottles are kept in a warm place to carbonate.

My last 2 brews I've crash chilled for only 24 hrs. I don't know if it's actually worth it for that amount of time but they have turned out great.

Good luck

Matt
 
Thanks guys,

I have used whirfloc during the boil. Maybe using whirfloc and crash chilling is too much. But gee my beer has been clear. :D
 
whirlfloc wont do anything as far as dropping yeast during ferment, it helps coagulate the proteins during the boil


i have lagered beer for a month and then bottled and they carbed up just fine, took longer, about 4 weeks


i have filtered beer and it still carbed, took about 6 weeks in winter, but came good eventually

must be some other issue, not crash chilling, not whirlfloc


how many have you tried ?


please tell in detail what you did step by step
 
Both were partials using Morgans Australian Draught. (ordered 1, got 2 delivered as he overcharged on freight)

1st brew
Can of Morgans Australian Draught
Dried malt extract 500g
Cara Munich 1 150 g
Pilsner malt 650 g
Munich malt 2000 g
Mash @ 66 degrees
Hallertau 25 g @ 30 mins
Hallertau 5 g @5 mins
1/2 whirfloc at 15 mins
Safeale US 05 rehydrated
Primary 14 days @ 18 degrees
Secondary 3 days crash chill @ 3 degrees
PET Bottled with 2 carb drops per 750 ml bottle
It was conditioned in bottle for 4 weeks under the stairs in house, ready on 19/12/11

2nd brew
Can of Morgans Australian draught
Cara Munich 1 150 g
Pilsner malt 750 g
Vienna malt 1600 g
Mash @ 65 degrees
Hallertau 20 g @ 30 mins
Hallertau 5 g @5 mins
Safeale us 05
Primary 12 days @ 18 degrees
PET bottled with 2 carb drops per bottle
Conditioned in bottle for 4 weeks, ready on 1/1/12


I'm happy with how they taste, they just seem under-carbed for my liking. 1st 2 brews were straight K & K, same process, I was happy with the carb level. They were light coloured beers though.
I should also add that up until taking up homebrew I wasn't very adventuros with my beer selections - Melbourne Bitter, Crown Lager, occasionally Coopers Pale Ale. These beers are a lot fuller and malty, but I am enjoying the taste.

I have since set up an A/G BIAB system and have a Dr. Smurto's Golden Ale conditioning in the bottle and a Smurto's Landlord in the fermenter.

I think I'll try bulk priming the Landlord and see if that helps unless anyone has any better suggestions

Thanks for your help so far.
 
Seems that the normal practice is to bulk prime just before you bottle.

Yes. If you have live yeast and sugar you have fermentation, even at low temps.

Put the sugar in when you intend to bottle, not before.
 
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