Flat Beer Confusion

[Alby]

My last two batches have both been flat! (almost)...first was a ginger beer using carbonation drops and the most recent a coopers real ale with bits added...bottled in 660ml glass longnecks using a big measure of castor sugar from one of those two-sided bottling sugar measuring devices.

Im using a bench capper so I would think the caps are sealing well...but the one 1.25 soft drink bottle I filled with the most recent brew had great carbonation and tasted so much better than the flat yuck stuff in the glass bottles...At first I though it might have just been a dud botle or two, but Ive opened at least a dozev now and they are all flat :huh: ...just the slightest pfft on opening.

Any ideas?

 

[WitWonder]

The bottles you capped in glass (which are all flat?) and the PET bottle you used are all the same batch and used basically the same method of priming but the glass ones are flat? Sounds like a capping issue mate. When using the capper try and get an indentation appearing on the cap from the capper - then you know you've capped it.

Or better still, get into kegging!

 

[Alby]

Mmmm...can I re-prime and re-cap?

 

[Adamt]

Tip one of the filled, capped glass bottles upside down. You'll soon know if it's sealed.

The 'pfft' on opening is a good sign they are sealed... maybe you need to give them a little more time?

 

[Gavo]

When using the capper try and get an indentation appearing on the cap from the capper

Good idea to check how hard you are capping those bottles. It is easy to worry about how hard you cap them. Make sure the caps wrap right down around the thread/seal ridge of the bottles. Take a photo of your capped bottles and upload it.

Cheers
Gavo

 

[Alby]

I also bottled another batch on Saturday...is it too late to just give these caps another (firmer) press under the capper???...or will they already have lost pressure?..(They are in the fridge @ 5C since bottling)

 

[Adamt]

There's your problem... you need to leave them at room temperature for them to carbonate - the yeast ferments the sugar to make the CO2, and the yeast won't work (only very slowly) at that temperature.

 

[NickB]

There's your problem - 5C in the fridge. Leave them at room temp (16C +) for a couple of weeks and you should have no issues!

Cheers

EDIT: Beaten by seconds, dammit!

 

[Alby]

AdamT...I tipped one upside down and there is no leakage...but why would they not have carbonation when the PET bottle did have using same method and ratios of priming sugar?

 

[Alby]

the PET bottle carbonated fine..it was kept in same conditions. Is this just because the bigger volume has more yeast available?

 

[Gavo]

the PET bottle carbonated fine..it was kept in same conditions. Is this just because the bigger volume has more yeast available?

Can't understand that. But the yeast need to be at fermentation temp in order to ferment the priming sugar for cabonation to happen. At 5 C the yeast will go to sleep. Get them out of the fridge and let them warm up for a week and you will/should have carbonated beer.


Cheers
Gavo.

 

[hoppinmad]

Okay... here's my question.

Does the uncarbonated beer taste sweet? If it is sweeter than the beer you originally put into bottle then the problem isn't the caps since the yeast hasn't fermented out the sugar. However, if it is dry then you need to re-prime and recap.

problem solvered

 

[Alby]

thanks everyone...beer is all out of the fridge now and in the living room which is coolest (airconditioned) room in the house at 28C...is this temp going to damage my beer????

 

[Alby]

hoppin mad..yeah I would say it does taste sweet...but not in a nice way. the carbonated PET bottle tasted real nice...not just fizzier but a whole lot tastier, the glass bottles just dont taste right..I guess 'sweet' is not a bad way to describe the taste.

 

[buttersd70]

Higher temps are best avoided, however, as far as the carbonation is concerened, there is SFA fermentation left, so it's less important at this point. If it comes down to 5-7 days at 28C or 6months (or even more) at 5c to carbonate, I know which one I'd choose.

 

[loikar]

Did you bottle the PET first?
I dare to say there would be more yeast at the bottom of your fermenter, hence the first bottle would have more yeast, even if slightly.
or you might have had some settle in your tap.

Warm them up for a week and test one,

 

[Alby]

Beerfingers..that will be it. I didnt bottle it first, I bottled it last! to catch all the dregs. I didnt want too much sediment decanting into my bottles so I expressly used the PET for the last bottle as I angled the fermenter up to get all the beer (and by this time yeast slurry) out....It came out clear in the PET but there was a fair bit of sediment setled in the bottom.

great..I now have a clear answer for my problem...I hated not knowing!

 

[manticle]

Mmmm...can I re-prime and re-cap?

You can but I'd wait and see if the other tips work first.

If you've left them at room temp for a couple of weeks and you still have no joy, you can add a small amount of sugar to each, then recap.

However you need to be careful.

First you need to work out how much sugar you need (better to slightly underestimate than overestimate). Take care and time doing that. If you have no idea then maybe just get onto the next brew.

Then you need to store them somewhere out of anyone's way (including pets). I would advise wrapping every bottle or the milk crate they're in or whatever is sensible and careful in multiple layers of glad wrap, quite tight.

It might be helpful to do only half a batch so you can see how it goes and only lose a few if you create bottle bombs. Bottle bombs can be really dangerous so wrapping in plastic can help contain that.

Additionally, the first one you open should be really cold and maybe wear eye protection and some tough gloves. If it comes out ok (non gushy) you're probably on the right track and you can do the other half.

 

[manticle]

Did you bottle the PET first?
I dare to say there would be more yeast at the bottom of your fermenter, hence the first bottle would have more yeast, even if slightly.
or you might have had some settle in your tap.

I normally get more yeast sediment in my last ones: hence why I always leave a litre or so behind even in secondary.

 

[WitWonder]

Also, DO NOT use carbonation drops. They will ruin an otherwise good beer.