Flat Beverage

[Lobby Lobster]

Hi again,

Whilst most of my brews so far have been good drinking, for some unknown reason my second brew is getting flatter.

It's a Black Rock Dry Lager - not that I'm blaming it.

The first few bottles that I tasted (between week 3 and 5) were NOT flat - just a tad on the average side.

But now (after 10 weeks), when they should be tasting better, I have been through atleast 6 bottles where each on has been flat - as if I'd only put half the bottling sugar in. Thing is, as far as I know I carbonated correctly.
I am baffled.

Anyway, rather than tip it and salvage the bottles, I am wondering if it's worth cracking 'em, whacking in another portion of sugar and sitting tight.

Any ideas?

My other beers head up and sparkle nicely.

The dilemma with tipping is that it actually smells pretty good.

 

[tomtom]

Having same problem, I know I put the right amount of sugar in bottles but no head after 3 weeks

 

[manticle]

No head or no fizz?

I had a brew once that I was dead sure I'd cocked up my bulk priming amounts. I calculated how much I'd cocked it up by then divided that by the total number of bottles and added it in. It worked.

However you will need to be careful if you are using glass not to add too much and the beer may fizz up as you add the sugar so be quick. You will also need to wait another 2 weeks before drinking.

Sounds as if you may have a problem with your seals.

 

[RobboMC]

I had this problem last year, but I was SURE that I had underprimed it.

If you do decide to reprime, I dissolved 100g of dex in boiling water and squirted
5ml into each bottle with a plastic medical syringe. All worked great.

If it is all flat you won't get much fizz when you add it.

 

[Cronessa]

Sounds as if you may have a problem with your seals.

This is what I suspected given that the brew had a level of carbonation and is now completely flat.

What kind of bottles are you using?

Assuming you are using glass bottles, what kind of capping system do you use?

 

[manticle]

Bench capper, coopers longnecks, crown seals.

 

[Cronessa]

Bench capper, coopers longnecks, crown seals.

Sorry manticle, I meant the OP

 

[Lobby Lobster]

I use brown glass Coopers bottles and a two handed capper.

Yeah, maybe it was the seals. It's the only batch of plain red seals that I used I think.

 

[zoidbergmerc]

Another lobster from Hobart! Where abouts are you from?

I'd maybe try repriming like RobboMC suggested, what's the worst that can happen!

 

[Lobby Lobster]

Ooh, land of the crustacean it seems!

Just landed in Austins Ferry and loving it - not enough pubs in the burbs though.
Between the two Home Brew shops down here I reckon we are pretty well covered.

Yeah, I'll give the re-priming a go. Worth a try.

 

[kbe]

Do your self a favour and do you best to get a bench capper. You will never regret it, and you can do twist tops with them as well.

 

[zoidbergmerc]

Just landed in Austins Ferry and loving it - not enough pubs in the burbs though.
Between the two Home Brew shops down here I reckon we are pretty well covered.

Yeah I got a few mates out there, I'm in Mount Nelson.

But I hear you about the lack of pubs in the suburbs though.

Have you been to the New Sydney Hotel yet? If you havn't, go there now and thank me later

And I don't use a bench capper, I just get old bottle tops and twist them back on to my old longnecks, Never had a problem.