Flat beer

[woodster]

The last 3 beers I've made:
ferment down to 1.010/1.015, use 1 teaspoon per ltr of everyday granulated sugar and leave 2 weeks... as flat as the day I bottled it!
they are left at room temp throughout the priming period and I'm at a loss and can't figure what's wrong. Any help?

[Calum]

First off, I'm surprised that you re getting flat beer.

How long are you leaving the beer in the primary? If left too long you may not have much yeast left over to actually ferment again and carbonate the beer.

[oxford brewer]

What bottles are you using(glass or pet) and also what type of closures?You may have dodgy seals(its a long shot on all of them not being sealed ok though??).
How many have you tried?

[woodster]

I'm using plastic and glass bottles and primary fermenting is about 10 days to 2 weeks. (is this about right?)
wondered about the yeast myself, maybe bottle sooner?
In all my books you can ferment for weeks so I don't get it

[simple one]

Try bottling after 7 days (or as soon as your ferm is finished), you'll bring over a bit more yeast in to the bottles, but if it doesnt carbonate you can rule out the beer/yeast/timing.

Do you have yeast sediment in the bottles when there flat. I find, once bottled, give them a good shake to dissolve the sugar and get a small amount of O2 in to the mix. Prior to resting them for the bottle condition.

[kevthebootboy]

dont shake the bottles, if you get O2 in the beer it will oxigenise it will go off.

[simple one]

Well I have been doing it for ages. Once its been capped, I give it a good shake to ensure the sugar is taken in to solution. Maybe this is technically wrong, but practically I don't think it can do any harm.
Never had a beer oxidized from about 1/2 an inch of head space, of air, which contains about only 15% O2.

Anyone else shake? Or is this something I will be stopping? lol

[BarryNL]

The last 3 beers I've made:
ferment down to 1.010/1.015, use 1 teaspoon per ltr of everyday granulated sugar and leave 2 weeks... as flat as the day I bottled it!
they are left at room temp throughout the priming period and I'm at a loss and can't figure what's wrong. Any help?

I suppose, if you are using a very flocculent yeast, there might not be enough left for priming - seems unlikely unless you're brewing high gravity (>1.070) beers though. Still, you could try bottling with some fresh yeast anyway though it probably means using a bottling bucket to keep things easy.

[bramswell]

I think what we are missing here is that they are left at room temp for 2 weeks, which is good for secondary but they could then do with 2-4 weeks in the cold to allow th c02 to absorb into the beer.

this is what i have done on all my bottled brews and not had flat beer

[woodster]

Thanks for your help guys, got a few tips but I think Patience and temp is the key, oh and I shake my bottles to mix the priming sugar, should I stop doing that then?
Got a couple of buckets fermenting at the moment so I'll try again.....

[simple one]

Most I think would say yes, dont shake. I would say it doesnt matter, and is probablly a good thing if adding sugar directly to the bottles prior to capping. If your bottling properly though you should at least get the pssst of gas escaping from bottles even after 3 days at room temp. Which makes me think your caps are loose, or there is not enough yeast in the bottles.

I think you should bottle earlier, bottle a few in clear bottles so you can see if you have a yeast sediment in the bottom. Your not using any clearing agents in the FV are you?

[kevthebootboy]

Well I have been doing it for ages. Once its been capped, I give it a good shake to ensure the sugar is taken in to solution. Maybe this is technically wrong, but practically I don't think it can do any harm.
Never had a beer oxidized from about 1/2 an inch of head space, of air, which contains about only 15% O2.

Anyone else shake? Or is this something I will be stopping? lol

its just ive read coutless times that you shouldnt expose femented beer to any O2 if you can help it, i add the sugar to the bottles, fill, cap and leave them and ive never had problems with carbonation, i just think its an unnecessary risk is all.

[simple one]

Fair one. Well if you bottle with normal granulated, and you dont shake to dissolve, and you havent had a bad batch. Consider me converted.

I think though the sugar in the bottle technique is fairly o2 safe, as long as you have a bottling stick. Its when you start playing about with bottling buckets and the like that it gets more risky.

[kevthebootboy]

yea i just use half a tea spoon of granulated, bottle streght from the FV, you could try doing half your batch with a shake and tother without and see if theres any difference between them.

[simple one]

I think I'll do 3/4 not shaken, 1/4 shaken! If it cabonates well without, then as you say, why take the risk. I cant see it enhancing the flavour. Although stranger things happen in the murky world of HB.