Flat Stout

[Han-D-Man]

Just made a stout from the EDME Superbrew Gold Irish Stout kit. Primed the bottles and left in a warm room for three days then conditioned it in a cold place for two weeks. Just opened one and found it to be on the flat side (Still drank it though and I will have another). Just checked what measuring spoon I used to prime the bottles and could kick myself because it was 1/4 tsp instead of 1/2.
Is there anything i can do to add more fizz. Was wandering if I could open the bottles, add the extra 1/4 tsp brewing sugar and cap them again.
Would this work?????

[Jerry Cornelius]

You could try as you suggested, and it'll probably work.

Another way would be to bring them into the warm for a couple of weeks more, to allow the yeast to work for a bit longer and build up more Co2. I normally leave my bottles two weeks in the warm before I begin cold conditioning. I used to leave them one week, but I find that two is better.

If you decide to open and add more sugar, I would still suggest leaving them in the warm a little longer - at least one week.

[Han-D-Man]

Thanks Jerry, Will add the extra 1/4 tsp of sugar and leave in the warmth for a week. Running out of ale to drink though

[Han-D-Man]

Brought them in the warmth last night and just tried adding 1/4 tsp of sugar. It looked like a volcanic erupltion. going to knock that idea on the head and leave in the warmth for a couple of weeks.

[EoinMag]

Yeah adding sugar to a carbonated drink won't work, you provide too many nucleation sites and get a large eruption.
I'm not so sure more conditioning will help to be honest, once the yeast has finished with the sugar it has finished, you won't get much more out of it.
Chalk it down to experience.

[dedken]

In the future if you do want to re-prime, it is best to pour a splash from each bottle into a saucepan with say another 1/3 teaspoon per bottle and heat it up. Pouring a solution back into the bottles will not cause a volcanic eruption. Recap them put them in the warm for 1-2 weeks and test. You should find it has worked!

[Han-D-Man]

Thanks for your help. Might just drink it almost flat ( dont want to waste it) but very quicly so I can get another one on. Need the bottles

[Scroogemonster]

Get a 20 ml syringe (local pharmacy?) Suck some beer up into the syringe and quickly and forcibly squirt it back onto the surface of the beer in the glass (it acts like a sparkler on a beer engine)
Do this several times and you'll get a decent head (currently doing this with my Ditch's stout which I have underprimed also)
It works, trust me!
Regards
Kev

[EoinMag]

Get a 20 ml syringe (local pharmacy?) Suck some beer up into the syringe and quickly and forcibly squirt it back onto the surface of the beer in the glass (it acts like a sparkler on a beer engine)
Do this several times and you'll get a decent head (currently doing this with my Ditch's stout which I have underprimed also)
It works, trust me!
Regards
Kev

They used to sell something like that with "draught" bottles of Guinness years back before widgets were invented.