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kraits
11th October 2011, 07:59 PM
no doubt this has been asked a thousand times before, put down a brew and it turned out just5 fine, next brew was was flat! same method used to a tea, tfried variables, rather thn an electric blanket a tank heater was submersed into the barrell, still flat, seeing unactivated yeast in the brew, after 3 weeks only slightly better but, still flat as sh#t.

next brew was done with fresh bakers yeast, yeast activated, good head, tastes like fruit salad.

only getting good results with black beer,

feedback fellas please

Vernonv
12th October 2011, 11:31 AM
I'm only a novice brewer, but I'm a little confused ... I thought you only got proper carbonation after you either keg the brew (using CO2) or bottle it (secondary fermentation with sugar).

Most of my brews are only lightly carbonated straight from the fermenter, but reach full carbonation after a secondary fermentation in the bottle (I normally leave them about a month).

kraits
12th October 2011, 12:29 PM
if figured the problem is happening before its bottled, thats why i didnt even think to mention it and i had downed half a dozen long necks by the time i entered this blog

im blaming the yeast! real yeasty taste and fruity too, drinkable but could be alot better

Sir Stinkalot
12th October 2011, 12:29 PM
I find that the secondary fermentation in the bottle will create the fizz. To do this I now have replaced the spoon of sugar in each bottle with the sugar drop things, just because it is more convenient.

After capping I give the bottle a quick shake and then store in warmish conditions for a week or so to enable the yeast in the bottle to use the bottling sugar. Then the beer is racked in storage for as long as possible. Ideally dark and cool but I either store it in the garage or laundry.

Not so keen on the substitution of the yeast as I think brewing yeast is different. Perhaps this has explained the fruity taste.

I use an aquarium heater and it provides good consistent temperature over that of a heated blanket so that shouldn't be a problem.

Vernonv
12th October 2011, 12:55 PM
I bottle and store much the same as Sir Stinkalot.

For yeast I have been using a Saflager S23 yeast - it handles my colder fermenting conditions better (no heater).

The only carbonation issues I've had was when I tried a beer after 2 weeks in the bottle ... was a tad flat. Left the rest for a few more weeks and everything came good.

kraits
12th October 2011, 01:44 PM
come to think of it, the flat one was made using castor sugar, all i had in the pantry that day, i thought of this before, that the castor sugar may have effected it, i too generally use the coopers lollies rather then sugar but also found raw cane sugar works fine with the black beer.

no fear of it getting tossed out (the flat beer) thats getting saved for when my enemies come around.:U

Sir Stinkalot
12th October 2011, 02:13 PM
Perhaps try opening one of the flat bottles and drop another sugar drop in (1/2 recommended dose for long necks). Recap and store at 20deg or so for a week and see how it goes. It might be an idea to put it in a bucket in case of explosion!

kraits
12th October 2011, 02:27 PM
i keep them in a rectangular plastic container with a lid just incase they do pop. will give the 1/2 drop a go with a couple of them, thanks i was also thinking about pouring it into a massive pot i got and cooking it then starting from scratch with it.

Sir Stinkalot
12th October 2011, 02:39 PM
If the flat brew was done with the brewing yeast and generally tastes ok with the exception of being flat then I would just try another dose of sugar and see what happens.

If the flat brew was done with the bakers yeast, and tastes fruity, I would use it to bait snails in the garden as it has a few problems and chalk it down to experience and not use bakers yeast again.

I would scrap the idea of boiling it all again and just write the batch off.

kraits
12th October 2011, 02:57 PM
it was done with the sache that came in the tin lid, i used bakers yeast on the black beer and it works fine, dont know why im thinking about cooking and restarting it, not sure where thats going to get me?

screw it! im going to drink it flat, mix it 50/50 with a better batch, i mean one long neck of the flat and one off the good stuff into a jug and drink it like that.:C

woodworm1
12th October 2011, 06:04 PM
Had similar problem like that years ago. Never figured it out, but was suggested that could be a couple of causes, old yeast, dirty bottles (doubtful on this). We used sodium meta to clean bottles and was indicated that the detergent residues could have been killing off the yeast in the bottle. We never got to bottom of it as we moved to keg brewing. But people I know who brew water rinse the bottles and let dry, no detergent at all.

kraits
13th October 2011, 12:09 AM
i doubt it's dirty bottles too, used these tablet things i had hanging around to stralize baby milk bottles, smell like chlorine but they were rinsed and odourless.

bpj1968
19th October 2011, 04:57 PM
Firstly the only real way to gas (secondary fermentation) is to add more sugar during the bottle phase, either teaspoon or drops. It is this extra bit of sugar the small amount of yeast residue that then creates the gas.

Does teh flat beer taste a little too sweet? This means that the yeast didn't convert the sugar, put teh bottles somewhere warm and hopefully it will carbonate.

If the beer tastes good, but flat did you add the sugar/drops etc? or did you have too many beers at that point? try the method of adding half again as suggested on a few and see if taht solves the prbolem.

One other source of fault could be your capping method

My preferred method of secondary fermentation involves using a second fermentor. Dissolve 180 grams sugar in about a 1/2 litre boiling water. Add this to the 2nd vessel Then drain the 1st vessel into the second using a hose so it doesn't splash everywhere, and have it coiled in the bottom so it swirls and mixes. Once done then bottle, leave somewhere warm for a week or so then bottle.. Works every time without fail.

180 grams is good for most 23L beers 10gr either way to increase/decrease gas depending on the beer style.

At this stage cane sugar is fine, imparts little to the overall taste.

Don't use bakers yeast, it is for making bread. Different yeasts creates different effects (tastes) in beers and there are heaps of brewers yeast for this reason.

D.A Hageman
4th January 2012, 08:29 PM
hi ya i dont do single bottles with drops or sugar for every long neck add 5grams of sugar per bottle dissolve the sugar mix it into ur batch bottle as soon as it settles happy days dont forget put tops on and shake good luck