Lately, mainly the last 2 batches, I have been having a hard time with the carbonation of the beer. I am using the same procedures as I have done before, with no problems. But my last two batches (A wheat beer and “Elevenses”) both have had carbonation issues. The wheat beer took about an extra month and a half, and still was a hit or miss as if the bottle would be carbonated. It seemed it took months for them to get to where the needed to be.
The Elevenses have been conditioned for about 3 weeks, and the first bottle was mostly flat. I am going to wait another month, like the Wheat beer, and then check.
All of the batches were mad ein the basement and stored and conditioned as well.
I have made other wheat beers before, as well as numerous other batches (speckled heffer, Saison Noel, etc) and I think I had one bad bottle which I suspect was the cap on the growler since all other bottles were fine.
I think over 50% of the wheat beer was flat or next to no fizz.
I use normal sugar before the Wheat beer, which I used priming sugar from NB. I went back to normal sugar for Elevenses but am feelign a little gunshy.
I had the same problem and found it was my capper. They appeared fine at first. I used the other capper I have and gave the bottles a little swish and all was fine about a week after that.
Different yeasts carb in different amounts of time, but as stated above, they will all ferment that sugar eventually.
Are you adding the primer to the whole batch or to the individual bottles? Assuming it was to the whole and everything was disolved properly (likely was), there has to be another issue or all of the bottles would be the same.
First thing that came to my mind was the seal on the bottle. Assuming you are sealing with a capper - I would have to agree with the others here.
Unless there is other info to go on…how much sugar, conditioning temperature etc.
You were bottling in the standard amount of time correct? Not like six months later or anything right?
I use growlers with new caps every time, and 1 liter ez-cap bottles.
I realized I may not have put new ez-cap “caps” on the bottles before. I wonder if the sanitizing of the bottles with the caps attached may be affecting the rubber stopper part of the cap.
Will wait and see if the latest batch has issues.
Though the growlers have been bad as well. I have one growler left of the Wheat beer. I will check it tonight (Hey -It’s monday - perfect night to open a growler!)
Should I be picking up new ez-cap “caps” everytime. These have been through about 6 or 7 bottlings.
The primer goes into the carboy, and I am normally within a day or two of the directions for priming.
Should not be that big of a deal if it just takes longer, as I generally like the beer better the longer it is in the bottle.
Will be making my next Saison Noel for the holidays. Not sure if that will be ready by New Year’s though. I found that the longer in the bottle greatly benefits that kit.
