No Carbonation - same process as always

[The Bull]

My current Red/Brown Ale is not carbonating (5 weeks in bottles)

This is the first time I've ever had this issue. I've brewed many IPAs and some Oatmeal Stouts.

I always use Coopers carb drops, one per 500ml swing top bottle. I always store bottles in a warm 22-24 degrees dark closet.

I can't understand why this batch is not carbing. They only thing I can think of is my mash temp was on the higher than I've ever done before and thus there isn't enough easy to ferment sugars left post fermentation to carbonate the beer?

I've already tried giving the bottle a gentle flip/flop to get the yeast re-suspended in the bottles, but two weeks post doing that, no difference,

Please see details below:

Ingredients:

Liquid malt:
Muton Light Liquid Malt - Maris Otter 1.5kg

Base malt:
Maris Otter    2.5kg

Speciality Grain:   
Biscuit Malt 50 EBC   200g
Carahell Weyermann   200g
Torrified Wheat    80g
Roasted Barley       80g

Hops:   
East Kent Goldings   50g @60mins

Yeast:
Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale

Adjuncts:
1 Whirlfloc Tablet (half tab 5min left in boil)


Mashed: I mashed all the grain together for 60mins.  I had aimed for 67degrees but due to distractions the mash was mainly at 70 degrees.

14liter boil in the kettle, with addition of the 1.5kg of liquid malt. 50g of hops added at 60min.


I chilled down to 22degrees within 30mins, aerated and pitched the yeast starter.

Fermented for three weeks at 20degrees (controlled with thermostat)

OG:1.059
FG: 1.014

Bottled with Coopers carb drops as always. One per bottle.

Stored in warm dark closet as always.

No darn carb!! Errrr

[DEMPSEY]

If the mash temp had being too high for a while you would not have fermented out to 1014. Since you know your finish gravity open a bottle and check it's current gravity. With the sugars drop it should be up a few points.

[Leann ull]

Always recommend to anybody bottling to use the Will D method (patent pending) have one bottle into coopers or lucozade bottle
Irish ale gets done quickly.
Have you a new capper or caps?
Shaking bottle will oxidise the beer

[The Bull]

Thanks,

Ya good point regarding the gravity. I'll see where its at now.

The bottles are all swing tops, all in excellent condition and not that old, only four brews been through them.

I'm aware the oxidisation risk so only very gently swayed the bottles just to shift the yeast back into suspension.

[Slev]

Or you could invert the bottle,  and leave in that position for a week or two.   (you will end up with the yeast in the neck,  lid when opened,  which is fine,  unless you give a bottle to a non-brewer.  The optics of it, doesn't sell the idea to them)

[The Bull]

Thanks Slev, I read something similar on the ole Google. The guy suggested leaving the bottle upside for three days, then a further three days the correct way up.

[Slev]

Give it a go.  Nothing to lose.  Do a test with a few that way,  and a control sample,  left alone

[The Bull]

Shall let ye know how it goes.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, appreciated.

[Will_D]

Always recommend to anybody bottling to use the Will D method (patent pending) have one bottle into coopers or lucozade bottle

My method (pat. pending!) is to bottle in an identical way a sample in a clear plastic bottle (like a 500 mL Lucozade bottle).

Leave a 1" air space and then squeeze that away and cap tightly.

Leave with the other bottles in the warm place.

That way you can see that the sugar or carb drop has dissolved, you can see the yeast growing as a deposit, and can feel the botle getting hard.

Saves opening the glass ones!

[The Bull]

Thank Will_D

I shall employee that trick for future brews

[fobster]

The bottles are all swing tops, all in excellent condition and not that old, only four brews been through them.

I've found swing tops to be poor at carbing up after a few runs, you can buy replacement rubber seals. Though the new seals I got from HBC have a strong rubber odour which can be passed on to the beer.

[Qs]

How many bottles have tried?

[Leann ull]

Odour shouldn't pass on give them a rinse in cleaner and a starsan