No Fizz

[mattjazz2000]

I've just opened a bottle of my Santas Little Helper xmas ale and it's as flat as a witches t*t. It's only been bottled 2 weeks but I couldn't help myself, glad I did now. I batch primed with 66g of brewers sugar but then put it in the garage where it's been quite cold.

Is there anything I can do to rescue it or have I got 40 pints of flat beer to drink :cry:
It tastes great other than that.

Matt

 

[scott78]

then put it in the garage where it's been quite cold.

im new to this so i might be wrong but you might want to bring them into the warm for a week, did it taste sweet?

 

[Eric_S]

Yep - back inside to the warmth for a week or so. The condition in the garage. I did the same just as the temps dropped and the beer was flat (but tasty). A couple of weeks in the warmth and there's now a bit of fizz.

 

[graysalchemy]

As Eric says you need a week to 10 days at fermentation temp and then a week for every 10 points of original gravity. So a 1040 beer needs 4 weeks conditioning. The higher the gravity the more conditioning it needs. On top of that the longer you leave it the better the taste. I had a bottle of bitter that I brewed a year ago and it is by far the best bottle of beer I have ever tasted.

So put Santa's little helper somewhere warm for a week then somewhere cold until Christmas eve and try again. Also hide half a dozen bottles and leave them for next christmas. :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

Just re read your post 66g in 40 pints is less than 3g/l I would aim for double that 6-7g/l. That may cause you a problem.

 

[mattjazz2000]

Can I re-prime or is that a no no?

 

[scott78]

i doubt it would be a problem, if you dont like it flat it needs doing either way

 

[RobWalker]

you dont need to, the sugars still in there.

 

[Eric_S]

I'd have said 66g for 40l is a little low, but 130g sounds like too much. Typically I use about 80-100g for a 20-21l batch.

But I wouldn't add any more either - time will most likely sort it out.

 

[mattjazz2000]

Great, thanks for putting my mind at ease :drunk: . I've just realised the calcs I used for the sugar were on Beersmith and I took the amount for kegging not bottling as I usually keg. I'll have to try and be a bit more on the ball next time.

 

[graysalchemy]

It is personal taste and enough fizz to suit your beer. However I think 3g/l is far to low.

 

[Dr. B]

I use 150g ordinary sugar for 40L and it works a dream, although you could probably get away with less.

 

[shearclass]

I'd have said 66g for 40l is a little low,

40 pitns, not litres!

It is personal taste and enough fizz to suit your beer. However I think 3g/l is far to low.

Just to offer an alternative opinion, i used 60g sugar for about 20 litres (3g per litre) and the carbonation/condition is fine for me. Depends on the style of the brew, and how you want it really, as said above. My last batch i bottled was a wheat beer and i used 10g per litre.

Can I re-prime or is that a no no?

If you are happy with mild carbonation, i would not bother opening the bottles and re priming, just move them somewhere warm for a fortnight, then back to the garage.

 

[graysalchemy]

got my 40l and pints mixed up.

I have had a batch of stout which just didn't have any carbonation, and it is a great disappointment so much sow I have got about 10l left which I know use for cooking. It tastes great which is the most annoying thing but it just has no head.

I would see how it goes you may get enough fizz to pump it up with a small syringe when you poor it.

 

[shocker]

I had a flat batch of stout many years ago and tried to re fizz it in the sodastream......explosive results and black stains on ceiling didnt go down too well made a lovely casserole , though :thumb:

 

[mattjazz2000]

Well it's had 2 weeks in the warm so I thought I'd try a bottle. It's fizzy, thanks everyone.
It's quite a strange taste, quite liquoricey, not bad though.