First attempt was a flop.

[kiltsmen]

So I am looking for some advice. I have been brewing beer for awhile and never had a problem. For a project with my students we decided to make and bottle soda, followed all the directions, using homebrew extracts, Red Star Champagne yeast and followed all the instructions, and we never got any carbonation in any of our brews. Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions?? Thanks!

 

[malkore]

Post the exact steps you took. Either your yeast was dead, or your ingredients prevented fermentation.
Or the bottles didn't seal.

 

[kiltsmen]

Dissolved yeast in cup of warm (98 degree) water for 5 minutes. Mixed sugar and soda extract into approx. 4 gallons of water, stirred until sugar was dissolved and then added in the yeast/water solution to the larger amount. Mixed and bottled/capped in the plastic bottles. Set bottles on side as instructed.

 

[Homercidal]

What were your temps and how long has it been sitting?

 

[kiltsmen]

It didn't give a temp for the remained of the water, it just said warm. And it has been sitting for 6 days and no tightness of the bottles

 

[Homercidal]

Well, honestly it sounds like your yeast was dead, or is dead. I think after 6 days you should be seeing some signs of life, like rock hard bottles.

You could rehydrate some more yeast and open each bottle and squirt some fresh yeast in there with an eyedropper or pipette.

 

[kiltsmen]

Could it also be the water? We were thinking since we were using city water it might be causing an issue.

 

[Homercidal]

Could it also be the water? We were thinking since we were using city water it might be causing an issue.

I doubt it. Many people use chlorinated water and other than maybe giving it a strange flavor, it should not impede carbonation noticeably.