Flat beer help!

[goosehunter75]

I bottled a 5 gallon batch of my Russian Imperial Stout back on Jan 21st. I have popped open a bottle or two along the way to monitor how is carbing. I just opened a 12 oz bottle tonight and its still flat as hell. This is the 4th time I have made this recipe and I have never experienced this problem. Its a high gravity beer for sure with an OG around around 1.113. I used Wyeast 1056 to ferment it. Beer has been stored at 70 degrees since I bottled 7 weeks ago. Any suggestions on what I should try next or how I can tell what has happened? The flavor is awesome, but it sure is flat! I want to make sure I prevent this from happening again! Should I just put it in storage for 4 or 5 months and forget about it? Id be pissed if I still had flat beer in 4 months!

 

[cshamilton]

If you wait long enough it will likely carb. With big beers many people add a bit of dry yeast when bottling to make sure the yeast isn't too stressed. I would guess that's your issue. If you want to speed things up, pop open the bottles and add a few "particles" of dry yeast and then recap.

 

[goosehunter75]

Thanks for the reply! What would you quantify as as a few particles of dry yeast? I have a package of Safale 05 on hand and may try that this weekend!

 

[derekcw83]

I agree there's probably some stressed yeast. CBC yeast works well for this kind of situation.

 

[goosehunter75]

damn...ya learn something everyday. Ive never heard of cbc yeast. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cshamilton]

US-05 should work- it still won't be fast. The dry yeast looks almost like clumps of sand, just a few tiny ones per bottle will do the trick. Sanitize your hands and the packet to be safe (though the alcohol probably is enough). I'd pop open 6-10 at a time - if you are careful you can reuse the cap. Drop the yeast in each and set the cap on, then use your capper after you finish the first batch, then repeat.

 

[jurgenph]

i had the same problem once, high ABV beer and cold crashed for a week

since then i've been experimenting a bit when making a high ABV beer.

cold crash it for 48 hours only, then bottle one without extra yeast, and save that one, it will be the last one i open, to see if it eventually carbs up.

the rest of them will get a tiny bit of champagne yeast added (it's waht i have available, without having to order more expensive yeast

so far the next bach has carbed up nicely within 4 weeks, i haven't gotten to the bottle without extra yeast yet.


J.