Two Batches, No Carb - Priming Pitch?

[Kevin Dean]

I've bottled two batches using the Tastybrew priming calculator with dextrose from my LHBS.Neither of the brews carbonated much after several weeks at room temps. In fact, other than very slight sediment which may be yeast or may be random crap from the brews, it doesn't appear to have done much at all.

There's a very slight hiss as I remove the cap but no CO2 in suspension.

Both brews were held for an extended time (4 months, perhaps?) in secondary and I'm wondering if this extended time didn't cause the yeast to actually settle out to the point where they wouldn't carb in the bottle? I doubt this, because the temps never dropped below 62-66 but this is becoming a pattern.

The yeast was viable in the beginning - primary fermentation was unremarkable on both batches.

So my question is two-fold. Anyone have any ideas on why my yeast might go all lazy? Also, it appears I might also have to start pitching some yeast when I bottle to offset this, does anyone have some experience or tips to share on this? Do I pitch a full pack of yeast or a portion? Any good yeast suggestions? Does it matter here?

Thanks in advance.

 

[NikolausXX]

Sounds like a long time in the secondary. I have never had this problem, but I carb after 2 weeks in secondary. I havnt made any lagers yet.

 

[Yooper]

I've only had it happen once, but after that I was paranoid and starting adding some fresh yeast when bottle if the beers had spent a long time in secondary and were exceptionally clear and I used a flocculant yeast.

What I did was mix up the priming solution and let it cool. Then, poured it into my bottling bucket and added about 1/4 package of nottingham yeast. I stirred that well, and then racked my beer into it. It worked great!

The only thing I'm wondering about your procedure is that you mention using the calculator for figuring the amount of priming sugar. Is it just possible that you didn't use enough priming sugar- that the priming calculator had you add too little sugar? I noticed that if my temperature is cooler, there is more co2 in suspension and they instruct you to add less sugar. But, when I rack, I feel like I "knock" that co2 out of suspension, so I always still use right around 4 ounces of priming sugar no matter what the temperature of the beer is.

 

[Kevin Dean]

What I did was mix up the priming solution and let it cool. Then, poured it into my bottling bucket and added about 1/4 package of nottingham yeast. I stirred that well, and then racked my beer into it. It worked great!

Now that you said you added 4 ounces, I decided to run it. The calculations are about right for an American Pale Ale (the calculator gives a suggestion of like 4.1 oz) but for an English Bitter it gives 0.4 ounces. That difference would CERTAINLY be enough to produce flat beer, so I'm thinking I should play around with it.

Thanks for the input!