I've been assimilated...

[nighthawk]

Hello Borg! I've been reading the posts here for a while and I've gotten a lot of good information, so I thought I would join. Like most people, I got my start with a Mr. Beer kit. Speaking of which, I have a question. For beer that is undercarbonated in a bottle, is there any way to fix that? Right now, I'm attempting to rehab it with a Soda Stream, but I don't see that as a long term fix. I used the carbonation drops that came with the kit.

[FedoraDave]

Welcome, nighthawk!

Maybe someone else can answer, but it doesn't seem to me that any rehabbing of already bottled beer is possible. Take it as a "live and learn" moment.

The problem with carbonation drops, as I see it, is that it's a uniform amount per bottle, or per batch -- across every batch you make. Thus, the carbonation in a pale ale is going to be the same as the carbonation in a stout (assuming you're using the same number of carb drops). This isn't to style.

I use the priming calculator at http://www.thescrewybrewer.com/p/brewin ... mulas.html. It's about 1/4 of the way down the page. Play around with it to familiarize yourself with how it works. I find it very helpful.

[Gymrat]

I think you could recarbonate by dumping all of your beers in a bottling bucket, put the proper amount of sugar in, then rebottle.

[gwcr]

Welcome nighthawk! Glad you found us!!

I'm with FD on the re-carbing. Too easy to introduce oxygen into the beer at this point which can cause the beer to go stale quickly. How long have they been in the bottle? Make sure you have given them proper time to carb at room temp before putting them in the fridge.

[Beer-lord]

Welcome to the borg. Hope you learn a lot here and share your experiences with everyone.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Welcome Nighthawk, the consensus on the MB carb drops and their recommendations for use is that you get over-carbonation following their guidelines. Recheck your caps if using the PET bottles and retighten, give them a good crank and let them sit in the dark at room temp for a couple more weeks. If you've been reading this forum for a while, you know then that there are some very knowledgeable veteran brewers here willing to lend a bit of info here and there!!!!

[John Sand]

Welcome Hawk! I've had varying troubles with carbonation, and learned from it. Good carbonation wants warmer temps than regular fermentation. 70 is good, 60 poor. You still can help your sealed bottles by gently rolling them to rouse the yeast and letting them warm for a week. Putting them next to the baseboard helps. Also, refrigerate longer than two days. A week or more is better for a fine creamy head. At first the bubbles will be fewer and larger. Your mileage may vary, but give it a try.

[monsteroyd]

I bottle carb and I use about 4 sugar cubes (2 tsp) per 1L bottle, I am going to assume that you used the 2.5 tsp per liter bottle that MB recommends. If after waiting one month with the bottles at room temp, they are not carbed, then the caps were loose or something. You really need to check the caps when bottling, they always seem to need tightening after that initial bottle fill. If they are not carbed very well after a month, try to live with it and learn for next time. About the only thing you can do now is make sure you ferment in the LBK for 3 weeks, then bottle and leave the bottles at room temp for a month. Works every time for me.

Monty

[Chuck N]

Don't use the soda stream. To me that just sounds like a good way to ruin what could be good beer. I'd do like John Sand said; Gently rouse your yeast and make sure those caps are tight. Tighten them until you think you're going to bleed. Weather it does any good or not you can chalk this up as a learning experience.

Oh! And welcome to the Borg.

[Bluejaye]

Welcome Nighthawk. I'd drink them as-is and consider it a lesson learned. I don't think there is any real viable way to increase the carbination post-bottling that doesn't risk oxidation and/or infections.

[BigPapaG]

Welcome Hawk! I've had varying troubles with carbonation, and learned from it. Good carbonation wants warmer temps than regular fermentation. 70 is good, 60 poor. You still can help your sealed bottles by gently rolling them to rouse the yeast and letting them warm for a week. Putting them next to the baseboard helps. Also, refrigerate longer than two days. A week or more is better for a fine creamy head. At first the bubbles will be fewer and larger. Your mileage may vary, but give it a try.

+1

Time is your friend here, just store them longer at around 68-70*F

[packerduf]

Welcome aBorg, nighthawk!

How long, and at what temperature did you allow the beer to carbonate? Two to three weeks at room temperature (68-72, or so) should do the trick. With the carbonation drops, three weeks might be needed more often than not.

[Ibasterd]

Welcome. Indeed, patience is key. On my first batch, I fermented 2 weeks, carbed 2 weeks, and cold conditioned in fridge 2 weeks. When I tried one, my first beer was green and flat. I took them out of fridge and warm conditioned/carbed 2 more weeks and they were carbed just fine.

[monsteroyd]

+1 to what lbastard said. Exactly my first carb experience too. I never get good carb in 2 weeks. Takes a month.

Monty

[Inkleg]

Nothing more to add here other than, Welcome Nighthawk