[medley55]

Purchased True Brew Equipment Kit from BSG, glass carboy.

Followed recipe from beginner's guide;
1 can of unhopped light malt extract (3.3lbs.) - Muntons
2 pounds of light dried malt extract - Muntons
2 ounces of cascade variety hops
1 packet ale yeast - Muntons
5 ounces corn sugar

Washed, sanitized, rinsed all equipment thoroughly.

Brought one gallon to a boil, added malt extract, then dried extract, brought to a steady boil, added hops and continued boiling for 30 minutes.  Four gallons of cold water to carboy, added wort through a strainer into carboy, added yeast let it sit for 10 minutes gently stirred. Air lock half full, basement storage dark, temperature between 63-68 degrees F.  Active bubbling for 3 days, waited a week and bottled.  Approximately 4.5 gallons transferred to bottling bucket added boiled then cooled 5 oz of corn sugar and 1 cup of water to bottling bucket after 2 gallons were already in bucket.  Using a bottle filler, I filled 1 liter flip-top bottles leaving 2-2.5 inches unfilled.

8 days later put four bottles in fridge at 40 degrees F.  Opened one bottle 2 days later to test.  No head, flat beer.

I have more bottles I have not refrigerated.  What should I do?  I would appreciate any suggestions. I was hoping to brew a pumpkin ale next and I concerned about wasting to brew due to carbonation.  I plan on use 2 liter pella flip-top bottles for the pumpkin ale.

[medley55]

Also OG 1.040, did not take FG.  I have no excuses.

[69franx]

Give them time. What temp did you have bottles sitting at? Carbonation needs high 60's to mid 70's and will still take 2-3 weeks. You can also try to agitate the yeast by turning upside down and rolling around each bottle: do not shake, just gently agitate, then give them another 7-10 days and try one out

[erockrph]

Take them all out of the fridge ASAP. Carbonation generally takes 2-3 weeks at room temp to get to drinkable levels and another week or two beyond that to fully finish. Refrigeration will slow, if not stop, the carbonation process.

I know it sucks to wait that long to drink your first batch. I'd advise starting on your next batch soon, though. The first one will disappear in no time once it's ready.

Also, since you didn't measure your FG, you have no way to tell whether there is residual sugar left from the beer for the yeast to eat in addition to the priming sugar. Make sure you check back on them every so often (if they last that long ) to make sure they aren't overcarbonated. If you see signs of severe overcarbonation (usually gushing or geysers as soon as the cap is opened), then chill and drink them ASAP. There is a risk of exploding bottles if beer is severaly overcarbonated.

You will probably see some overcarbonation after a while even if the beer was completely fermented out, anyways. The 5oz of corn sugar that comes with most kits is actually a bit much for a full 5 gallons. If you're bottling less than 5 gallons, then you will see even more carbonation than that. I'd strongly suggest using a priming sugar calculator such as this in the future: http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

[medley55]

69franx and erockrph,

Thank you, I'll pull the ones out of the fridge and agitate the others, they have been stored at 65-70 degree F.

Starting the Pumpkin Ale tomorrow.

[69franx]

You're welcome medley55, just trying to pass on some of what I have learned here in the last year

[medley55]

Great, I'm addicted already.  Now how about some of that "Split Open And Melt RIS".  My favorite was 12/7/95.

[morticaixavier]

nice thing about those bale top bottles is if they do start to get over carbed you can pop the top and then close it up again to prevent bottle bombs.