How long

Having done my first true lager kit, base was a coopers Euro lager, fermented at 12 degrees for 4 weeks dry hopped with Saaz lagered at 2 degrees for 6 weeks, and the bottled, batch primed with 150 grams of table sugar.

So question is how long to properly carb up. At three weeks in the bottle it is clearly carbing, but not to the extent a would expect from the amount of sugar I put in.

The bottle I had last night tasted nice, has some bubbles and produced a small head but I expected more. Is it to early. Oh and they are being kept at about 15 degrees.

Cheers

Steve

hi I've just bottled 1 of these but kept mine at 21 22 degrees for 2 weeks and its seems to be carbing up nice

sdt7618 said:

Having done my first true lager kit, base was a coopers Euro lager, fermented at 12 degrees for 4 weeks dry hopped with Saaz lagered at 2 degrees for 6 weeks, and the bottled, batch primed with 150 grams of table sugar.

So question is how long to properly carb up. At three weeks in the bottle it is clearly carbing, but not to the extent a would expect from the amount of sugar I put in.

The bottle I had last night tasted nice, has some bubbles and produced a small head but I expected more. Is it to early. Oh and they are being kept at about 15 degrees.

Cheers

Steve

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I suggest that leaving your lager at 2*C for six weeks will have left an extremely low level of yeast to be carried forward into your bottles. That coupled with a low carbonation temp of 15*C will mean a very slow carbonation rate. You could speed things up by simply moving into a warmer place for 2 weeks and then try again.

terrym said:

I suggest that leaving your lager at 2*C for six weeks will have left an extremely low level of yeast to be carried forward into your bottles. That coupled with a low carbonation temp of 15*C will mean a very slow carbonation rate. You could speed things up by simply moving into a warmer place for 2 weeks and then try again.

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Am working on the time principle. The yeast has an upper limit of 15/16 degrees so not wanting to go to warm.

Just wondering I'd other had the same issues, and if time op is all I need

sdt7618 said:

Am working on the time principle. The yeast has an upper limit of 15/16 degrees so not wanting to go to warm.

Just wondering I'd other had the same issues, and if time op is all I need

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I was thinking about 20*C.
Your beer should till carb up at 15*C, it will just take longer.
Why not move a few bottles into the warm, see if they carb up quicker, and also see if you can then 'taste the difference' between the two sets when everything has finally settled down.

It won't hurt it warming the bottles up more, I'd go for 20C as suggested by Terry. I've done this kit several times and one of the downsides is that it does take a long time to carb up in the bottles if fermented at a low temp and bottled clear.

Don't worry, it will get there. In fact, if I remember correctly, the instructions say to leave it 12 weeks once bottled to lose all the off flavours. Patience is your friend. :)

sdt7618 said:

Having done my first true lager kit, base was a coopers Euro lager, fermented at 12 degrees for 4 weeks dry hopped with Saaz lagered at 2 degrees for 6 weeks, and the bottled, batch primed with 150 grams of table sugar. .........

At three weeks in the bottle it is clearly carbing, ........

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After all that patience please don't go and screw it up now 'cos the lager deserves better!

As it is already carbing up, it will do what it has to do when it gets round to it ...

... and it will restore your faith in a properly brewed lager in another few weeks. :thumb: :thumb:

I was put off lager many years ago, but last year I did a Coopers "properly" and it was delicious. This year, I plan to do an AG version and leave it in the fridge for 10 weeks whilst we are away.

Keep up the good work and leave the poor lager alone until March to get on with its business! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

As it's a lager, you won't need to drink it til summer anyway (assuming you're in the UK)! Mine was bottled on 15th december, spent 2 weeks at about 15deg C, then has been outside in the shed since. 2 weeks ago a sample bottle was almost fully carbonated, but I won't touch it again until the weather is warm.