Help for newbie beer won’t carbonate

Elliott 22 · Nov 4, 2018

Thanks peebee
That makes a lot of sense and I’m guessing why the beer is not overly sweet due to being converted to co2 but released by valve ‍

I’ve placed in kitchen we’re no radiators are present and then will move to larder tomorrow which is colder again tomorrow keeping an eye on the psi readings.

Guessing if I had of added the yeast it would of just bled itself off.

Kind of annoying in a way as the king keg barrel is made to withstand 15psi

Yet the best cap you can get has a safety of around 7.4?!

Guess it’s better than it exploding tho

Elliott 22 · Nov 8, 2018

Just tested before putting in fridge
Loads of head but no carbonation at all
Really tempted to chuck some yeast in now as really frustrated

peebee · Nov 9, 2018

I've no reason to add any more to what I have said.

But maybe there are others on this forum who's advice will better fit in with your timescales?

… anyone?

Mungri · Nov 9, 2018

Elliott 22 said:
Just tested before putting in fridge
Loads of head but no carbonation at all
Really tempted to chuck some yeast in now as really frustrated

If you’ve got lots of head, it’s worth trying using a short piece of tubing on your tap. Just enough to reach the bottom of the glass. Pour the beer slowly with the tube near the bottom of the glass.
I had a similar problem with my very first kegged brew. Lots of head but no carbonation. Turned out the gas was just venting into the air without giving any carbonation.
As others have said you won’t get bottle levels of carbonation, but you should get enough for an enjoyable pint.
Of course it may not be your problem, but you seem to have tried everything else and your barrel is holding pressure. All sounds very familiar to the way mine was pouring.

terrym · Nov 9, 2018

peebee said:
I've no reason to add any more to what I have said.

Me too

Elliott 22 · Nov 9, 2018

peebee said:
Ah - it's possibly all adding up now.

The PB possibly has a simple relief valve (rubber band about a perforated pipe affair). It might be restricting the pressure to 7.4 psi tops. But at 20C that doesn't give much carbonation, about 1.2 "volumes" - enough for some of my beers but I'm a "cask conditioned" pundit and to you it might just seem flat. The carbonation stays where it is when you put it in the fridge and the yeast goes to sleep. And as little CO2 dissolves at 20C your pressure gauge will not dip, which it hasn't. If you put the barrel in a fridge the gauge will dip: 1.2 "volumes" at 7.4 PSI at 20C will become about 2 PSI at 10C.

So: You think the yeast is active now (signs that pressure is increasing - by 2-1/2 PSI in the last 24 hours). Immediately put the barrel somewhere cooler, about 15-16C. If the yeast is still working the pressure will stay at 7.4 (it might dip initially). Put the barrel somewhere about 12-14C. The yeast will start to get sluggish but pressure should still rise back up to 7.4 (taking a bit longer to get there). You may need to drop the temperature some more to get the level of carbonation where you want it. But leave for a few days keeping a close eye on the pressure (remember, I'm only speculating about the pressure relief and it might still go crazy). Leave it in the "warm" for a few more days to give the yeast chance to burn off the excess sugar then it can go in the fridge.

Remember, at those cold temperatures the yeast will not restore the pressure. You'll have to inject gas to keep the carbonation up and allow you to get more beer out.

I have done exactly this bar putting in fridge as did not want to effect the yeast if no carbonation
It has been out now at room temp for 1 week
Stored cooler for 2 days then cooler again as you suggested

So almost 2 weeks

-Bezza- · Nov 9, 2018

Just reading through this thread - does the beer taste sugary or not? If it does, that means the yeast hasn't fermented those sugars; if it doesn't, then it means the carbonation has happened and just a question as to whether the barrel is holding enough pressure.

I'd also add that, in my experience, it's like the carbonation is absorbed into the beer over time and during conditioning. Immediately after the two weeks carbonation, it seems as if the fizz is all in the initial head and not in the beer, if that makes sense. So if the beer isn't sweet, I'd just be patient - leave it for 4 weeks somewhere cool but not cold and leave the PRVs alone. It won't harm your beer unless there's oxygen in the keg.

Elliott 22 · Nov 9, 2018

-Bezza- said:
Just reading through this thread - does the beer taste sugary or not? If it does, that means the yeast hasn't fermented those sugars; if it doesn't, then it means the carbonation has happened and just a question as to whether the barrel is holding enough pressure.

I'd also add that, in my experience, it's like the carbonation is absorbed into the beer over time and during conditioning. Immediately after the two weeks carbonation, it seems as if the fizz is all in the initial head and not in the beer, if that makes sense. So if the beer isn't sweet, I'd just be patient - leave it for 4 weeks somewhere cool but not cold and leave the PRVs alone. It won't harm your beer unless there's oxygen in the keg.

Thanks bezza

divrack · Nov 10, 2018

There's no reason to add yeast. There's no reason to add sugar
By all means keep doing the same thing and expecting better results if you wish.
As everyone has been saying the problem is not with the yeast/sugar.

Those keg things aren't meant for fizzy beer. To get a proper fizzy pint you need a constant pressure of over 10psi plus a lot (say 7mtr) tubing depending on thickness, or a good quality flow reduction valve, or the pressure change when you pour it will be too sudden and the gas comes out of suspension creating foam.
Would have been much better to just bottle it if you want fizz.

Elliott 22 · Nov 14, 2018

divrack said:
There's no reason to add yeast. There's no reason to add sugar
By all means keep doing the same thing and expecting better results if you wish.
As everyone has been saying the problem is not with the yeast/sugar.

Those keg things aren't meant for fizzy beer. To get a proper fizzy pint you need a constant pressure of over 10psi plus a lot (say 7mtr) tubing depending on thickness, or a good quality flow reduction valve, or the pressure change when you pour it will be too sudden and the gas comes out of suspension creating foam.
Would have been much better to just bottle it if you want fizz.

Wanted to dry hop

Dull Boy · Nov 14, 2018

I'd rack back into a fermenting bucket & add a strong ale yeast M42 for example, NO MORE SUGAR :laugh8:

then leave it for at least 2-3 weeks, your beer is gonna be more like a quad. If kegging go for a Corny & force carb with pure Co2. A Cheaper option would be to bottle. Leave a minimum of 3 months, preferably 6 because it's gonna be crazy strong & will need to seriously mature. athumb..

Dull Boy · Nov 14, 2018

What was the yeast that came with the kit?

divrack · Nov 14, 2018

Elliott 22 said:
Wanted to dry hop

Now you've completely lost me. What has dry hopping got to do with anything?
I'm not being funny but it might be worth reading something like John Palmer's how to brew, as most of these types of things are explained there, and it might make your life easier, as none of what you are doing is making a great deal of sense to me

Elliott 22 · Nov 16, 2018

divrack said:
Now you've completely lost me. What has dry hopping got to do with anything?
I'm not being funny but it might be worth reading something like John Palmer's how to brew, as most of these types of things are explained there, and it might make your life easier, as none of what you are doing is making a great deal of sense to me

As you stated I should of bottled, but I wanted to dry hop in keg for aroma, which is why I kegged it

divrack · Nov 16, 2018

You know you can dry hop and bottle? Dry hopping doesn't have a great deal to do with the medium. You Can dry hop in your fv. Most do. In fact I run kegs and I prefer to dry hop before kegging as the taste goes weird in the keg for long.

Elliott 22 · Nov 16, 2018

Thanks divrack

Was my first run and to be honest I tried my friends dipa that he’d done and just copied like for like as was awesome

However have had to learn a lot in a short period of time hence the mistakes

divrack · Nov 16, 2018

No bother. Mistakes are the best way of learning, althoughe personally I've always been awesome at everything I've ever attempted first time.
Its almost tedious.

Elliott 22 · Nov 16, 2018

HA ha, its finally carbonated although since first tried and was lovely although obviously flat as a pancake

Is now extremely bitter, could this be the abv has gone up or something else I could of done

Dull Boy · Nov 16, 2018

For the love of god, how do I remove myself from this thread? :smileyill:

divrack · Nov 16, 2018

Dull Boy said:
For the love of god, how do I remove myself from this thread?

I'll kill you if you promise to kill me in return.

Help for newbie beer won’t carbonate

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