Poor Carbonation

[cafelinhchi]

Been brewing for nearly 20 years using bottles, corn sugar for priming, and a primary fermenter. My last batch I used DME (used the calculator so more quantity than I would have used with corn sugar) and I tried a secondary fermenter. The result was a grossly under carbonated beer. I made 2 changes from my proven technique, using DME & a secondary, so I now have 2 variables in a single equation. Any thoughts on what caused the under carbonation? When using a secondary do I need to save some of the yeast at the bottom of the primary and infuse my beer before bottling? It seems strange to me that I can have little to no sediment in my secondary, prime the beer with sugar, and then expect that yeast will be present to create carbonation. The taste of the beer is good and I had the expected OG and FG so I think I was good up to bottling.

[IPA]

Been brewing for nearly 20 years using bottles, corn sugar for priming, and a primary fermenter. My last batch I used DME (used the calculator so more quantity than I would have used with corn sugar) and I tried a secondary fermenter. The result was a grossly under carbonated beer. I made 2 changes from my proven technique, using DME & a secondary, so I now have 2 variables in a single equation. Any thoughts on what caused the under carbonation? When using a secondary do I need to save some of the yeast at the bottom of the primary and infuse my beer before bottling? It seems strange to me that I can have little to no sediment in my secondary, prime the beer with sugar, and then expect that yeast will be present to create carbonation. The taste of the beer is good and I had the expected OG and FG so I think I was good up to bottling.

Leave it long enough in a temp of 20° C and it will carbonate. Tip. I always put some in a 500 ml plastic bottle ( ex sparkling water) and I can tell how carbonation is progressing simply by squeezing the bottle. Because you used a secondary fermenter it will take longer but the resulting beer will have much less sediment. I transfer from the secondary to another vessel and then batch prime. That way the priming solution is evenly mixed in the beer and each bottle will carbonate the same. I incidently use white sugar.

[Clibit]

This has happened to me. The beer did eventually carbonate reasonably well. I believe that some commercial brewers who bottle condition their beers minimise the yeast sediment by making sure the beer is cleared before bottling, and then adding a small amount of fresh yeast to the batch at bottling time. This may be taken from the krausen during fermentation, or simply be a fresh yeast, often a different strain. So adding a little top cropped yeast or fresh yeast to the bottling bucket might provide a solution?

[IPA]

minimise the yeast sediment by making sure the beer is cleared before bottling

The beer should always be bright before bottling. It might be clear to the naked eye but in nearly all circumstances, unless you have left it an exceptionally long time i.e. months, there will always be enough yeast to carbonate it. One of the most common mistakes made by novice brewers is to bottle too soon. A lot of commercial brewers who re-seed their beer do so with a different strain of yeast than that used to ferment it. They often filter the beer before re-seeding so that they can control the yeast cell count and even some times, apparently, they use a bottom working yeast to carbonate a top fermented beer.

[jimpy0]

minimise the yeast sediment by making sure the beer is cleared before bottling

The beer should always be bright before bottling. It might be clear to the naked eye but in nearly all circumstances, unless you have left it an exceptionally long time i.e. months, there will always be enough yeast to carbonate it. One of the most common mistakes made by novice brewers is to bottle too soon. A lot of commercial brewers who re-seed their beer do so with a different strain of yeast than that used to ferment it. They often filter the beer before re-seeding so that they can control the yeast cell count and even some times, apparently, they use a bottom working yeast to carbonate a top fermented beer.

doesnt re-yeasting etc potentially throw off odd flavours

[Clibit]

I don't think so. Only a small amount of yeast is used, and a small amount of priming sugar.