Low and slow carbonation ???

[quiff]

Quick question guys, I did a lager kit nearly a year ago now and as I didn't have any bottles I let it condition in demijohns. I eventually got around to bottling it in july
I added half a sachet of s-o4 when priming (I did a starter to ensure the yeast was active) but the beer is still not fully carbonated and tastes a little sweet, unsurprisingly. Normally I would assume that I didn't use enough yeast when priming but a previous kit I did took a good year to carbonate as well and I bottled that straight from a 10 day old primary. (It tastes great now by the way )
Anybody any ideas what the problem could be? I'm about to start my first AG and don't want to be waiting a year to drink it !!
Could it simply be that I'm not allowing enough headspace when bottling?

[6470zzy]

What sort of temperature are you keeping your bottles at as they condition? Also just how much headspace are you allowing when you fill the bottles and how much sugar (and what sort) are you using?

Cheers

[quiff]

Hey 0zzy,
I used standard white granulated sugar to prime. For the first week or so I kept them at about 22 degrees then moved them to a cooler place, about 18 -19 degrees.
I used a bottling stick so whatever the stick displaced but then I did top the bottles up a tad so I guess maybe half the volume of the bottling stick.

[6470zzy]

I like to start my bottle conditioning at 27 for 10 days and perhaps about 3 cm headspace in a 500ml bottle. In writing this I realized that we didn't touch on the quantity of priming sugar that you are using.

http://www.geocities.com/lesjudith/Alco ... lator.html

Give this calculator a go and see how you do.

Cheers

[quiff]

Nice link, thanks a lot
I used 3oz which does come out low on the calculator but it is the same amount that I used in the previous kit which is now great??
Also the sweetness in the beer would tend to suggest that the sugar that is there hasn't been converted wouldn't it?

[6470zzy]

Sweetness suggests the presence of sugar yes, But not all types of sugars are as readily fermantable as others: case in point
maltotriose. I shall save my fingers from their poor typing skills and give you another link.

http://www.mbaa.com/TechQuarterly/Abstr ... 3-0265.htm


Its an informative read....... Cheers