None of my brews are carbonating

[loffler]

I have done 5 AG brews now and have bottled 3 of them and kegged 2.
The ones in the keg are great when force carbonated but the ones I have bottled always turn out flat.
The first one i bottled I left in primary for 1 week, then racked to secondary and used finings so wasnt too surprised they were flat. That was primed with brown sugar I think.
The second one I bottled, I went straight from FV to bottle after 7 days. I used 1 coopers carbonation drop per pint bottle and after 3 weeks, they are still not fizzy.
I am using S04 and did notice that there was no sediment after a week in secondary so must have all dropped out at primary.

Any Ideas why this is happening and what I can do to resolve it other than adding yeast when I bottle?

Thanks

[adm]

Also - to add to Chris's advice, if you are using the Coopers drops, you need more than 1 for each 500ml bottle. They are particularly unhelpful as they state to use one for a 330ml bottle, and two for a 750ml!

I have succesfully used 1.5 per 500ml bottle. They split fairly cleanly into halves if you just use a hefty pair of scissors on them. Wrap your hand around the scissors when you cut them so the bits don't fly into separate counties.

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Also - to add to Chris's advice, if you are using the Coopers drops, you need more than 1 for each 500ml bottle. They are particularly unhelpful as they state to use one for a 330ml bottle, and two for a 750ml!

I have succesfully used 1.5 per 500ml bottle. They split fairly cleanly into halves if you just use a hefty pair of scissors on them. Wrap your hand around the scissors when you cut them so the bits don't fly into separate counties.

I've always used sugar and after bottling kept in a warm (19c) place for 2 weeks then chill slightly...Never had a problem.
John

[monk]

I had a similar issue with a london pride clone I brewed--used S-04 and left it for a long time. The water was distilled so the calcium level was 0. It was as clear as water but took about a month to fully carbonate. Never understood why until now.

[loffler]

It must be something to do with the S04 and/or the water I use.
I use tap water and the kit yeast for my kit brews and when I bottle them I always get really good carbonation so know its not my caps or capper.

When I AG brew, I use spring water from Lidl and S04 and on each occasion I get no carbonation - even after only 1 week in primary. I will leave it for another few weeks to see if it develops.
Pretty sure there is no yeast in the bottles though as there is zero sediment in the bottom of the bottle when I pour it out.

Got a few packets of nottingham and windsor so will try them out next with tap water.

In the meantime, what is the best way to carbonate flat beer from bottles?
Can I pour the contents into a PET bottle and carbonate with my widget cylinder or can I pour all the bottles into my cornie keg and force cabonate.
Either way I will get some oxidisation but surely doing it per bottle would minimise the problem as it will be drunk right away!
Any thoughts?

[booldawg]

I'd make a yeast starter from a fresh sachet of yeast in about 500ml of water with 4 x teaspoons of spraymalt. Leave to to get underway overnight and then using a syringe put 5ml in each bottle. Its not really a problem re-capping the bottles as it sounds like it hasnt carbonated anyway.

If you're making a brew imminently then you could use some fresh, cooled wort and pitch your fresh yeast into that rather than using the spraymalt solution.