SleepySamSlim
Grandmaster Brewer
So I've done 15 batches - the last 3 I've switched from extract+grains to a mini-mash. On the previous 12 batches I've always had very decent to strong carbonation at 3 weeks. And I'm brewing very middle of the road ales with OG's from 1.043 - 1.057 and I've been just ball parking the priming corn sugar at 3/4 cup to 1 cup. Most of the time its 3/4 cup plus 2 TB spoons to one pint of water -- boil 10 - 12 minutes. The beer is left to condition at around 60 - 65deg.
I bottled a mini-mash brown porter (OG 1.049 FG 1.016 IBU 21.7) 3 weeks ago. This is a minor tweak of JZ's brown porter from Brewing Classic Styles --- the taste is very good -- but at 2 weeks it was basically flat -- a week later there were slight signs of carbonation.
I bottled a mini-mash Nut Brown ale (OG 1.053 FG 1.013 IBU 18.2) 2 weeks ago. Basically a direct clone of TableRock's Nut Brown Ale - on this one I used only 3/4 cup corn sugar to be restrained. At 2 weeks it is mildly carbonated - but very mild - only a thin head etc.
I guess my big concern is the porter as its barely fizzy (have tried 2 bottles) - the nut brown may come along. This sounds dumb but does using less extract and more mashed grains (partial mash) have any affect on sugars - yeast - carbonation ?? Both fermentations were vigorous - about one week in primary and one week in secondary. And my wife (brew monkey) is a fantastic and experienced cook who measures and preps the priming mixture. Another dumb question -- can corn sugar age too long ?? This stuff may be 6 - 8 months old.
I'm baffled and on Sunday I'm going to bottle a mini-mash Southern English Ale which should be restrained ... but I may dump a full cup of corn sugar in. Argh .....
Both beers taste great - worse case I'll pick up a Tap-a-Draft and carb it a gallon or so at a time
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18291/102300/Tap-A-Draft_Homebrew_Setup
I bottled a mini-mash brown porter (OG 1.049 FG 1.016 IBU 21.7) 3 weeks ago. This is a minor tweak of JZ's brown porter from Brewing Classic Styles --- the taste is very good -- but at 2 weeks it was basically flat -- a week later there were slight signs of carbonation.
I bottled a mini-mash Nut Brown ale (OG 1.053 FG 1.013 IBU 18.2) 2 weeks ago. Basically a direct clone of TableRock's Nut Brown Ale - on this one I used only 3/4 cup corn sugar to be restrained. At 2 weeks it is mildly carbonated - but very mild - only a thin head etc.
I guess my big concern is the porter as its barely fizzy (have tried 2 bottles) - the nut brown may come along. This sounds dumb but does using less extract and more mashed grains (partial mash) have any affect on sugars - yeast - carbonation ?? Both fermentations were vigorous - about one week in primary and one week in secondary. And my wife (brew monkey) is a fantastic and experienced cook who measures and preps the priming mixture. Another dumb question -- can corn sugar age too long ?? This stuff may be 6 - 8 months old.
I'm baffled and on Sunday I'm going to bottle a mini-mash Southern English Ale which should be restrained ... but I may dump a full cup of corn sugar in. Argh .....
Both beers taste great - worse case I'll pick up a Tap-a-Draft and carb it a gallon or so at a time
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18291/102300/Tap-A-Draft_Homebrew_Setup