Tips To Prevent Flat, Non-Carbonated Homebrewed Beer

In a previous blog post, we talked about how to prevent over-carbonation when homebrewing beer. Over-carbonation can affect beer in a number of ways, including the creation of certain ‘off’ flavors and changing its body/texture. This week, we’re going to take this topic in a different direction by discussing some tips on how to prevent flat, non-carbonated beer.

While carbonation levels vary depending on the particular brew, a well-brewed beer should possess a naturally carbonated body that foams and bubbles. From the moment you pour a glass, you should see a light layer of bubbly foam resting on the surface, which is a clear indicator of carbonation. If you do not see this layer on your beer, there’s a good chance it’s suffering from under-carbonation.

Patience Is a Virtue

The single most common reason why some brewers experience difficulty trying to carbonate their beer is because they attempt to drink it prematurely. Carbonation isn’t something that happens overnight; instead, it takes around 1-2 weeks (sometimes as much as 3 weeks) for the yeast to convert the sugars into alcohol, which in turn leads to carbonation.

If you’re struggling to create a well-carbonated brew, try waiting a little bit longer to see what happens. Hopefully, the additional fermentation allows the beer to develop greater carbonation levels.

Priming Sugar

Another technique I’ve learned that’s helpful for creating higher carbonation levels in homebrew beer is to use priming sugar immediately before bottling. Far too many brewers underestimate the importance of priming sugar, which ultimately leads to lower alcohol levels along with lower carbonation. You can prevent this from happening, however, by following your brew’s instructions and using the precise amount of priming sugar.

Note: you should only use the amount of priming sugar that’s specified in your brew’s instructions. Going overboard with your sugar will only create further problems, including unwanted flavors. If you are brewing beer without a set of ingredients and step-by-step instructions, a good rule of thumb is to add about 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar for every 23 liters.

Refrigerate Your Beer

After leaving your beer in a dark, cool place for 2-3 weeks, it should possess strong carbonation levels (which is a good thing!). To help preserve these beneficial qualities, you can move your homebrewed beer into the refrigerator. The cool temperatures will prevent unwanted chemical reactions from occurring, which in turn keeps the beer carbonated. Besides, I think we can all agree that an ice-cold beer beats a lukewarm beer.