Muntons Gold range

[Craig]

I just finished a Muntons Gold Continental lager. This is the first brew i have made in the 20years i have been doing it, that I haven't put sugar in the fermentation process. I put the same amount of priming sugar I alway put in my brews, which always turn out fine. However this one didnt it was completely flat. Has anyone else had this problem with the gold range?

[Craig]

I think the sugar is mainly at the bottom, I just tipped one upside down and you can see the sugar residue float down.

[Mark]

Carbonating's a bitch this time of year, it gets too cold even in "warm" places. I'm having the same problems, it takes about a month for ales. Don't stress it though, it will get there eventually.

[Craig]

Do you use a 2nd fermentation? ie transfer into another sterile barrel after a few days? I read that this can reduce the yeast bit and produces a better beer. What your opinion? is it worth the trouble of transfering?

[James P]

In my experience transferring will produce a clearer beer, however it will probably take longer to carb up too.

[denimglen]

Nah, don't worry about it, unless you're aging longer than 5 weeks you're risking oxidation and infection during transfer, if you're leaving beers for about 4 weeks before bottling they should be pretty clear anyway.

[Mark]

I secondary ferment, but the debate rages over whether it's worth the effort. Personally, being a bottler rather than a kegger, I find it clears up the beers quite a bit to give it a stint in a carboy.

It may also help if you dissolve the carbonation sugar before adding, sounds like the granules are still floating around in the bottle.

[HerrSchnapps]

My 2c. This has given us even, controlled carbonation, and pretty clear beer. YMMV

Rinse a saucepan, chuck it on some scales and add the required amount of sugar for the beer (we use about 60g for 21L (bottled) for low-carbonated beer, up to 100g+). Add enough water for the sugar to dissolve; bring to boil for 5-10 mins. Chuck lid on, put in sink and cool it down by running cold water around it. Tip into sanitised carboy/bucket. Rack beer from fermenter onto the sugar solution. Bottle. Leave in warm place for about 2 weeks, then into the garage to cool down and the yeast to drop out and cake. Beer will be perfect after at least a week.

No secondary fermentation required :)