bottling after fermenting with US-04.

[blueberry]

Anyone have problems with bottle conditioning after fermenting with US-04? The yeast cake is so solid I'm wondering if adding more yeast at bottling would do the trick. Its been a couple weeks after I bottled an Ordinary Bitter. It tastes great but still hasn't carbonated very well? I added enough dextrose to bring it to 1.5 volumes.

[Nyakavt]

How long has it been there, and at what temperature? Have you tasted other beers with that level of carbonation? 1.5 volumes isn't a ton more than a hydrometer sample.

[11amas]

I don't think you have a problem if you bottled within a week of the end of fermentation (JZ just posted this in another thread, trust the Pope). Sure, a hefe or kolsch yeast is a low floc, the US04 is high but I still think you have plenty in suspension of either yeast. The bigger concern might be for an unhealthy situation: long time, low initial pitch, low nutrients, not enough O2 at the beginning, high %alcohol. I have never added yeast back to a batch I have bottle conditioned; even a 9% xmas ale with US04, not a problem yet although I mostly keg now. That's just me though.

Personally, I think you are over analyzing things. Did JZ say "there will be plenty of yeast available given good conditions...except with a highly flocculating yeast"? No, he made no mention of flocculation. I don't assume he is ignorant to flocculation, nor would I recommend you assume that; he is the Pope!