# Soda home-brewers, can I save this batch?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soda-home-brewers-can-i-save-this-batch/384975>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** soda-softdrinks\
**Created:** [December 20, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soda-home-brewers-can-i-save-this-batch/384975 "2006-12-20T21:58:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soda-home-brewers-can-i-save-this-batch/384975/1 "2006-12-20T21:58:55Z")

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I just made my first batch of home-brewed soda (rootbeer this time). The recipe said for best flavor, to let it ferment at room temperature for 2 weeks and refrigerate for one. Its been a week and a half and we have no carbonation. I re-read the directions and they think room temperature is 76 degrees. My apartment has been closer to 65-70. I moved them closer to the living room heater last night (they were in the corner of my bedroom).

Will getting them warmer help, or is this batch just a bust? Is there a way to salvage it?

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**Author:** ![Ass\_Gasket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@Ass\_Gasket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ass_Gasket)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soda-home-brewers-can-i-save-this-batch/384975/2 "2006-12-20T22:09:02Z")

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Moving it to a lightly warmer spot will help. You can also wrap a towel or a tee-shirt around the fermentation vessel to help the yeast along.  
If, after a few days in a warmer location, there is still no activity, re-pitch the yeast. If there’s still no action (or mold), you may have not rinsed all the bleach/sanitizer out and the batch is ruined. :smack:

Good luck!