I've had a beer stall during carbonation, and I'm trying to determine what's the more likely cause -- temperature being too low, or kicked yeast struggling in a high-gravity beer. The beer itself is a 9% Stout (http://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/the-slow-escape/brew-logs/105490).
It's been in the bottle for about 4 weeks, and it is ever-so-slightly carbonated right now, the bottles hiss when opened, but it is not enough carbonation to make it pleasant to drink. I am fairly sure that I added enough priming sugar, so the cause for the stalled carbonation is most likely either temperature, or an exhausted yeast that can't get going in such a high-alcohol beer.
I'm in New Jersey and with the winter hitting right around now, it's not impossible that the temperature has been a bit low. My thermostat's been set at 70 degrees but it is on a timer and goes lower at night.
However I'm thinking that since there's some carbonation, it indicates that the conditions were good enough to get going but the yeast is just kicked. I brewed this as a special Christmas beer so I'd like to take the little time left to try to get it drinkable by the holiday.
Any suggestions? And, thanks.