Exploding Beer :-(

[alhenderson]

I recently brewed a batch of Coopers Canadian Blonde recently and bottled it about 4/5 weeks ago. I used a mixture of Kilner bottles (1.5 litres) and re-used 500ml beer bottles. I went to get some out for a BBQ on Saturday and found that 5 of my Kilner bottles had exploded and there was a significant amount of beer sloshing around in the bottom of my plastic tub.

I was wondering if this is more likely to be down to the bottles not coping (I have used them before for American Pale Ale) or if I did something wrong somewhere. Maybe I bottled too soon (although the SG remained unchanged for 2 days)? I think I added the right amount of brew enhancer...

This brew is a lot livelier than the ones I have done in the past, get a good sized head when I pour - maybe the bottles weren't up to handling this type of beer.. Incidentally, I'm not overly impressed with the flavour of this one, which is a shame, one of those things, I guess.

Would appreciate any thoughts that might help me avoid a similar situation again..

Cheers,
Al.

 

[Covrich]

what was the gravity when you bottled it ? how long in the FV and what priming rate did you use?

 

[alhenderson]

what was the gravity when you bottled it ? how long in the FV and what priming rate did you use?

All very good questions. Sadly the paperwork I had the SG readings on was in the plastic tub and has been ditched as it was sodden :-(

It was in the FV for about 8 days, I think, slightly longer than the 6 recommended in the instructions. I used 1kg of brew enhancer and batch primed in my barrel prior to bottling.

Al.

 

[BeardySi]

You primed with 1kg of brew enhancer?

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[alhenderson]

You primed with 1kg of brew enhancer?

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I *think* so - thought that was what the instructions said...

 

[Covrich]

I know the instructions say so but I would tend to leave them in the fermenter for longer, this allows the yeast to not only finish up but clean up off flavours and compounds produced during fermentation and drop out.

How much did you prime with?

For the record I did this kit too was I think one of my last ever kits I did (only did a hand full tbf) and I wasn't that impressed with it either. It was acceptable.

 

[alhenderson]

I know the instructions say so but I would tend to leave them in the fermenter for longer, this allows the yeast to not only finish up but clean up off flavours and compounds produced during fermentation and drop out.

How much did you prime with?

For the record I did this kit too was I think one of my last ever kits I did (only did a hand full tbf) and I wasn't that impressed with it either. It was acceptable.

I primed with the whole 1kg - cos the instructions said they recommend 1kg of brew enhancer 1. However, the bottling guide then says to prime at the rate of 8g/litre which is nowhere near 1kg (184g for 23 litres).

Out of interest, how much longer would you leave it, and is there anything else you are checking for when deciding how long to leave it? Or is it just experience and gut instinct?

Al.

 

[Covrich]

you should add 1 KG enhancer to the fermenter to ferment with

something like 184 although sounds quite high to me, would be what you prime with.. did you prime with that 1KG and bottle straight away???

A lot of people adopt the 2-2-2.. 2 weeks fermenter 2 weeks bottled in the warm and 2 weeks cold as a basis but after a few brews you get a bit of common sense.. I take 2 weeks minimum and usually bottle shortly after..

 

[MickDundee]

I primed with the whole 1kg - cos the instructions said they recommend 1kg of brew enhancer 1. However, the bottling guide then says to prime at the rate of 8g/litre which is nowhere near 1kg (184g for 23 litres).

Out of interest, how much longer would you leave it, and is there anything else you are checking for when deciding how long to leave it? Or is it just experience and gut instinct?

Al.

If you primed with 1kg for 23L I recommend getting protective clothing on and opening every single one of the remaining bottles! You've got about 10 volumes of CO2 in there!

 

[The Idiot]

I think there are hardened terrorists out there who would baulk at the idea of priming 23 litres with 1kg of enhancer!

 

[Sandimas]

So if you added 1kg enhancer to prime with, does that mean you didn't use any in the kit i.e. just made up 23L beer with just the kit and water? If so, that's why it tastes rubbish, those kits need an extra 1kg fermentables.

My rule-of-thumb, which is just repeating some of the above.
- ignore the kit instructions regarding timing, they are wildly ambitious
- ferment for between 2 and 3 weeks, bottle no earlier than Day14.
- don't bottle cloudy beer, wait for it to start to clear
- prime with 0.5 teaspoon per bottle, then 2 weeks in the warm to gas up
- followed by at least 2 weeks in the cool before the first sample

 

[alhenderson]

The kit didn't come with anything else, aside from the tin of malt and a packet of yeast. The instructions said they recommended 1kg of brew enhancer, and since I didn't see that mentioned in the instructions anywhere, I assumed that was for priming.

Should I have added that to the FV at some point and then primed with normal sugar?

Am I risking lots more exploding bottles by leaving them? Should I just ditch the lot?

Al.

 

[Brett74]

Yes, the 1 kg of brew enhancer should have gone in right at the start and then you pitch your yeast and let it completly ferment and then like most people say, let it sit a bit more and clean up. I have 2 kits at home now that will have been in the fermenter for 5 weeks when I get home. They where not ready to be bottle after 3 weeks even though there instructions mentioned 2 weeks as a guide.
Then before you bottle, add priming sugar, according to your style of beer, this info can be found in a priming calculator like brewers freind, here.
Someone else can correct me here but I think you are looking for about 2,1-2,7 as a CO2 volume for that beer. This put you at about 135grams of Dextrose or Corn sugar as the calc. refers to it, or 181grams of DME, enhancer is typically a mixture of these.
Welcome to the steep end of the learning curve!
As to what to to now, I am not sure, but I would send those bottles to my enemy and tell him to store them nice and warm in a place with carpets on the floor....
Chances are seeing as though you have not had the right amount of fermentables in the original wort, it still has alot of fermentables in it and is still fermenting. Putting them in a fridge would certainly slow that down but evetually if the bottles don't explode you are going to have a fairly messy situation when you open them.
Here is some more info on priming.

Good luck and let us know the outcome so we can all learn from it....and maybe laugh a little too! Wear safety glasses when handling them as glass shards are not your freind.

 

[alhenderson]

Yes, the 1 kg of brew enhancer should have gone in right at the start and then you pitch your yeast and let it completly ferment and then like most people say, let it sit a bit more and clean up. I have 2 kits at home now that will have been in the fermenter for 5 weeks when I get home. They where not ready to be bottle after 3 weeks even though there instructions mentioned 2 weeks as a guide.
Then before you bottle, add priming sugar, according to your style of beer, this info can be found in a priming calculator like brewers freind, here.
Someone else can correct me here but I think you are looking for about 2,1-2,7 as a CO2 volume for that beer. This put you at about 135grams of Dextrose or Corn sugar as the calc. refers to it, or 181grams of DME, enhancer is typically a mixture of these.
Welcome to the steep end of the learning curve!
As to what to to now, I am not sure, but I would send those bottles to my enemy and tell him to store them nice and warm in a place with carpets on the floor....
Chances are seeing as though you have not had the right amount of fermentables in the original wort, it still has alot of fermentables in it and is still fermenting. Putting them in a fridge would certainly slow that down but evetually if the bottles don't explode you are going to have a fairly messy situation when you open them.
Here is some more info on priming.

Good luck and let us know the outcome so we can all learn from it....and maybe laugh a little too! Wear safety glasses when handling them as glass shards are not your freind.

I'm now deciding whether it's safe to venture into the garage after two days of 30C temperatures :shock:

My first time brewing without one of the Youngs kits where they give you *everything* you need and very precise instructions, had to happen eventually! Disappointed as I now have to actually go out and buy beer for my summer BBQs :-(

Al.

 

[dad_of_jon]

The kit didn't come with anything else, aside from the tin of malt and a packet of yeast. The instructions said they recommended 1kg of brew enhancer, and since I didn't see that mentioned in the instructions anywhere, I assumed that was for priming.

Should I have added that to the FV at some point and then primed with normal sugar?

Am I risking lots more exploding bottles by leaving them? Should I just ditch the lot?

Al.

As previously mentioned the tin + 1kg of sugar or other fermentables go in together for 2 weeks. Then prime with around 120-180g fermentables in a bottling bucket and package. for around 23 litres. I used about 160g brewing sugar for 21 litres.

If you have a freezer in the garage put them in it for an hour to 90 minutes and then release the bottle top slowly, wearing goggles and gloves. somewhere that wont get ruined by gushing beer

 

[Sandimas]

alhenderson watch this, it'll show you how to make up a single-can kit
https://youtu.be/Jt3IGCxu6tk

If it's a 1-can kit, you need additional fermentables. 2-can kits generally come with all you need.

 

[LarryF]

With your remaining bottles it might be an idea to pour them all into a sterilized bucket/FV and then re-bottle into as many screw top bottles as you can as you can then relieve the pressure on the bottles on a regular basis until they stop trying to climb out of the bottle.

 

[alhenderson]

With your remaining bottles it might be an idea to pour them all into a sterilized bucket/FV and then re-bottle into as many screw top bottles as you can as you can then relieve the pressure on the bottles on a regular basis until they stop trying to climb out of the bottle.

Thanks for the hint, pretty good plan. Although from what I've tasted so far, I'm minded not to put too much effort into saving this batch, might just chalk it up to experience...

Al.

 

[Brett74]

If you have a spare bucket, why not just get it all back in there and leave it for a few weeks, reprime and bottle, might just be the best beer in the world !

 

[BeerisGOD]

Thanks for the hint, pretty good plan. Although from what I've tasted so far, I'm minded not to put too much effort into saving this batch, might just chalk it up to experience...

Al.

well said al. there's ways of saving it but unless you've got two FVs id just get another one going soon as, following darrells Craigtube link.

good luck