Lively Bottles and Sediment

[BeginnerBrew]

Evening All,

I recently brewed some lager - first in a basic fermenting bin, then bottling with a bit of sugar. It's now about 4 weeks after bottling and the beer looks very clear until I open a bottle. At this point all of the bubbles cause the sediment to be disturbed and a short while later the whole bottle has gone cloudy.

It looks like I may have put too much sugar in while bottling - the bottles aren't excessively fizzy, in that they don't overflow on opening, but they do fizz slowly and continuously for ages once opened.

Is there any way to rescue these bottles? Do I perhaps open them up to let them liven up, then close them up and let the sediment settle again? I've tried this on a couple of bottles and a day later they are still cloudy.

Many thanks for any rescue remedies.
BB.

 

[A T]

Are you not pouring the beer into a glass? you can't drink bottled conditioned beer from a bottle and really you should be pouring it as soon as you open it. How much sugar did you prime the bottles with?

 

[Aleman]

Chill the bottles, then open them and decant into a jug as soon as you open them . . . . then pour into a glass

 

[BeginnerBrew]

Are you not pouring the beer into a glass? you can't drink bottled conditioned beer from a bottle and really you should be pouring it as soon as you open it. How much sugar did you prime the bottles with?

Thanks for the reply. Yes I'm pouring the bottle into a glass, the trouble is that it the sediment seemed to rise and mix quite quickly (certainly before I had poured into the glass). I haven't tried pouring immediately after opening the bottles, however - if it's normal to have to pour it very quickly after opening then I haven't tried this.

I put in 1tsp of sugar per 1l bottle, however I did leave a fair bit of space at the top of each bottle.

Thanks,
BB.

 

[BeginnerBrew]

Chill the bottles, then open them and decant into a jug as soon as you open them . . . . then pour into a glass

Thanks, it sounds like I may have sat and watched what happened after opening rather than racing to get the bottle poured out.

 

[Parva]

As Aleman said, get them chilled before you open them, it makes a world of difference. Put them into the freezer for an hour if necessary.

 

[jamesb]

Just out of interest, what kit was it - and do you know what yeast it was?

 

[topconker]

Sounds like a tad too much priming sugar into a green beer.
How much yeast deposit is there in the bottom of the bottles?
As for space in the bottom, always look for an inch, no more.
Chilling the beer will not stop the yeast rising, just slow down the bead.
My advice is to always leave a beer to clear under airlock for at least 2 weeks which ensures you dont get too much yeast carried over into the bottle. Dont worry, there will be more than enough yeast to start a secondary fermentation, and dont drink it too quickly, I used to leave IPAs for at least 3 months before opening, (if you can)!!!!
TC

 

[leondz]

Just out of interest, what's the bottle-from-keg procedure?

 

[BeginnerBrew]

Just out of interest, what kit was it - and do you know what yeast it was?

It was a John Bull's lager kit.

Thanks for all the advice folks, hopefully the rest won't come out as bad as the first couple of bottles.

BB.

 

[tubby_shaw]

Sounds like a tad too much priming sugar into a green beer.
How much yeast deposit is there in the bottom of the bottles?
As for space in the bottom, always look for an inch, no more.
Chilling the beer will not stop the yeast rising, just slow down the bead.
Which will slow down the rate of clouding as the CO2 is lifting the yeast off of the bottom of the bottle
My advice is to always leave a beer to clear under airlock for at least 2 weeks
Err from your post why use bubblers it read as though you despised airlocks as the devils spawn :wha: which ensures you dont get too much yeast carried over into the bottle. Dont worry, there will be more than enough yeast to start a secondary fermentation, and dont drink it too quickly, I used to leave IPAs for at least 3 months before opening, (if you can)!!!!
TC

 

[Aleman]

Sounds like a tad too much priming sugar into a green beer.
How much yeast deposit is there in the bottom of the bottles?
As for space in the bottom, always look for an inch, no more.
Chilling the beer will not stop the yeast rising, just slow down the bead.

Which will slow down the rate of clouding as the CO2 is lifting the yeast off of the bottom of the bottle

Actually its a little more than that. The yeast cells will provide a nucleation point at which CO2 bubbles will form . . . the more readily the CO2 comes out of solution the more the yeast will be lifted from the bottom as the yeast cells stick to the bubbles once they form. As TS knows the colder the beer the less CO2 will come out of solution . . . which means less yeast will be lifted from the bottom of the bottle.

Science doesn't make better beer . . . but understanding some basic scientific principles helps solve some problems

 

[topconker]

Err from your post why use bubblers it read as though you despised airlocks as the devils spawn

Phew, certainly stirred em up eh.
No sir you incorrect, I do not despise airlocks, I suggest they are not required during the initial fermentation, get it right.
All beers should be rested under airlock , and for a lot longer than has been suggested on the forum.

Which will slow down the rate of clouding as the CO2 is lifting the yeast off of the bottom of the bottle

Which does not fix the problem initially put, it purely slows the process down.
A properly made, matured, primed and bottled beer has not and will not have a heavy yeast sediment which wjhat the problem is.
Care to disagree??????
TC

 

[topconker]

Appologies for the typos
TC

 

[Aleman]

Which does not fix the problem initially put, it purely slows the process down.
A properly made, matured, primed and bottled beer has not and will not have a heavy yeast sediment which wjhat the problem is.
Care to disagree??????
TC

But the OP has a problem, what you are suggesting is to ditch the beer cause its not made properly and do it properly next time . . . I've suggested a solution to his problem now . . . not in 2 or three months

 

[topconker]

But the OP has a problem, what you are suggesting is to ditch the beer cause its not made properly and do it properly next time . . . I've suggested a solution to his problem now . . . not in 2 or three months

Not at all Alemen, never suggested to ditch the beer, once made and bottled the job's done.
My suggestion is to learn by the mistake/probvlem and not do the same again.
Nevr though away good beer, just dont make the same mistake again.
TC

 

[tubby_shaw]

Just out of interest, what's the bottle-from-keg procedure?

A simple answer is to chill your beer as cold as possible, sanitise, rinse and chill your bottles, fill slowly to avoid fobbing and cap asap :thumb: