Potentially embarrassing bottle bomb query

[Monkhouse]

Ok here goes. I’m no newbie but I’ve potentially just made a rookie error.
Recipe: Belgian quad
9.97kg fermentables
24l batch size
OG 1.097
Potential fg of 1.022 according to Brewfather

I used 4 packs of T-58 dry yeast
Fermentation temp was 21c
Fermented for 2 weeks and bottled this today.
Here’s the kicker- I was expecting an abv of circa 10%abv
I stupidly did NOT check fg UNTIL I bottled this today (I usually drop the hydrometer into fv a few days prior to bottling.
My fg was only down to 1.028 giving me an abv of around 8.8%
Because I was expecting 10% I used f-2 bottling yeast to aid carbonation.
Used one 3.5g carbonation drop per 500ml bottle
Have I inadvertently created bottle bombs??
Is T-58 generally medium attenuating??

Please go easy on me

 

[The Baron]

The yeast is supposed to attenuate @ 70% I believe and it looks to me as it has already done about that so it may have got there and thats why it is at 1.028.
If you are unsure put them in crates and place a towel or something similar over the top then try one in a week and see if it is overcarbing in which case you can release the pressure and re-cap

 

[Caramel Ox]

Your primary may have been limited by the alcohol tolerance of t58, and you have then put another yeast with higher tolerance. So I think it could be a problem- what sort of bottles? Can you leave them with a tiny opening?

Have you made an all grain quad with no sugars?

 

[Monkhouse]

I can’t do that with crown caps. I’ve used mcewans champion bottles which are strong to be fair.
I used 1.1kg of dark Candi aswel as around 8.8kg grain

 

[Clarence]

I can’t do that with crown caps. I’ve used mcewans champion bottles which are strong to be fair.
I used 1.1kg of dark Candi aswel as around 8.8kg grain

Yes you can, @Monkhouse, I've done it a couple of times. You just lift the edge of the caps with a bottle opener until it starts fizzing and farting. After half an hour, you crimp them back down with your crown corker. I think a week's a bit early. Try one and if it's ok, then assume the others are ok. Do this every week over an extended period until you're happy all is well. (Using a different bottle each tie, of course.)

 

[Sadfield]

Yeast consume sugar in order of complexity, the simplest first, maltotriose last. F-2 works as a bottling yeast as it assimilates the simple priming sugar and very little, to none of the remaining maltotriose in the fermented beer.

IIRC F-2 is also a killer yeast, so may prevent T-58 from fermenting further.

This means you may be OK, providing the T-58 stalled trying to assimilate the maltotriose.

 

[Monkhouse]

Yes you can, @Monkhouse, I've done it a couple of times. You just lift the edge of the caps with a bottle opener until it starts fizzing and farting. After half an hour, you crimp them back down with your crown corker. I think a week's a bit early. Try one and if it's ok, then assume the others are ok. Do this every week over an extended period until you're happy all is well. (Using a different bottle each tie, of course.)

Cheers Clarence. Yeah I’ll do this. Hopefully I’m worrying over nothing but I dont think I’ll be using t-58 for +9% beers again!

 

[Sadfield]

https://fermentis.com/en/product/safale-t-58/

 

[MashBag]

Yes you can, @Monkhouse, I've done it a couple of times. You just lift the edge of the caps with a bottle opener until it starts fizzing and farting. After half an hour, you crimp them back down with your crown corker. I think a week's a bit early. Try one and if it's ok, then assume the others are ok. Do this every week over an extended period until you're happy all is well. (Using a different bottle each tie, of course.)

Absolutely. I recycle mine and use them a few times.

To the OP: keep an eye, it is a terrible thing, but you may have to start drinking this early

 

[Caramel Ox]

You could do a forced fermentation test using one bottle left open somewhere warmer than the rest of the batch. Then you could keep track of the gravity and know if you need to do anything with the rest of the bottles.

 

[Monkhouse]

You could do a forced fermentation test using one bottle left open somewhere warmer than the rest of the batch. Then you could keep track of the gravity and know if you need to do anything with the rest of the bottles.

Right now all the bottles are contained in my carbonation cabinet which is heated to 23c.
When I get home from work I’ll check one by lifting the edge of a crown cap up. I’ll let you know

 

[Monkhouse]

So I teased up the edge of a crown and heard a slight hiss and saw bubbles rising in the bottle… not sure tbh where to go with this one…
Releasing the pressure every day in every one of the 48 bottles seems excessive plus how will I know when to stop? I may end up with flat beer this way if I go too far right?

 

[Sadfield]

@Caramel Ox suggestion is the way to go. Force one to carb quicker to see if there is an issue. Put the rest somewhere cool in the meantime to slow carbonation.

 

[Monkhouse]

Unfortunately the lowest temp I can get is around 19c atm. My set up is in the cellar, bottles conditioning and storing go under the pavements cellar grate behind a window so to speak. The carbonation cabinet is a cupboard set at whatever temp (higher than room temp) I cannot chill.

 

[Clarence]

So I teased up the edge of a crown and heard a slight hiss and saw bubbles rising in the bottle… not sure tbh where to go with this one…
Releasing the pressure every day in every one of the 48 bottles seems excessive plus how will I know when to stop? I may end up with flat beer this way if I go too far right?

Give it a couple of days and then try another one. If it gushes, you'll have to do the all and you'll know you have indeed got a problem. If it doesn't, try another one at after a further few days.
If you've got a problem, you'll have to play it by ear and salvage what you can. I might be inclined to loosen all the caps and leave them loose for a week before cramping them all down again. It's not brewing science, it's trial and error.
venting all 48 every day isn't a practical solution as you suggest.
@Caramel Ox suggestion is all very good, but if you do find you've got a problem, you've still got to deal with it.

 

[Monkhouse]

Give it a couple of days and then try another one. If it gushes, you'll have to do the all and you'll know you have indeed got a problem. If it doesn't, try another one at after a further few days.
If you've got a problem, you'll have to play it by ear and salvage what you can. I might be inclined to loosen all the caps and leave them loose for a week before cramping them all down again. It's not brewing science, it's trial and error.
venting all 48 every day isn't a practical solution as you suggest.
@Caramel Ox suggestion is all very good, but if you do find you've got a problem, you've still got to deal with it.

If I left them loose for a week surely the beer would oxidise? Also how do you mean loose? When I teased up the edge and let it hiss I just let it seat back again I didn’t re-crimp the cap- I’m assuming this has completely re sealed anyway as I didn’t miss shape the cap in any way..

 

[Clarence]

If I left them loose for a week surely the beer would oxidise? Also how do you mean loose? When I teased up the edge and let it hiss I just let it seat back again I didn’t re-crimp the cap- I’m assuming this has completely re sealed anyway as I didn’t miss shape the cap in any way..

No it won't oxidise for the very reason you state above, but it does need to be re-crimped as any build up of pressure will lift the edge again and vent itself. It's a bit like a spring seal, the springiness of the cap is secured by most of its circumference,which is tightly crimped, while, say, a third of the cap is a bit looser. It'll stay in place until sufficient pressure builds to lift that edge again and vent the gas. It;s trial and error rather than measurable science. But there may be better ways.
You didn't mis-shape the surface of the cap, but you loosened the crenelations so they don't grasp the underside of the bottle's lip as tightly as they did.

 

[Monkhouse]

No it won't oxidise for the very reason you state above, but it does need to be re-crimped as any build up of pressure will lift the edge again and vent itself. It's a bit like a spring seal, the springiness of the cap is secured by most of its circumference,which is tightly crimped, while, say, a third of the cap is a bit looser. It'll stay in place until sufficient pressure builds to lift that edge again and vent the gas. It;s trial and error rather than measurable science. But there may be better ways.
You didn't mis-shape the surface of the cap, but you loosened the crenelations so they don't grasp the underside of the bottle's lip as tightly as they did.

I think I’m with ya. I’ll put 2 bottles into 23c and the rest room temp and check probably tomorrow. If necessary I’ll do as you say and slightly open the cap for a few days

 

[Monkhouse]

#UpDaTe

So it’s been a week since this beer was bottled. I’m happy to report zero bottle bombs! Also the beer is not overly carbonated at all, basically it’s at the same level of carbonation as any of my other beers at this stage.
But…. This beer is overly sweet. Pretty obvious by the high finishing gravity I guess. I’m confused though as to why the bottles arnt over carbonating when it’s clearly an overly sweet beer?
Has this beer got any hope?

 

[MashBag]

Beer wll be fine. The mash imo has produced unfermentable sugars. So it tastes sweet. But that might change. Bottle conditioned beer is live.

Might be best to get it at the top of the list and get it drunk. Terrible job but someone's got to do it