Small gusher, pour then flat

Got an AG batch, OG 1.052, FG 1.01, Blonde ale, s-05, 5 oz cane sugar, 3 weeks at 70, 1 week in fridge. The beer tastes fine but when I first open a bottle, I get a slight gusher. I pour slowly in a clean glass and initially I get some head but within a minute or 2 it pretty much is gone and there is a small amount of bubbles coming up but really the beer is pretty flat. Bottles were clean and used Star San to sanitize. I searched on "gusher, then flat" and read the posts but couldn't find anything exactly like this. It sounds like the CO2 is not fully absorbed into the liquid yet so I think it just needs more chilling time but I sure would like to hear your ideas too. Thanks!

not more chilling time, just more time @ 70...

3 weeks @ 70 is an "at least" measure... try one at 3 weeks, dont just throw them in the fridge.

It's good that it's flat after the gusher actually because it's not over-carbed. I usually keep all my bottles in the closet though and just throw a few that I plan on drinking in the fridge, when you cool them the yeast will stop so no more carbonation or aging after that point. I think the carbonation happens fairly quickly though and after that it aging is needed because of the newly produced by-products from natural carbing. Helps reduce foaming if the beer is ice cold. I have noticed at a certain point in natural carbing I had gushers too, back to normal after another week. I just figured not enough time in the fridge to cool it down.

I waited a few more days, put them in the fridge to check another couple bottles and the carbonation now is fine. Patience is tough in this hobby but I sure do like the end result.

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.


Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

Check out the video, more than likely your beer is exhibiting the same thing that poindexter's beer did at only one week. The carbonation hasn't "locked in" yet. A couple more weeks at or above 70 is probably needed.