Yet another question for the experts

So after patiently waiting for 3 weeks for my first batch to bottle condition, I put some in the fridge for a couple of days to let them chill. After those two days, I was ready for my first beer. Grabbed a glass, bottle of beer, and bottle opener, proceeded to open my first triumph (or failure). As soon as I tried to open the bottle, the top 1/2 of an inch or so broke off of the bottle.

That beer was flat (but tasty, after running it through a coffee filter to make sure no little glass particles were there). So my first beer was a flop. Boo. What would cause that? Could I have over crimped the cap with my capper and damaged the glass? was it a bad bottle? Do I need to learn how to use a bottle opener? Any thoughts would be helpful as I am confused.

As a side note, beers 2 and 3 opened with a whoosh, no breakage, and were a delicious (though I am biased for sure) English Brown.

I think you need to work on your bottle opening technique....:cross:

I would say that the bottle was bad. As long as the rest are opening well and they taste good you should be good. Congrats on the first brew.

well either you wear a helmet to school or you got a little excited and couldn't hold your load

Do you remember what kind (brewery) of bottle it was. Sam Adams had a recall on some of theirs a while back due to the tops cracking and chipping.

I've had that happen with store bought commercial beers too, in the past. I reckon it was just a random fluke that it happened on your virgin brew. Drink another 300 and see if it happens again.

Now that I really come to think on it.....I've had quite a few commercial beers where I've had to watch out for broken glass!

I had a bottle bomb on my first batch, and none since. It wasn't infected, I think I bumped the bottle a little too hard while cleaning/sanitizing and must have cracked it without noticing. A few batches later I bumped a bottle hard on the counter so I threw it in the recycle bin rather than risk it.

I've had 2 or 3 bottles do the same thing. I suspect the cause in my case was too much force when capping (wing capper) weakened the bottle.

Well........ Did you try another? How was the beer?

Had to have been a bad bottle/bottles. I have gone to the recycle center and picked used bottles up that have been sitting out in the elements for lord knows how long and they didnt break. When i use to bottle i crimped the hell out of those bottles and never had any break.

I don't know what commercial brand it was, it was included by my LHBS with an equipment package purchase. It didn't have any distinguishing marks, just a plain brown bottle.