Is anyone else getting too much head?

Seriously..,

Are you kidding with that question?????? Or is it just me?

Too much head eh?



Cut back on priming sugar or make sure it's done fermenting.
Or are you kegging?

So far I have had a Porter, a RyePA and a WheatPA that did this to me.

Are these bottled or kegged?

Very easy to avoid when kegging. IF you get a keg that's over carbonated, you can actually do something about it and get it back to where it should be. Typically only takes a few days too. With bottles, you're pretty much boned. At best, you can try to get most into the glass and enjoy it once the carbonation level has gone back down towards normal. Or just use a HUGE glass so that it can contain the metric ton of foam coming from the bottle.

They are bottled, using the Northern Brewer priming sugar calculator (dextrose).

I have also tried cooling the glass to the same temp as the beer and pre-wetting it but I still get loads and loads of head.

How long are you chilling the bottle before opening? If you're not already, try a full week in the fridge. Also, use a room temp glass. You can try running cool/cold water into it, but I wouldn't chill the glass (effects the taste of the beer IME)...

BTW, how much sugar are you using in what size batch?? I would also try comparing the NB tool with the others out there.

No. Fortunately... unfortunately? And so it goes...

I had the same issue with the second batch I ever brewed. It was midwest's Newcastle clone extract kit and i used 5oz priming sugar on bottling day. Was over carbed in the first week and by week 2 was overflowing out the bottle uncontrollably when opened, and the beer itself had a weird off flavor aftertaste. I did everything to specifications so I'm assuming I got some type of infection. I clean and sanitize very well but back then use to keep my bottling bucket open when bottling. The only thing I could come up with was something got inside the bucket when I was bottling! Now I always cover with a lid after adding my priming sugar! And use caution!! By week 3 still was overflowing out the bottle but thought it was still drinkable so handed some out to friends! BIG MISTAKE!! One of my buddies was driving home with a few bottles and one exploded in his brand new truck!! Luckily was on the floor in the back seat so no one was hurt! But was a mess to clean! I went home and dumped the remaining 2 cases! I also use John palmers Nomograph to determine a more accurate amount of priming sugar to use. Here's a link!

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html

Maybe it's not done fermenting when you package it?
And YES, I can say with all honesty that I AM

kroach01 said:

Too much head eh?

Click to expand...

You could seriously have an infection. If it's happened with 3 batches in a row, it's even more likely, unless you've changed equipment. An infection acts exactly like this - the bacteria convert more sugars and the yeast use them to make more gas, and it gets overcarbed. Ultimately you can get bottle bombs, and you'll probably get an off-taste. The beer will still be drinkable though, depending on your taste.

Make sure your OG is stable before you bottle. (I'm assuming you don't keg, or you could monitor the pressure.)
Being a little off with the priming sugar won't do this - you'd have to be pretty far off, like using the full amount of sugar for a half-batch.
If the beer is cold, and has conditioned for 3 weeks or more, and the glass is cold, I'd clean everything thoroughly and replace all the plastic (or use a different system) for your next batch.

It is theoretically possible that it wasn't done fermenting as I only take my FG when I am ready to bottle but I always primary for at least 3 weeks and all my FG's have been really close to the estimated FG.

I'm pretty sure it isn't an issue with bottle conditioning. The Porter in the photo was brewed in April, bottled in June and has been in the fridge for 8 weeks now.

I also considered an infection but I'm not getting any off flavors. I've also brewed two Saison's and two Cream Ales that didn't have an issue. The only difference is all 3 foamy beers were done in my glass carboy and the others were done in plastic buckets. I hadn't made that connection before but that does seem like the one thing they have in common.