Cracked Bottles

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txbrewer10

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Hey all -

I bottled my first brew around about 3 weeks ago. Last week, I put some bottles in the fridge for a couple of days to give it a taste test. I started to notice that the bottles in the fridge were getting cracks in them. I looked at the bottles still in the closet and noticed the majority of those also had cracks in them. We are talking hair line cracks forming vertically on the bottle. I was afraid that they were overly carbonated so I opened the ones in the fridge carefully. They were not overly carbonated and actually had a perfect amount of carbonation in them. I threw some other cracked bottles in the fridge, tried them out tonight and these were not overly carbonated either.

I followed the instructions perfectly (mixed the priming sugar in with the brew) when bottling and have not been rough with the bottles either. These were brand new 22oz bombers purchased from the LHBS that the only thing I had done with them was sanitize with a diluted bleach solution. Since these beers were not bottle bombs or overly carbonated, does anyone have any idea why the brand new bottles would be cracking like this? :confused: Would they be safe to use for future uses if no glass has physically been chipping off the bottles?

Thanks for the help!
 
It could be that those bottles are not rated to carbonate in like growlers are not. I wouldnt use them to carb again with cracks in them, its just asking for trouble.
 
Did you notice any cracks when you bought them? They might be factory seconds or outright rejects he got cheap to make a profit on. I'd show a couple to them.
 
Many bottles have casting lines that go vertically from top to bottom. Don't mistake these for cracks.

I started inspecting all my bottles carefully after having bottled for several years. Some of my older bottles were cracked from top to bottom. I consider myself lucky that they hadn't exploded.

I inspect all bottles closely now by holding them up to a light before sanitizing on bottling day. I find small stress cracks around the necks, full length cracks on the bodies and small cracks around the sealing surfaces of the opening. These bottles get recycled. I've found ~ 3/10 Sam Adams bottles are cracked right after their first use.

My advice, drink these normally and dispose of the cracked bottles as you find them. Good on you to notice them, it took me years to start inspecting closely.
 
I can't believe they would crack from C02 pressure and not go ahead and just blow up. Something else is in play here.

Rick
 
It could be that those bottles are not rated to carbonate in like growlers are not. I wouldnt use them to carb again with cracks in them, its just asking for trouble.

why would they sell me bottles not rated for carbing when they knew my purpose? :confused:

Could be the bottle capper. What do you use?

Just the two lever capper. I have noticed many around around the neck/stem area.
 
The 22 oz bottles I got are junk. They are the only bottles that have ever broken on me and when I looked at the thickness of the broken glass, I know why. Super thin, scary thin.

They weren't cheap either!
 
I got all my bomber bottles off of beers bought at Trader Joes. Niice and thick. I would bring a few back to your LHBS. Let them know what happened on first use so they can address their supplier if they are dangerous.
 
why would they sell me bottles not rated for carbing when they knew my purpose? :confused:



Just the two lever capper. I have noticed many around around the neck/stem area.

I just went and checked my most recent brew. Altbier with 1% alc boost, made as per published recipe ( Austin Homebrew). After 10 days in bottle, at least one bottle has a horizontal curved crack, easily felt on the outside or the bottle. Opened it at room temp, very carbonated, persisten tall head. Tastes a bit rich, but otherwise OK. I guess the questions are: 1) can "over carbed" beer crack bottles? 2) are these just bad bottles, and if so, is there some way to weed them out before we bottle?
 
I just went and checked my most recent brew. Altbier with 1% alc boost, made as per published recipe ( Austin Homebrew). After 10 days in bottle, at least one bottle has a horizontal curved crack, easily felt on the outside or the bottle. Opened it at room temp, very carbonated, persisten tall head. Tastes a bit rich, but otherwise OK. I guess the questions are: 1) can "over carbed" beer crack bottles? 2) are these just bad bottles, and if so, is there some way to weed them out before we bottle?

Over carbed beer can not only crack bottles but can cause them to explode. Where did you get the bottles?
 
Over carbed beer can not only crack bottles but can cause them to explode. Where did you get the bottles?

all my bottles are my own sierra nevada empties, handled gently. No excessive mojo to apply caps,no caps bulging, no excessive carb when opened. Beer seems quite fine. I saw on "How its made" that factories use black light to detect cracked bottle. I'm going to get out my old poster light (now there's a blast from the past!) and see if I can find any more defects.
 
Just wondering, didn't notice a mention of this. How long was the beer in the fermenter?

10 days primary, 10 days plastic carboy, then bottled. The partcular recipe I used was one designed to ferment and card rapidly from Austin Homebrew.
 
I'm going to second the casting lines opinion. This isn't a multi-layered windshield we are talking about. If it were truly a crack, it would have busted under pressure already.
 
I'm going to second the casting lines opinion. This isn't a multi-layered windshield we are talking about. If it were truly a crack, it would have busted under pressure already.

I respectfully submit that in my case, this bottle has a partial crack. The defect is easily felt. I'm suprised it didn't just pop as well. My best guess is that some kind of pre-existing defect was just exposed by the stress of handling. I will try to make a photog and post it for your inspection. I will not re-use this bottle.
 
I've found a lot of bottles with this problem; vertical indications down the neck. Certainly looks like cracks. I don't know if the bottles are made that way or if the cracks develop with pressure cycles (fatigue cracks).

I just toss them out. Gives me an excuse to drink more commercial beer to replace the bottles.

I've found a lot of bottles with this problem, dozens, maybe a 100, but I have never had a bottle break in this area. I'm suspecting it is an indication from the manufacturing process and not a real problem.
 
Calder said:
I've found a lot of bottles with this problem; vertical indications down the neck. Certainly looks like cracks. I don't know if the bottles are made that way or if the cracks develop with pressure cycles (fatigue cracks).

I just toss them out. Gives me an excuse to drink more commercial beer to replace the bottles.

I've found a lot of bottles with this problem, dozens, maybe a 100, but I have never had a bottle break in this area. I'm suspecting it is an indication from the manufacturing process and not a real problem.

A lot of cracks in the neck area can be attributed to a two hand capper.
 
I've found a lot of bottles with this problem; vertical indications down the neck. Certainly looks like cracks. I don't know if the bottles are made that way or if the cracks develop with pressure cycles (fatigue cracks).

I just toss them out. Gives me an excuse to drink more commercial beer to replace the bottles.

I've found a lot of bottles with this problem, dozens, maybe a 100, but I have never had a bottle break in this area. I'm suspecting it is an indication from the manufacturing process and not a real problem.

that's kinda what I was thinking
 
Is it possible the bottles don't seem over-carbed because the cracks bled out co2? I.e., that they would have been bottle bombs if they hadn't cracked first?
 
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