Gusher Bug??

So my last batch of beer came out very unevenly carbonated. Some beers are flat and some do nothing but fizz.

Do you guys think that is an infection? It sounds like it may be according to "How to Brew".


Could it possibly be an uneven distribution of the priming sugar though? I used 3/4 cup of corn sugar in 2 cups of water.

I have had a batch that did this. The important thing is how it tastes. Other than the carb issues how is it. If it was a bug it would probably impart some off-tastes

I had a batch do that as well - tasted great but I'm pretty sure I didn't mix it well enough when racking into the bottling bucket with the priming mixture. Had some that were just right and some that were all foam when opened.

I dont know, they taste good but are getting more bland I think than when they were first ready.

I have never mixed my beer and priming solution other than syphoning the beer into the bottling bucket. Is something else neccesary?

BrooZer said:

I have never mixed my beer and priming solution other than syphoning the beer into the bottling bucket. Is something else neccesary?

Click to expand...

That's likely your problem then. Even with two cups of water, the priming sugar solution is pretty thick and will sink to the bottom of the bucket. You have to very carefully but very thoroughly mix it evenly into the beer.

BrooZer said:

I dont know, they taste good but are getting more bland I think than when they were first ready.

I have never mixed my beer and priming solution other than syphoning the beer into the bottling bucket. Is something else neccesary?

Click to expand...

Unless they taste sour and dryer than normal, it's probably not an infection. I've had two infected batches...and every single bottle from each batch gushed, and they all tasted sour.

Given that some bottles are NOT gushers, I'm going to say that it's not an infection. If it were an infection, then it'd either be ALL the bottles, or just one or two, given that a normal rate of infection from an infection IN THE BOTTLES is pretty damned low if you're using standard sanitizing techniques.

I always always ALWAYS stir the beer once I've added the priming sugar, and then I re-stir it periodically during bottling, just to be sure. You don't have to worry about oxidation if you stir gently.

This happened on my first batch because I only used 1 cup of water and really didn't mix it. Now I have been laying the siphon at the bottom of my bucket so that the curve of the tube sits at the edge of the bucket. It creates a vortex and then I add my sugar solution, half at the begininng and half in the middle of filling. Seems to work pretty well on the past two batches.

woosterhoot said:

This happened on my first batch because I only used 1 cup of water and really didn't mix it. Now I have been laying the siphon at the bottom of my bucket so that the curve of the tube sits at the edge of the bucket. It creates a vortex and then I add my sugar solution, half at the begininng and half in the middle of filling. Seems to work pretty well on the past two batches.

Click to expand...

Yeah, what he said!

I've made lots and lots of beer- if you siphon it like that, no issues with uneven carbonation. I've had one gusher infection- and believe me, you'll know it if you have one! It's 3/4 foam shooting out of the bottle and sour tasting. If they taste good, it's not an infection.