Am I going to have a beer smelling apartment?

Ok So Sunday my buddy(roomate) and I both got our first beer kits. We both brewed beers of similar OGs on the same day(one after another) Mine was 1.044 and is now 1.018(it dropped to 1.020 the first 23 hours) and his started at 1.042 and was 1.020 also today. I come home from class, and since his hydrometer has read 1.020 the past 2 days, he decided to bottle it, when its only been a bit over 72 hours. To his credit the reading was still 2 days in a row, but its only been 72 hours! Are all of his bottles going to explode and make a mess that I will likely have to help clean? The yeast was muntons which I have heard yields low attenuation, but Im scared of having boxes full of broken glass and wasted beer.

Um... yes your bottles are going to explode. That's really all there is to that.

You are correct.

Now run.

Is there any chance of saving them?
edit: also, my beer too has had the exact reading 2 days in a row, 1.018, if this is the same reading I get tomorrow, should I just give it a couple more days in the primary to be safe?

My advice is to definitely leave it for a while. As hard as it is for your first batch, give it at least 10-14 days total before bottling, and more if you can stand it. Your beer may finish gravity wise in 3-4 days but it really isn't done, the yeast needs more time to clean up after itself and condition the beer. I know the kits say you can bottle after a week but I can tell you from personal experience that your beer will taste far better if you wait for two weeks, and far better yet if you go for 3. It's a very hard wait, and it helps a lot if you start another batch in the meantime (use your buddies fermenter if he'll let you). Compare your batch to his (if it survives) and you'll be able to tell the difference I'm sure.

It only took me about 3 batches to become convinced that it takes 6 weeks minimum to make good quality beer. 3 weeks in primary (or primary and secondary combined) and 3 weeks in the bottle. And those bottles get even better after 4-5 weeks if I stay out of them.

As for your buddies batch, I'd probably open one up after 3-4 days and try to get a feel for the carbonation level. They can be uncapped and recapped to release some pressure if necessary. And get a large rubbermaid tote with a lid to put them in, bursting bottles are not only messy but they can be quite dangerous.

Not to be an A-h0le, but do a search on hooch if that is what you want, otherwise, read this forum.

Now why do people love to freak the newbies.

ifishsum - gave good advice. Time equals good beer.
Your a college student, I understand the desire / need to make brew "right now", but take a microbiology class and grok that yeast do not follow your time line.

Please give it at least another week, then bottle.

Hell do it right and give it another month, then bottle.

Actually, with out knowing what grog/hooch/beer your making it could be a month to a year, next time please post your ingredients, recipe, etc.

In short, if your making beer, you came to the right place to learn. If you want a cheap buzz, get some everclear and some fruits to make something really nasty but good stuff for your next party.

If you get some bottle bombs, cover you eyes, put on some gloves, and chill the bottles and server at your next party a week from now. Then learn how to make real beer.

Once again, not trying to be an A-..... but brewing covers a lot of ground, this board is for brewing good beer.

OK, reading my last post: it was a little bit harsh even for me.
FreakinA - Give your beer a week more, THEN - let it sit until it clears. Once you see nothing but clear "darker" liquid, then bottle.
Depending on the bottles, your room-mates beer will be OK, except for more yeast/trub/Cra- settling on the bottom, but if one blows, chill all of them, give them 2 days to a week then open and drink -CAREFULLY-.

Best of luck and really, you have entered a brave new world, please make the most of it.

If it was sitting at 1020 for a couple days you probably won't have bombs. Some yeasts, especial those that come in kits have a reputation of finishing on the high side (coopers?).

I'd say pop one in a few days and check the carbination. If it gushes when you open it then open a couple more. If they all do the same get the rest in the fridge asap. The cold will greatly slow fermentation. It won't stop it completely though so try one in a few days and if its drink able go at em. If they don't gush just recap the one (stay sanitary) and check again in a week.

Also check on them regularly and if you do get a bomb you can pop open a few and see how they are. Could be an isolated case due to contamination. If the others are fine recap. If they gush you can, if your careful about sanitation, go through and pop each one and let them vent a min then recap. Any that gush are probay a lost cause. If they don't gush but are well carbed (if you watch a lot of times you can see the co2 fog when you pop the top, or just pour a few into a glass), get them chilled after recaping.

Store your bottle bombs in the bath. You are a student, so you won't be using it anyway.

jay4e said:

If it was sitting at 1020 for a couple days you probably won't have bombs. Some yeasts, especial those that come in kits have a reputation of finishing on the high side (coopers?).

I'd say pop one in a few days and check the carbination. If it gushes when you open it then open a couple more. If they all do the same get the rest in the fridge asap. The cold will greatly slow fermentation. It won't stop it completely though so try one in a few days and if its drink able go at em. If they don't gush just recap the one (stay sanitary) and check again in a week.

Also check on them regularly and if you do get a bomb you can pop open a few and see how they are. Could be an isolated case due to contamination. If the others are fine recap. If they gush you can, if your careful about sanitation, go through and pop each one and let them vent a min then recap. Any that gush are probay a lost cause. If they don't gush but are well carbed (if you watch a lot of times you can see the co2 fog when you pop the top, or just pour a few into a glass), get them chilled after recaping.

Click to expand...

actually it's still very likely that he will have bombs. In fact it's a 99% chance he will. Even when yeast seem to poop out, give it time and it will come down.

z987k said:

actually it's still very likely that he will have bombs. In fact it's a 99% chance he will. Even when yeast seem to poop out, give it time and it will come down.

Click to expand...

In my experience 1.020 is right on the edge for bottle bombs, especially since he used Munton's dry. Might end up finding the bottle with flaws in the glass and have overcarbed beer but I don't think many will explode.

To the OP, let the bottles carb up for about two weeks and then into the fridge or the coolest spot in the apartment. If they get too hot the yeast will wake up and then all bets are off.

Let your batch sit another week or so before bottling and let it get a little warmer (70 - 72) to get the yeast a little more active and help them finish off. Beer takes time. That's why most here have more than one batch going at a time.

I'm not sure that I've ever seen a recipe on here that doesn't require 10 days or more in both primary and secondary. I know most people around here will leave it alone for atleast a month before bottling/kegging. I totally understand your roommates excitement to drink his wonderful brew, but if I were you I would duck and cover

Laughing_Gnome said:

Store your bottle bombs in the bath. You are a student, so you won't be using it anyway.

Click to expand...

You a scholar of "the Young Ones" then?

Kauai_Kahuna said:

OK, reading my last post: it was a little bit...

Best of luck and really, you have entered a brave new world, please make the most of it.

Click to expand...

Thank you. The OP asked the same newb question most of us asked early on. No need to throw out the "hooch maker" label.

Guy and his buddy buy a beer making kit?
Guy and his buddy brew their beers?
Both bottle their beers with concerns about doing it too soon?
Visit a homebrewing forum to ask advice?

Not sure what I see here that would drive your initial reaction. Let's not be so quick to find a reason to noob bash.

To the OP, not very likely you're going to have "bombs". Gushers...yes, but I wouldn't worry about bottles exploding.

Give the bottles 10-15 days and then pop one. If it seems over carb'd at that point, pop all the caps...let them sit for an hour (protected from germs) and then recap. That will degass the bottles enough to retard the carbonation to more manageable (drinkable) levels.

Next time let the fermentation run its course in the fermenters...not the bottles.

mmb said:

In my experience 1.020 is right on the edge for bottle bombs, especially since he used Munton's dry. Might end up finding the bottle with flaws in the glass and have overcarbed beer but I don't think many will explode.

To the OP, let the bottles carb up for about two weeks and then into the fridge or the coolest spot in the apartment. If they get too hot the yeast will wake up and then all bets are off.

Let your batch sit another week or so before bottling and let it get a little warmer (70 - 72) to get the yeast a little more active and help them finish off. Beer takes time. That's why most here have more than one batch going at a time.

Click to expand...

Roger that. The coldest part of my apartment is about 74-76 this time of year(hooray Tempe, Arizona) but I keep a soaked shirt on my fermenter with 2 little fans pushing on it and it drops it to about 68 degrees. There is a considerable amount of gross stuff still floating in my brew, so Im really not to anxious about drinking it untill its at least ALOT clearer. I mostly was just looking for precautions to take on his brew. Currently they are in cardboard boxes with shoes on top but Ill pick up a few rubbermaids tonight. Thanks for the help.

99% chance of bottle bombs. And 73% of statistics are bull****. :cross:

Keep us updated!

+1 Biermuncher, thanks for looking out for the Noobs. I was a noob once (hand on heart, I look of to the distance, memories). There isn't a person on here that hasn't bottled or kegged too soon.

Good luck FreakinA and I hope your apartment smells like wort and young college girls soon!

jrakich87 said:

99% chance of bottle bombs. And 73% of statistics are bull****. :cross:

Click to expand...

This is true 50% of the time.

You may want to be ready with a bottle opener to vent those beers. Or you could just invite a bunch of friends over and pound those 2 cases down before they blow. 1.020 is a bit on the high side as that's only a little over 50% attenuated. If it was down to 1.015 or so I wouldn't worry too much as the Muntons yeast usually only attenuates down to about 70%.

Hmmmm. Have to +1 Biermuncher but, I am having a hard time determining the disadvantage to having a "Beer smelling apartment". Makes me miss the days of brewing indoors and having the smell of malt linger.

My first brew came with the true brew kit I bought... I used Munton's dry and mine finished .004 high and I bottled after it didn't move for 2 days, and it turned out fine with no bombs. I used a calculator for the amount of priming sugar though, and didn't just throw in the whole 5 oz they provided.

Well as an update, he plans on bottle ageing them as long as possible, however, we did pop one open today to test carb, and it made a very familiar beer opening sound when we did. We decided to pour it and it poured pretty much the perfect head. This boggles us. We drank that one, and are still alive, and are contemplating just trying to forget about this batch and fridging them all to cease carbing. We put 2 more in the fridge to try in a few hours, to see if they are all carbed so well.

Hopefully you and your roommate don't explode

Well, maybe it was bottled a bit early. To avoid bottle bombs, why not just drink the beer as soon as it is carb'ed? Better to drink green beer than lose a hand opening a bottle...

FreakinA....welcome to the forums and a great hobby...it took a few batches for me to learn that it is better to wait....but it is definitely true. I would suggest putting them all in the fridge, get a few friends over and try and drink them pretty soon. You probably are getting some bombs otherwise. Don't worry about it, learn something from it, and get brewing the next batch. Good Luck

FreakinA - that's a lot of carb in 24 hours (is that right? Just a day?). All kidding aside, you can get cut pretty badly by exploding beer bottles. Next to setting yourself on fire and dropping a carboy on your foot, its probably the most likely home-brewing related injury (other than drunken tomfoolery, of course). Be careful opening them and if you refrigerate them, see about isolating them in something so you don't have beer fountains going off in your fridge.

Good luck and welcome to the obsession.

Gordie said:

FreakinA - that's a lot of carb in 24 hours (is that right? Just a day?). All kidding aside, you can get cut pretty badly by exploding beer bottles. Next to setting yourself on fire and dropping a carboy on your foot, its probably the most likely home-brewing related injury (other than drunken tomfoolery, of course). Be careful opening them and if you refrigerate them, see about isolating them in something so you don't have beer fountains going off in your fridge.

Good luck and welcome to the obsession.

Click to expand...

Yeah we chalked his first batch up as a tie, and I made him promise that he will never take anything out of the primary until its been there at least 7 days. We are scared of flying glass, and the beer carbs to a good although cloudy head, so we just popped them all in the fridge(except 2) and will drink them. They taste pretty good really. Thanks for all the advice, and especially Biermuncher.

FreakinA said:

Yeah we chalked his first batch up as a tie, and I made him promise that he will never take anything out of the primary until its been there at least 7 days. We are scared of flying glass, and the beer carbs to a good although cloudy head, so we just popped them all in the fridge(except 2) and will drink them. They taste pretty good really. Thanks for all the advice, and especially Biermuncher.

Click to expand...

That is why I made the second post, it was very harsh and un-called for and just for the record I apologize for it. Please chalk it up to a bad day on my part.
If you chill the bottles now you should be OK, have a good weekend and after the first few you will not even notice that it's still green beer.
Now just start the next batch so it can ferment, then condition, then bottle age.
Best of luck and I hope your batch comes out fantastic. This is really a great hobby and we all have a lot to learn and share.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

That is why I made the second post, it was very harsh and un-called for and just for the record I apologize for it. Please chalk it up to a bad day on my part.
If you chill the bottles now you should be OK, have a good weekend and after the first few you will not even notice that it's still green beer.
Now just start the next batch so it can ferment, then condition, then bottle age.
Best of luck and I hope your batch comes out fantastic. This is really a great hobby and we all have a lot to learn and share.

Click to expand...

No problem man, It was my roomate's batch not mine, Mine is still slowly fermenting since sunday. We did however brew up another batch in now vacant fermenter, and are getting 2 more fermenters because I am REALLY want to try this apfelwein. The beers although super cloudy and green, are pretty well carbonated, and a near perfect head is a breeze to pour considering we brewed that batch up sunday. For him making such a big mistake it seems to have turned out pretty well.