Questions about bottled first batch

I bottled my first batch this past Saturday. I just checked to see how they're doing. I used 1 liter and pint flip tops, and a few pry-off 12 oz bottles.

Several of the liter flip tops have a very fine, thin foam on the surface that doesn't cling to the glass. The rest don't, including all the pry-off bottles. Which of these is normal? I have two bottles that have a ring of matter on the inside above the level of the beer. It is rather like the kreusen ring in the fermenter, which I'm assuming means they are tainted. Should I just let them continue aging?

Two of the flip tops look like I may have overfilled; there is maybe 1/2" head space. Should I open them and drain off the excess? I don't want any bottle bombs!

Just let them sit. I don't think you need to worry about bombs, but for peace of mind you can put them in a box or something that will contain the blast should it happen.

Agree with Swami, let them sit and keep an eye on the ones with foam. If the foam continues to grow, there may be a nasty in there, but things should clear up in a week or two.

What about the bottles with the "crud" clinging to the glass above the beer?

MariaAZ said:

What about the bottles with the "crud" clinging to the glass above the beer?

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What did you use to prime with? I believe that priming with dme will leave a small krausen ring in the bottle.

I primed with corn sugar. In the bottles with the slight foam ring, I can see bubbles rising from the beer, so I'm assuming it's yeast activity. Does this foam mean the bottles aren't properly sealed?

I've read that I can use tablets to carbonate the beer if it stays flat. How long should I wait before testing the seals? If I open one to check and it's carbonated a bit, if I reseal it quickly will it be OK in a few weeks?

If you see bubbles rising, there is more than likely a small gap/leak that the CO2 is escaping from, otherwise, it would stay in solution. On the ones that are bubbling, pop the tops and ensure that the gasket is clean and sealing well, I'd bet that it isn't. Might as well taste that one to see how it's progressing. If that results in a projectile hurl, you may have an infection, but I think you did fine.

I opened all but one of the bubbling bottles and reset the seals. Each bottle gave a little "pop" when I opened it, so I'm assuming they were building a bit of pressure.

Will the release of the CO mean the bottles won't carbonate properly, or are my chances still good that at one week they still have enough sugar left?

They may be a bit less than the others, but they'll be fine. Just make sure to keep them in the warm side of the yeast range to keep the buggers going.