Will I Get BOTTLE BOMBS?!!? HELP!

I'm an idiot, I wasn't thinking. I bottled 5.5 gallons of brew that i split in two batches. The first, with 2.5 gallons, i bottled with 2.5 OZ of priming sugar (half the sugar for half the batch) the other 3 gallons i bottled with 32 oz of pure unsweetened black cherry juice that i boiled down to roughly 5-6 oz of liquid. Here's my potentially catestrophic mistake, i also put in the additional 2.5 oz of sugar without giving it a second thought. the cherry juice says it contains 32g of sugar (i'm assuming that means per serving, which is 4 giving 128g of sugar = 4.5 oz correct?) So i figure 2.5 oz of corn sugar and 4.5oz of cherry juice...BOOM. Am i screwed? I'm screwed.

If i start popping tops and putting back in the bucket, how long should i wait before i bottle again? And before the obvious answer, i dropped my hydrometer three weeks ago while sampling some cider. Just winging it now for a couple batches.

I'm not very good in math, so I can't help you there. But yes, you've got bottle bombs on your hands there. The way I'd fix it is this- I'd open all the bottles and put them in a bucket very gently with no splashing. Then, move it by racking to the right size carboy and let it ferment until done. (With no hydrometer, you're taking a big risk that it might still be actively fermenting, so I'd buy one ASAP and check it). After it's done fermenting, siphon it to a bottling bucket with your priming sugar. I know that you've already added priming sugar, but after it's fermented out again, you'd need to add it again. This will allow you to be precise in how much carbonation you get and you won't have to worry about bombs.

The way I describe it, I guess you'd be risking oxidation by opening all the bottles and pouring, but I can't think of anything else that would work. Unless you could siphon your bottles into the carboy. That sounds like a big PITA though.

Maybe someone more intelligent than me can give better advice.

Good luck!
Lorena

I've said this before, but I'll repeat myself...

Why prime with stuff that you don't really KNOW how well it will work as a carbonating agent? If you want cherry juice in the beer, fine - but add it to the secondary so any fermentation can work itself out, then when it's ready, add the standard dosage of corn sugar or DME. Priming is not the time to tweak a recipe, IMHO; make the beer the way you want it, then use priming time to prime the beer.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth (not much, I know).

the_bird said:

I've said this before, but I'll repeat myself...

Why prime with stuff that you don't really KNOW how well it will work as a carbonating agent? If you want cherry juice in the beer, fine - but add it to the secondary so any fermentation can work itself out, then when it's ready, add the standard dosage of corn sugar or DME. Priming is not the time to tweak a recipe, IMHO; make the beer the way you want it, then use priming time to prime the beer.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth (not much, I know).

Click to expand...

It works fantastic as a priming agent, so i do really KNOW how well it works. if you read the post again it was the inadvertant adding of additional priming sugar that i had a question about. Additionally, i've been told to use flavors at priming if you want a more effervesent(sp.) effect in the glass. Whether or not thats true, i dont know. Next time I try a different method i'll be sure not to mention it here as my self esteem cant handle another scolding.

Sorry, wasn't aimed at you, necessarily... it's a common theme. Apologies for the rant.

more irritated by my brain fart than by your reply , my wife wanted somthing fruity, naturally any request of hers creates massive headaches for me. I'm assuming when the product tastes sweet before bottling, (without the addition of a nonfermentable) and primer is added, trouble is brewing? I haven't popped the tops yet, one bottle is plastic so once it gets tight, i'm going to test a couple bottles per day until i get a gusher!

I don't know how much fruit sugars ferment but i'm assuming its pretty complete judging by my ciders. Trouble's abrewing.

my barley wine was way over carbed.
just lift the caps on each bottle enough to release the extra pressure and recap.
i have done this 5 times now and the barleywine now pours without 6" of head
good luck.

you dont change the caps? Just re-crimp and it seals? I'll try it tonight. BTW, you've got quite the selection of brews shelved!!