Are my bottles going to explode?

[Brutal_Brewer]

This is my first thread so let me have it. Okay, a little back story. I just started home brewing this year (Jan) and to date I have 6 brews under my belt (five successful) I started out a little unorthodox (all grain/kegging) I just bottled my first batch today, and the number one thing that happens to all my collected volumes is, they come up short, (caused from no whirl pool and to vigorous of a boil) not a problem as far as kegging goes, but I foresee a problem with bottling. My question concerns carbonation, specifically are my bottles going to pop? The bottles are 12 oz. Samuel Adams, the beer is an American wheat Ale, grain bill was 10 lbs 50/50, wheat/2 row, the yeast used was US-05 and the collected batch volume was 4.4 gal. @72*F after using a full quart of cooled boiled priming solution. the sugar used was 5.5 oz. of sucrose (table sugar) I was looking to have 2.8 vol. of CO2 for 53 bottles (5 gal.) but as I mentioned this is not the case. I did a little reverse calculating and came up with an actual CO2 vol. of 3.2. for 46 bottles + 1 sample glass :rockin: . any advice is more than welcomed, thank you, and cheers to all

 

[twistr25]

You're probably slightly over, but I wouldn't think near enough to worry about bombs. As a precaution I always throw a towel over mine or put them in some sort of container just to make sure. But I don't believe you'll have an issue.

 

[RyeGuy]

You're pretty close to the volume you wanted anyway so I'd say you're safe. I was drunk bottling one night and put 6 oz instead of 0.6 oz of sugar in 1 gallon, it made a six pack. The next morning the only one not exploded was the lone Sam Adams bottle. They make them good up there I guess. I think you'll be fine.

 

[Mozart]

+1 to the above.

At 3.2 volumes you shouldn't have bombs most likely, but it's best to treat the bottles as potential bombs, just in case.

You might get a few gushers, though, so chill em' for a while before cracking them open, so I'd open over the sink, or some other appropriate place.

 

[Brutal_Brewer]

Thanks, and yeah I'm sure I'm going to have some quite fizzy beer, Like I said this is my first bottling venture, and I'm still learning home brew in general. Thanks again Cheers

 

[Brutal_Brewer]

so much help so fast, you guys rock, :rockin: my nerves are no longer shot Cheers to all

 

[flars]

I agree that you should be okay, as long as your brew had reached a stable FG.

 

[Brutal_Brewer]

Yeah it is three weeks in and stable @ 1.012. Cheers

 

[buhay]

You're pretty close to the volume you wanted anyway so I'd say you're safe. I was drunk bottling one night and put 6 oz instead of 0.6 oz of sugar in 1 gallon, it made a six pack. The next morning the only one not exploded was the lone Sam Adams bottle. They make them good up there I guess. I think you'll be fine.

haha that's awesome good thing only a gallon

 

[freisste]

At 3.2 volumes, I'm not sure I'd assume you will have especially fizzy beer. Especially if you are used to commercial light lagers. Definitely make sure to leave them in the fridge two to three days to get CO2 into solution, but I wouldn't worry too much. I open every bottle over the sink just as good practice, so I'd say that's a given.

Also, I wouldn't worry about bombs, but as was already mentioned, it is good to treat every bottle as a potential bomb as far as storage practices go. Just like all guns are loaded guns as far as handling goes. Enjoy your beer!

 

[Epimetheus]

You should probably refrigerate them a good 48 hours before you open them.

Entertainment tip - open an over-carbonated beer before you chill it. That sucker will foam all over the place like a Mentos-Pepsi fountain. At least, that's what happened to me.

 

[Brutal_Brewer]

At 3.2 volumes, I'm not sure I'd assume you will have especially fizzy beer. Especially if you are used to commercial light lagers. Definitely make sure to leave them in the fridge two to three days to get CO2 into solution, but I wouldn't worry too much. I open every bottle over the sink just as good practice, so I'd say that's a given.

I say "fizzy" in respect to the style I'm shooting for, and as far as American adjunct lagers, I avoid them altogether. I'm not saying they're bad, just not for me. I've had the pleasure of enjoying bottled home brew, just not my own...yet. If this was a hefeweizen or a weissbier the expected carbonation would be almost spot on, the worry came from a shortage of import/to style wheat beer bottles. but I get what you're saying. thanks for looking out Cheers

 

[oreoman]

I have found Sam Adams bottle are not good to re-use. They crack when capping. They have cracked when opening the bottle when ready to drink. We stay away from them. JMHO

 

[Channel66]

I have found Sam Adams bottle are not good to re-use. They crack when capping. They have cracked when opening the bottle when ready to drink. We stay away from them. JMHO

I've used Sam Adams bottles for years never once had an issue that I wouldn't have had with a different bottle (dropping it from counter height etc.) I scored numerous cases of them for 5 bucks from a local bar ages ago and have been reusing them since. Only downside is they have Sam Adams written on them.

 

[oreoman]

Channel66-- I guess I got the bad bottles. Haha. Just wanted to give my experience.

 

[Brutal_Brewer]

I have found Sam Adams bottle are not good to re-use. They crack when capping. They have cracked when opening the bottle when ready to drink. We stay away from them. JMHO

So far so good. It's only been 4 days but none of the thirty-eight Samuel Adams bottle I used gave me any problems capping them, I even had one slip a little while crimping and it was fine. they seem to be pretty sturdy bottles, I was just concerned that the pressure at room temp might be borderline for the amount of priming solution I used. my FG was stable (three days @ 1.012) and the beer tasted great warm and flat, so only time will tell. Thanks again everyone for the help and input, much appreciated, I'll update any changes/progress Cheers

 

[Brutal_Brewer]

Well guys it's been 2 weeks now, and I'm pleased to say none of the bottles busted, and the beer is awesome. Thanks to everyone for the information and reassurance. The only bottle that did break (upon opening) was a Gordon Biersch bottle, but not to worry, I used a glass. Cheers!

 

[newbies13]

As others have mentioned I would treat them as bombs, but in reality think there is little cause for concern. Better to be safe then sorry.