Bottle Bombs stories, have you ever...

[Dondlelinger]

Hey everyone I heard there were 2 types of homebrewers 1 that has had bottles bombs and one that will have bottle bombs...hehe. I was was wondering about this have you ever had a plastic PET bottle explosion or heard of anyone that has? I would imagine things would have to go terribly wrong for that one but, I'm just curious. If you have had an explosion (PET or not) I would enjoy some pics or experiences you had... I have *cross fingers never had a bomb yet, but I'm a little worried about my most aged brew as I only let it ferment for 9 days( i needed my fermentor back) then bottled. I never checked the hydrometer 2 days in a row and just bottled it..lol I used PET bottles so I was curious to hear any of your stories about the infamous bottle bomb.

gogo

 

[Yooper]

I've never had a bottle bomb yet! It's not really something I'm planning on now that you mention it!

 

[Sea]

never.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I had an imperial stout go up once. That was a few years ago; haven't had one since (as I'm knocking on my wooden desk). I wasn't planning on it then and I'm still not planning on it now.

 

[noggins]

I made some root beer once and bottled into pet plastic bottles. they came with some silly looking caps that had expansion caps to prevent explosion, and I of course felt I didn't need to use them. most of the bottles expanded wildly overnight, the bottles were all plumped up and looked like they were gonna burst. I put em in the fridge right away and they were fine...I was surprised none of them popped....woulda been cool too since they were in an unused bathtub.

 

[cvstrat]

Plastic, no. Glass, yes. I had a batch of brown ale that was carbed something fierce. Trying to remove the cap resulted in the entire mouth of the bottle exploding off with it along with a volcano of foam.

 

[Wakadaka]

I had a bottle explode while I was in bed. The bottle was in my closet right next to my bed. My girl friend thought that somebody had shot through the window, and had I not known I had a recently bottled stout in the closet I would have thought the same. That was my only bottle bomb from the whole batch, but i expect that I will have more in the future, because I haven't diagnosed the cause.

I bottle a lot in plastic bottles, and I don't think a bomb would even be possible. I think they would just start stretching to the point where they look so deformed. As long as you are checking up on them I wouldn't expect them to be able to explode.

 

[unionrdr]

I use the cooper's PET bottles,& glass one from around the world. Never had one yet (knocks on desk). I've read a couple stories about PET bombs on the cooper's forums,though. Just really rare,& were all attributed to bad bottles from whoever molds them. The lip of the bottle wasn't even,or the little molding sprue that's cut off on the bottom center of the bottle wasn't right where it meets the bottom.

 

[jbsg02]

yet another reason I want to switch to kegging

 

[AnOldUR]

Bomb free.
Was nervous about a Saison that I bumped the volumes up on, but the Fisher flip-tops did the job.

 

[maffewl]

I've had one, but I really don't count it. I re-used an Abita bottle and those are known for their weak glass. Funny thing is... it took six weeks before it blew.

 

[BeefSupreme]

I once decided to brew and bottle the same day. So I go through the motions, make a wonderful Stout, or so I believe, and put it in my carboy to set.

The wife and I have dinner and afterwards we decide that we need to finish the job and get to bottling. So I tell her, "go get the stout that needs to be bottled."

Let that sink in.

She grabs the beer that has just been brewed. We then proceed to bottle the wort/fermenting beer/supposed to be primary and call it a night. Like a newbie, two days later I'm SUPER EXCITED! I NEED to know how my newly bottled stout tastes. I take a bottle and open it in the kitchen.

So after I've gotten on a stool and wiped up my ceiling, I proceed to take four dozen bottles and open them in the shower. Saddest stickiest work I've had to do in a long time.