First Beer is Overcarbonated.

[Bacchusuga]

I bottled my first beer, let it sit for three weeks at room temperature, then let it refrigerate for 3 weeks and it's overcarbonated. I used 5 oz of priming sugar and ended up with only a little over 4 gallons of beer. I have read some posts about recapping. Is this the best solution, or should I just pour it into a big glass slowly and let it sit?

 

[IceFisherChris]

5 ounces in 4 gallons of beer, that's the problem (as you may realize.) Remember that if you ever end up with less beer than you expected you have to compensate. Generally its about 1 ounce per gallon of beer, that's what they give in the kits and it's usually just fine.
A real easy solution is to very lightly use a bottle opener to relieve some pressure on the bottles.

 

[Bacchusuga]

So I should just loosen the cap and not open it completely? Or loosen it right before I open it?

 

[YankeePicker]

sorry, wrong thread

 

[dfc]

I bottled my first beer, let it sit for three weeks at room temperature, then let it refrigerate for 3 weeks and it's overcarbonated. I used 5 oz of priming sugar and ended up with only a little over 4 gallons of beer. I have read some posts about recapping. Is this the best solution, or should I just pour it into a big glass slowly and let it sit?

If you let it sit out for a while after pouring a lot of carbonation leaves the beer. I had one batch that was so unevenly carbonated that some bottles were just pure foam when poured. Once I let them sit out the foam turned back into liquid and the beer was very good. Still carbonated too.

 

[IceFisherChris]

So I should just loosen the cap and not open it completely? Or loosen it right before I open it?

I would loosen the cap on one or two bottles (just barely so it hisses, but let all the gas come out.) Wait a couple days and see what happens. You might have to do this a couple times every few days for each bottle. I've never had to do it but it woudl be a good experiment.

 

[homebrewedipa]

I'd uncap them all and recap them. You may find that you need to do this after they've been chilled. For some reason, warm/room temp bottles foam up much more than chilled ones. You may need to repeat this a few times every few days.

Then: by a kitchen scale! You can pick one up on amazon or target for like $20. I used to overcarb everything; then I bought a scale and measured out exactly how much priming sugar to use and haven't had a problem since.

 

[camus]

+1 on buying a scale.

As far as recapping goes, if you got the the time...


I would just chill them, when opening let them sit a few, then pour.

 

[duckmanco]

Even easier, my batch of Shirley Furioso came out over carbed, and I just lightly lifted/vented the caps till they barely hissed (the flat stainless bar style bottle opener works well here) which lasted about 10 seconds. This method worked really well IMO. Recapping would work well too I imagine, but either way, let those bottles vent.

 

[MBasile]

I'm on board with the "just let it settle after pouring" guys. Muddling with an entire batch is a pain and your just asking for more problems (undercarbed, inconsistent carb).

Since this is your first batch, I'm going to give you some advice; In the end, it is still beer.

 

[Fantastical]

I find that 5-6 ounces for 5 gallons(less trub) works best.

I think my current batch has too much as well. I get a bit of a geyser when I open it up I think. I can't remember because I was quite a few in when I opened it... I might have shaken it somehow....

Just let the beer be and deal with it as is. I had a batch that I forgot to add priming sugar to. I ended up pouring it back into the carboy and rebottling it with priming 5 ounces. The beer tasted crappy afterwards. Much like apples, which I late found out is a consequence of aerating the beer after fermentation.