Too much priming sugar... soon to be bottle bombs...what to do?

[slohiker]

Hi all, I'm relatively new to brewing, and still working on the whole process. This is my fourth or fifth batch, and I added too much priming sugar before I bottled, though I realized a day too late.

I'm brewing the Bavarian hefeweisen, with a 2 1/2 gallon batch , and I primed with 3.7 ounces of corn sugar. I bottled last Tuesday, and realized the next day that I shouldn't have tried to match the CO2 levels of the style as it will definitely lead to bottle bombs.

This evening I carefully lifted the bottle caps to release some of the pressure in the head space, but I figure I have at least 2 1/2 weeks left before all the corn sugar has fermented. Some of the bottles are already so carbonated that they began foaming almost immediately.

I figure I have two options … I can either take off all the bottle caps and cover the tops with sterilized aluminum foil to allow some of the carbonation to go down overnight, then re-cap and keep the batch safely in a cooler and gently lift the caps to release pressure every day.
Or, I can try to bottle pasteurize the batch, and at least be able to drink it.

Does anybody have any thoughts or advice?

 

[slohiker]

Nevermind, I think I'm too late to bottle pasteurize... eh, at least it wasn't a five gallon batch.

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[Hopinista]

I think you're overreacting a little. I use 6 oz corn sugar for a 5 gal batch, I don't think 3.7 is going to make bottle bombs, maybe just throw them in the fridge after 10-12 days

 

[Upthewazzu]

I think you're overreacting a little. I use 6 oz corn sugar for a 5 gal batch, I don't think 3.7 is going to make bottle bombs, maybe just throw them in the fridge after 10-12 days

Seriously? Do you want some beer with your foam?

 

[RM-MN]

Bottle caps are cheap. Uncap then to let out excess pressure and recap them. Do it where spilled beer or foam won't make a mess though.

 

[slohiker]

I wanted to thank you all for weighing in a couple weeks back... I ended up taking the caps entirely off and covered the bottles with sanitized foil for a few hours (overnight actually), then re capped the next day. They're now a bit under carbed, but are still very drinkable. Thanks though for the advice, from now on, I'm just sticking with the floor ounces for five gallons ratio... Definitely wasting effort redoing the capping. Thanks again everyone!

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[brewista_may]

i read on brewersfriend.com that hefe's need to be between 2.5-4.5 so i went for 4.0 vol/co2 and it told me to do 9.2 oz of corn sugar. Did it, and its only day 2 after bottling and they are insanely carbonated! i opened one up, got a gusher and it tasted super carbonated. Im worried that if i keep them longer my bottles might explode. is this a legitimate concern? Did opening the caps and re capping effect the taste of the beer? im wondering if i should do this. Its for a 5 gal batch.

 

[flars]

i read on brewersfriend.com that hefe's need to be between 2.5-4.5 so i went for 4.0 vol/co2 and it told me to do 9.2 oz of corn sugar. Did it, and its only day 2 after bottling and they are insanely carbonated! i opened one up, got a gusher and it tasted super carbonated. Im worried that if i keep them longer my bottles might explode. is this a legitimate concern? Did opening the caps and re capping effect the taste of the beer? im wondering if i should do this. Its for a 5 gal batch.

Chill the bottles to lessen the risk of foaming. Just lift the edge of the cap enough to release the CO2 pressure from the headspace then retighten the cap. May take several times, but less chance of oxidation.

 

[Yooper]

i read on brewersfriend.com that hefe's need to be between 2.5-4.5 so i went for 4.0 vol/co2 and it told me to do 9.2 oz of corn sugar. Did it, and its only day 2 after bottling and they are insanely carbonated! i opened one up, got a gusher and it tasted super carbonated. Im worried that if i keep them longer my bottles might explode. is this a legitimate concern? Did opening the caps and re capping effect the taste of the beer? im wondering if i should do this. Its for a 5 gal batch.

Oh, yes, you're in bottle bomb territory.

I hate priming calculators, and said so many times on this forum, and this is just one of the many reasons why.

Most people don't want to carb "to style". Oh, sure when you're in an English pub a cask ale (pretty flat) is awesome, but few people who buy bottled beer are going to be used to that. That calculator would have you carb up some beers totally flat, and create bottle bombs for others.

Anyway, rant over. For now, get them cold and gently uncap and then recap with new bottle caps. Getting them cold first may prevent excessive foaming and allow you to uncap and recap after you let much of the pressure out.

 

[brewista_may]

Jeez. What a waste of time. I'm probably not going to use anything higher than 3 from now on... Anyways i will open up the caps and let some c02 escape. Do you think i should recap with the same caps or put on completely new ones? Appreciate any advice

 

[ong]

Jeez. What a waste of time. I'm probably not going to use anything higher than 3 from now on... Anyways i will open up the caps and let some c02 escape. Do you think i should recap with the same caps or put on completely new ones? Appreciate any advice

New caps. The old ones generally won't seal properly.

 

[flars]

Jeez. What a waste of time. I'm probably not going to use anything higher than 3 from now on... Anyways i will open up the caps and let some c02 escape. Do you think i should recap with the same caps or put on completely new ones? Appreciate any advice

Lay a quarter across the top of the cap. Lift the edge of the cap until you hear CO2 escape. Reseal the same cap.