tops poping off durring pasteurization

[kamkamdac]

i pasteurized a batch of 80 bottles the other day at 160F for 1 hr, no bottles broke but around 20 of the bottles had the tops pop off ( left pretty good dents in the pot lid in the process).

i was just wondering if anyone else had this kinda of problem and how i can prevent it from happening in the future? loosing 25% of your batch sucks and i dont want it to happen again.

 

[LeBreton]

What was the ABV? 160 doesn't seem high enough to create that much pressure in the typical cider range. More alcohol would result in more pressure. Or maybe your thermometer isn't reporting correct temps. I pasteurize between 160-180 and have never had a problem with caps.

 

[completelyuncorked]

I just did mine last night and I started by using pappers tips but ended up lowering my temps to a max of 150 degrees but making sure it got over 140 as most yeast will die around 138-140 and I let the bottles sit in the hot water bath for about 10min per batch. I only had 3 bottles shatter on my and that was when my temps were 160+

 

[getatme11]

Are you saying you left the bottles in 160 degree water for 1 hour, or the process of doing 80 bottles in small batches took 1 hour?

 

[CadillacAndy]

It sounds like your bottles were over carbed. Ive had this happen to me several times and over carbonation was always the culprit.

It's possible only some of them were over carbed if your priming sugar wasn't mixed good enough.

 

[kamkamdac]

What was the ABV? 160 doesn't seem high enough to create that much pressure in the typical cider range. More alcohol would result in more pressure. Or maybe your thermometer isn't reporting correct temps. I pasteurize between 160-180 and have never had a problem with caps.

ABV was 6% +- .3%,

 

[kamkamdac]

It sounds like your bottles were over carbed.

i was thinking the same thing. i ended the fermentation at around .015 and on top of that added 50OZ of apple concentrate, mixed well and judged carbonation with a plastic soda bottle. fermented when the 12 oz bottle was just under the firmness of an unopened soda bottle.

i just figured if it was over carbonated the bottles would blow before the tops popped off

 

[kamkamdac]

Are you saying you left the bottles in 160 degree water for 1 hour, or the process of doing 80 bottles in small batches took 1 hour?

i left them in the water for 1 hr, im an over achiever.

 

[Daze]

using a soda bottle to check firmness is a good indicator of when to crack open a glass bottle but is not a substitute for actually opening one of the glass bottles.