Why does my beer foam up after I open a bottle of it?

[Elysium]

I am wondering why my beer foams up....

It is a weird thing. I have seen it before with commercial beers too (in bars...never in my house though).

I am wondering if it is a yeast infection eating away the residual sugar and creating more CO2 than the bottle can handle. Or could it be that the bottle got slightly shaken?

It is a slow foaming...so that's why I dont really find reasonable explanation to it and believe it is not shaking it before opening.

Has this ever happened to anyone?

P.S....here is the info that you guys have been asking for:
Batch size: 6.65 gallons
sugar: normal table sugar (sucrose)
amount: 94.6 grams (3.33 oz)
CO2 volume: 1.8
CO2 in beer: 0.86

 

[Hello]

You just uncap and it foams up or is it foaming up after you pour some out?

If it is foaming when you uncap, it's over carbonated or infected. What was your bottle volume and priming sugar amount? Did you use dextrose for priming sugar? Are they chilled for a good day before you open them?

 

[beergolf]

How long has it been bottled? How long in the fridge? How much priming sugar?

[/QUOTE]If it is foaming when you uncap, it's over carbonated or infected.[/QUOTE]

or they were not in the fridge long enough. Opening a warm beer or a beer that has not had enough time in the fridge will almost always foam up.

 

[k_mcarthur]

Over carbed. And all beer has a "yeast infection" we add it on purpose to make alcohol. If it tastes fine it's probably not infected with unwanted bacteria.

 

[andy6026]

Chances are it's not been in the fridge long enough before you open the bottle. Usually by bringing it to serving temperature it won't foam out like that, however, getting it cold and keeping it cold for sometimes upwards of 3 days can sometimes be required.

I find that the chances of it foaming out when I uncap it increase significantly if I get any hop debris in the bottle at bottling time. So I usually mark the last bottle or two of a batch when I'm bottling them in order to be more wary.

Of course it's also possible that the beer got infected or that you over-carbed it, but try putting it in the fridge for a long time before opening - that'll solve the problem 9 times out of 10.

 

[Elysium]

Chances are it's not been in the fridge long enough before you open the bottle. Usually by bringing it to serving temperature it won't foam out like that, however, getting it cold and keeping it cold for sometimes upwards of 3 days can sometimes be required.

I find that the chances of it foaming out when I uncap it increase significantly if I get any hop debris in the bottle at bottling time. So I usually mark the last bottle or two of a batch when I'm bottling them in order to be more wary.

Of course it's also possible that the beer got infected or that you over-carbed it, but try putting it in the fridge for a long time before opening - that'll solve the problem 9 times out of 10.

Thanks for the reply.

The last bottle that did this had some hop debris in it. I started to sip the foam off and felt some hop bits in my mouth.

And regrading the 3-day fridge time.....I put these bottles in the fridge like 2 hours before opening them with friends. That could be another factor too then.

Thanks again.

 

[Elysium]

Chances are it's not been in the fridge long enough before you open the bottle. Usually by bringing it to serving temperature it won't foam out like that, however, getting it cold and keeping it cold for sometimes upwards of 3 days can sometimes be required.

I find that the chances of it foaming out when I uncap it increase significantly if I get any hop debris in the bottle at bottling time. So I usually mark the last bottle or two of a batch when I'm bottling them in order to be more wary.

Of course it's also possible that the beer got infected or that you over-carbed it, but try putting it in the fridge for a long time before opening - that'll solve the problem 9 times out of 10.

Over carbed. And all beer has a "yeast infection" we add it on purpose to make alcohol. If it tastes fine it's probably not infected with unwanted bacteria.

How long has it been bottled? How long in the fridge? How much priming sugar?

If it is foaming when you uncap, it's over carbonated or infected.[/QUOTE]

or they were not in the fridge long enough. Opening a warm beer or a beer that has not had enough time in the fridge will almost always foam up.[/QUOTE]

You just uncap and it foams up or is it foaming up after you pour some out?

If it is foaming when you uncap, it's over carbonated or infected. What was your bottle volume and priming sugar amount? Did you use dextrose for priming sugar? Are they chilled for a good day before you open them?

P.S....here is the info that you guys have been asking for:
Batch size: 6.65 gallons
sugar: normal table sugar (sucrose)
amount: 94.6 grams (3.33 oz)
CO2 volume: 1.8
CO2 in beer: 0.86

I normally dont have space and time to keep them in the fridge for 3 days or so.
I put them in the fridge when I know people will be visiting.

The foaming is strange...I uncap a bottle, leave it there for like 10 seconds and slowly foam is being pushed out of the bottle. It is not a crazy, totally over-carbed situation.

 

[freisste]

Regarding hop debris:

I just bottled my latest IPA. Usually I take the last bit that I can't get out of the bottling bucket and pour it into the last bottle. It probably ends up a little oxidized and has more hop crap in it than other bottles, but it's my sacrificial carbonation tester. I opened it Saturday night and I was lucky to be near the sink. I didn't actually get the cap off, which was good because this bottle foamed like I put mentos in coke. There might have been 2" in the bottom of the bottle with the rest foam. I thought I could pour into a glass by tipping to the point that liquid would come out under the foam, just so I could get a taste...ended up with 4" of foam on top of about 1/2" of beer.

I kinda panicked thinking I messed up the whole batch. Nope, grabbed a different bottle (now knowing the batch had carbed) and it poured really well. No foaming in the bottle at all, about 1"-1.25" in the glass which hung around with good lacing. Perfect carbonation.

So hop crap can definitely be a mess in the bottle.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

And regrading the 3-day fridge time.....I put these bottles in the fridge like 2 hours before opening them with friends. That could be another factor too then.

This is 100% your problem, no question.

Carbing is a two step process.

Step 1 is to leave it at room temp for the yeast to generate CO2 and pressure for 3+ weeks, it sounds like you did this.

Step 2 is to then chill the bottles so that the pressurized CO2 gets dissolved into solution, this should be an absolute minimum of 24 hours, 48-72 hours to a week is ideal. This is the step you fast laned and its why your foaming

I'd put a few bottles in your fridge if you havent already, if when you try them after a week they are properly carbed throw all the bottles you can fit into your fridge so the rest of them dont potentially over carbonate.

 

[balrog]

I'd put a few bottles in your fridge if you havent already, if when you try them after a week they are properly carbed throw all the bottles you can fit into your fridge so the rest of them dont potentially over carbonate.

Fuzze, I've always bottled and kept them upstairs near 67°F 3 weeks and them moved to ~60°F basement and serve from there, admittedly I've made primarily porters & bitters. I had one batch that *WAY* over carbed, and just got worse and worse until the batch was gone--the last two were gushers on opening, while the others were slow foam creepers.

Are you saying that once carbed at ~70°F 3 weeks, you can essentially lock in the carbonation by refrigerating for several days? Should I be doing that and *THEN* cellar storing?

 

[Pelican521]

It could be an infection, I had a similar thing happen to the past few brews I made.

my beer would carb up fine after 3 or so weeks but they continued to get more and more carbed. I measured (by weight) the priming sugar so I know that wasn't an issue for these brews. Even after fridging them for a week, they would pour out (very slowly) and fill up the glass with all foam.

I think I traced my problem back to my bottling wand as I replaced it and my lastest IIPA isn't showing the same issue. Now with my new wand, I made sure to take it apart and clean/sterilize the spring assembly.

Hope this helps.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Fuzze, I've always bottled and kept them upstairs near 67°F 3 weeks and them moved to ~60°F basement and serve from there, admittedly I've made primarily porters & bitters. I had one batch that *WAY* over carbed, and just got worse and worse until the batch was gone--the last two were gushers on opening, while the others were slow foam creepers.

Are you saying that once carbed at ~70°F 3 weeks, you can essentially lock in the carbonation by refrigerating for several days? Should I be doing that and *THEN* cellar storing?

I would, this among many other reasons is why many commercial breweries filter their beer.

Any unfiltered beer your never going to see just sitting on a shelf, it stays in the refrigerated area of the store for a reason

I dont know that chilling it would totally stop it, but chilling it for a week will cause a lot of the yeast to fall out of suspension and sit on the bottom of the bottle...giving a lot less surface area of yeast that could possibly ferment when it does warm back up to 60F in your cellar..only the top layer would everything below would remain dormant/dead. This would atleast severely hinder further carbonation so your bottles dont go from good to bad so quickly.

If you do have beer that is starting to get over carb'd throw it in the fridge immediately, once chilled a lot of the CO2 will go into suspension...it may end up over carb'd to the style but atleast it wont gush out of the bottles...worst case you just pour it and stick it in the fridge for 10-15 mins for it to de-carb itself a bit like a soda would if the high carb bothers you.

IMO, You should always chill your bottles before serving, even if your going to drink it warmer... once poured it only takes a few minutes to reach a better temp anyways, less if you hold the glass in your hands to use your body heat

 

[Queequeg]

I find that the chances of it foaming out when I uncap it increase significantly if I get any hop debris in the bottle at bottling time.

You Sir are a genius

 

[Elysium]

I would, this among many other reasons is why many commercial breweries filter their beer.

Any unfiltered beer your never going to see just sitting on a shelf, it stays in the refrigerated area of the store for a reason

I dont know that chilling it would totally stop it, but chilling it for a week will cause a lot of the yeast to fall out of suspension and sit on the bottom of the bottle...giving a lot less surface area of yeast that could possibly ferment when it does warm back up to 60F in your cellar..only the top layer would everything below would remain dormant/dead. This would atleast severely hinder further carbonation so your bottles dont go from good to bad so quickly.

If you do have beer that is starting to get over carb'd throw it in the fridge immediately, once chilled a lot of the CO2 will go into suspension...it may end up over carb'd to the style but atleast it wont gush out of the bottles...worst case you just pour it and stick it in the fridge for 10-15 mins for it to de-carb itself a bit like a soda would if the high carb bothers you.

IMO, You should always chill your bottles before serving, even if your going to drink it warmer... once poured it only takes a few minutes to reach a better temp anyways, less if you hold the glass in your hands to use your body heat

This is really interesting. Are you also saying that filtering helps us get rid of all the yeast (both brewer's and wild yeast if the brew is infected)?

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

This is really interesting. Are you also saying that filtering helps us get rid of all the yeast (both brewer's and wild yeast if the brew is infected)?

Yes, but doing so at a homebrew level isnt very economical because the cheapest way to really do it is to force beer out of one keg through a filter and into another keg...keeping everything under CO2 pressure the entire time so you dont oxygenate the beer...

Not something to worry about, just chill your beer bottles for several days before trying them after a few weeks of carbing.

 

[andy6026]

P.S....here is the info that you guys have been asking for:
Batch size: 6.65 gallons
sugar: normal table sugar (sucrose)
amount: 94.6 grams (3.33 oz)
CO2 volume: 1.8
CO2 in beer: 0.86

I normally dont have space and time to keep them in the fridge for 3 days or so.
I put them in the fridge when I know people will be visiting.

The foaming is strange...I uncap a bottle, leave it there for like 10 seconds and slowly foam is being pushed out of the bottle. It is not a crazy, totally over-carbed situation.

If you measured your sugar anywhere remotely near in the ballpark of what you've listed here then you certainly did not overcarb the beer. Fridge time is what's needed. The idea is that cold beer (and especially beer that's been cold for a long duration) holds the carbonation better.

Not having fridge space to keep them in there for 3 days doesn't mean you will never get a good pour. Usually 3-4 hours will suffice, but it will be rather random. You'll open two from the same batch and one you'll end up with a huge thick shaving-creamy looking head, while the other has barely any head at all. You may want to consider getting a cooler or a small bar-fridge that you can dedicate to chilling homebrews for a day or two before you expect company. I often get unexpected company or I get lazy, so I often get a bag of ice, stick 6-8 homebrews in a bucket with the ice, fill it with water, and they're nice and cold within 15-20 minutes. Usually only the ones with hop debris give me a more serious foaming/pouring debacle.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

If you measured your sugar anywhere remotely near in the ballpark of what you've listed here then you certainly did not overcarb the beer. Fridge time is what's needed. The idea is that cold beer (and especially beer that's been cold for a long duration) holds the carbonation better.

Not having fridge space to keep them in there for 3 days doesn't mean you will never get a good pour. Usually 3-4 hours will suffice, but it will be rather random. You'll open two from the same batch and one you'll end up with a huge thick shaving-creamy looking head, while the other has barely any head at all. You may want to consider getting a cooler or a small bar-fridge that you can dedicate to chilling homebrews for a day or two before you expect company. I often get unexpected company or I get lazy, so I often get a bag of ice, stick 6-8 homebrews in a bucket with the ice, fill it with water, and they're nice and cold within 15-20 minutes. Usually only the ones with hop debris give me a more serious foaming/pouring debacle.

Yea 3.3oz for 6.5 gallons is definately not the issue, if anything thats on the lower side. I typically did 3.5-4oz for my 5 gallon batches and had no issues. Most brew kits I think come with 1oz per gallon of expected wort.

 

[aidan]

Sometimes the last bottle or 2 that I bottle are gushers. This is due to the greater amount of trub in the bottle. I did overcarbinate a batch once and most of the bottles tended to gush. I chilled well and poured promptly and smoothly to minimise foaming. Some of this batch was in screwtop plastic bottles so I was able to crack and close up the lid again a few times to let out some pressure and get carbonation back down to normal levels. It was great beer and came first on a homebrew comp.

 

[ronb454]

I just found this. Interesting. But, is it practical for a home brewer?

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/12/how-to-keep-beer-from-foaming/383775/

 

[thekraken]

I just found this. Interesting. But, is it practical for a home brewer?

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/12/how-to-keep-beer-from-foaming/383775/

This feels like fake news... ?

 

[ronb454]

This feels like fake news... ?

Doesn't make a lot of sense does it?