All of my stouts are bottle bombs

[the-adjunct-hippie]

Can't figure this out. I can use the same volume of sugar (2 grams) for an IPA and it turns out just fine. I use 2 grams for any kind of stout (usually aged and brewed with cacao nibs and coffee) and I get fountains and the occasional glass grenade. I typically bottle between 1.020 and 1.010 final gravity on all my beers, although I try to get as close to 1.010 as possible. I still have some black IPA from August that hisses nicely and pours a fantastic head. So it has to be more than just the dark malts.

My Pistachio stout I used 1.85 grams of sugar and still got fountains but no bombs.

Any insight here? Thanks!

 

[TwistedGray]

And you are 100% sure that fermentation was complete before bottling, right? That would be too easy...

 

[bucketnative]

Infections from cacao and coffee?

Either that or you're not letting fermentation finish. I understand you measuring gravity prior to bottling, but are you sure that the gravity is stable before bottling. Rule of thumb: every gravity point yields approximately 0.5 vol CO2.

 

[gnef]

to echo others, it sounds like you may be transferring to bottles too soon. Next time measure the gravity repeatedly for about 3-4 days to see if it has stabilized.

I usually just let the primary fermentation go longer than needed to ensure full attenuation, it isn't unusual for my beers to be in the primary for 2-4 weeks.

 

[El Nino]

Are you using a different yeast for these stouts? They could take longer to finish than the yeast you're using for your ales.

Like bucketnative said, one gravity point = .5 vols co2. If the yeast isn't done, then gushers or bombs are likely.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Also, if you are consistently getting bottle bombs on the stouts, try omitting the priming sugar when you package. Packaging beer will stir up the beer and could rouse the yeast to return to activity.

 

[cubalz]

If you have bottle bombs then it is either:

a) not at terminal gravity prior to bottling
b) incorrect amount of priming sugar or improper mixing
c) Infection

Have you tasted any of the stouts to see if has off flavors associated with infections? Let us know. My money says "a" listed above is the issue.

 

[the-adjunct-hippie]

I'm assuming it's incomplete fermentation. Because My latest couple batches of IPA's was primed with 1.85g of sugar and all of them were bottle gushers. One of them stopped (steady for 1 week) at 1.016, the other stopped at 1.020. I think I'll have to pitch more yeast if it just stops there. Or can one just shake the bucket to "wake" the yeast up?