(bottle) Bombs bursting in air

[Timmobx]

What happened?? I did a B3 Stout Ale for the second time. It sat in the secondary for 14 days and that was 10 days after all activity had stopped. I used oxygen and the SG was 1.014 when bottled and down from 1.06. 60 days later the first exploded. I had them sitting outside but it got up into the 80's and after the first exploded I took them into the basement. For the next 4 days I lost 2 a day and after 8 exploded I called it quits and popped the caps on them all. All had foam pouring out but some really let go when the cap was removed and those shot beer out about 8-10 inches high - those would be the next to explode I guessed.

What happened? The last batch of B3 Stout I did last year had one bottle that exploded after 6 months and it was in the basement where it was cool. After it exploded I put the remaining 8 in the frig.

 

[Evan!]

Just curious...how much priming sugar are you using?

 

[blacklab]

Yeah, most people have never had a bottle bomb, and it sounds like you have them every batch, if you leave it sitting long enough? I have year old stuff in my basement and have never had a bottle bomb.

General guidance on priming sugar is either 3/4 cup or 1 cup dextrose per 5 gallons.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Any chance that there is an infection?

I had an oatmeal stout that had this problem after about 6 months. It tasted great. Well the 3 ounces left in the bottle after the gusher tasted great. For some reason, I thought that it foamed less when it was at room temperature and I opened them. I have always wondered why the beer did it. I chalked it up to infection in my bottles. I keg now so I have more control.

 

[Gedvondur]

Sounds like too much priming sugar to me. Either that or a spectacular infection. I think you need to look at how much priming sugar you are using.



Gedvondur

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Can you take a reading of your gravity now? It may have fermented more.

 

[eschatz]

"I used oxygen and the SG was 1.014 when bottled and down from 1.06"

this statement confuses the crap out of me! oxygen no good... oxygen baaaaadddd

 

[9/9]

"I used oxygen and the SG was 1.014 when bottled and down from 1.06"

this statement confuses the crap out of me! oxygen no good... oxygen baaaaadddd

I assume that the OP means that he aerated the wort before pitching. Of course, you know what assume does...

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Take the gravity of the beer now if you can. See if it is much lower than when you bottled.

 

[Jaybird]

What happened?? I did a B3 Stout Ale for the second time. It sat in the secondary for 14 days and that was 10 days after all activity had stopped. I used oxygen and the SG was 1.014 when bottled and down from 1.06. 60 days later the first exploded. I had them sitting outside but it got up into the 80's and after the first exploded I took them into the basement. For the next 4 days I lost 2 a day and after 8 exploded I called it quits and popped the caps on them all. All had foam pouring out but some really let go when the cap was removed and those shot beer out about 8-10 inches high - those would be the next to explode I guessed.

What happened? The last batch of B3 Stout I did last year had one bottle that exploded after 6 months and it was in the basement where it was cool. After it exploded I put the remaining 8 in the frig.

Timmobx
Welcome to the forum bro sounds like you have had your hands full. I am going to guess as others that you need to look at how much priming sugar you use, and also if you did a 5 gal batch make sure it's really 5 gallons not 4 or 4.5 this will also effect your carbonation levels. what I have done in the past (I don't bottle anymore) is after 2 weeks in the bottle @ room temp check one every other day or so (ya know for "testing purposes only" LOL) When carb level is good... crash cool it, If you can. then drink it like a madman (ya like your not going to anyhow)
hope that helps
again welcome, hang out, we have a tun of fun here!
cheers
JJ

 

[malkore]

it'd take a LOT of priming sugar to break them though.

I'm more suspicious that either the bottles themselves are suspect, or more likely, that there's a gusher infection

Are you milling your grain in the same space you rack and bottle in? I believe that's the recipe for a lactobacillis infection...

 

[Timmobx]

Just curious...how much priming sugar are you using?

I used the amount that comes in the kit.

 

[Timmobx]

Sounds like too much priming sugar to me. Either that or a spectacular infection. I think you need to look at how much priming sugar you are using.



Gedvondur

I believe it was 1 cup in the 5 gal batch -- the same amount I always used in the other 10 batches I have done. The only two batches that had any explosions were the Stout batches, none of the others were problems. Seems the heavy brews are my problem.

My guess was that it got warm and the sleeping yeast woke up in force as the surrounding air got into the 90's one day and it was in the 80's for several days. This is when they started popping. I brought the 48 into the basement where it was in the low 70's but it was too late.

 

[Timmobx]

I assume that the OP means that he aerated the wort before pitching. Of course, you know what assume does...

Yes - I aerated the wort with oxygen on this batch. I wondered if the bomb on the 1st stout batch was because the yeast gave up and ran out of oxygen. So this time I used oxygen to see if it would help.

 

[tdavisii]

Yes - I aerated the wort with oxygen on this batch. I wondered if the bomb on the 1st stout batch was because the yeast gave up and ran out of oxygen. So this time I used oxygen to see if it would help.

Please explain. Did you use oxygen after fermentation was complete and right before you bottled???? Or are you saying you used oxygen right before you pitched the yeast on the wort???