Bottle Bombs Imminent?

[TheJadedDog]

Well, my ESB is bottled, but even after 1 week in the primary and 3 weeks in the secondary with regular swirling (once a week) to rouse the yeasties, my FG was still only 1.018 (recipe indicates 1.014) from an OG of 1.057.

I'm a bit concerned I may get bottle bombs, anyone have any thoughts?

 

[zoebisch01]

Along those lines, I am wondering...does anyone know what a standard maximum volumes of carbonation a brown bottle (not the nice heavy import bottles....I wieghed a Weihenstephaner and it is about 50 gm heavier than say a Stoudt's bottle) can take?

Did your process indicate to you it had finished? In other words, did you have a good strong ferment and then bottled when all activity seemed to cease? I would calculate the worst case scenario....whatever .004 works out to in terms of volumes of CO2 and then add your priming sugar calcs. (I think this can give you a rough idea if you are in the danger zone...but I am not sure)

 

[Yooper]

No, that's pretty well finished. I'm the resident math idiot, but you can figure out the attenuation by a formula. I'm math challenged (and lazy) so I'm guessing you're about 68-70% attenuated. Depending on the type of yeast you used, that might be as good as you can expect.

So, you are fine. A real math person should be along soon.......

Lorena

 

[Orfy]

No, that's pretty well finished. I'm the resident math idiot, but you can figure out the attenuation by a formula. I'm math challenged (and lazy) so I'm guessing you're about 68-70% attenuated. Depending on the type of yeast you used, that might be as good as you can expect.

So, you are fine. A real math person should be along soon.......

Lorena

That sounds right to me.
100 - ((18 / 57) * 100) = 68.4210526

That's if my math is right.

Well it is right. I mean if my formula is right.

 

[Krazy Bazturd]

That sounds right to me.
100 - ((18 / 57) * 100) = 68.4210526

That's if my math is right.

Well it is right. I mean if my formula is right.

68.4% is what I came up with as well.

 

[5gBrewer]

Nah, you shouldn't have BBs, not with a difference of .004 I woudn't worry about it. If you really want to be careful though, I suggest putting all your freshly bottled beers in big coolers to do their thing. This idea is good for a few reasons:

1) Peace of mind
2) It's dark
3) If something pops, it will be confined to a cooler (easy cleanup)

I put all my newly bottled beers in coolers just in case. Depending on the cooler, you can fit up to a case or more in some.

 

[zoebisch01]

I haven't heard of this magic number 68? Is that what is considered 'safe' attenuation? One Ale I had used WLP550 and I got 85% attenuation. It seems to me that one could be close to the trouble zone depending on yeast/conditions/etc?

Anybody know about how much pressure the bottles can take (In terms of Vol CO2)?

 

[uwmgdman]

The attentuation amount will vary greatly depending on: 1) Yeast strain 2) Mash temperture/extract fermentability 3) Aeration 4)etc etc, you get the idea I've had between upper 60s and as high as mid 80s. What yeast strain did you use, what temperature did you mash at, and if you didn't mash, what kind of extract did you use? How did you aerate, if you did?

 

[cpbergie]

Side note: should i regularaly swirl my primary and secondary on a weekly basis?

 

[Yooper]

No, no swirling necessary. You WANT things to settle out in the secondary- you don't want to mix it up!

If you have a very slow/stuck fermentation in primary, then you can swirl a bit to rouse the yeast. Otherwise, hands off!

Lorena

 

[TheJadedDog]

Yeah, normally I don't swirl at all, but I felt like my fermentation was stuck so that's why I did it.

 

[[email protected]]

but wouldnt the cap pop off before the whole bottle exploded? sure thats still a mighty bottle geyser but maybe a little better than a bottle fragmentation grenade. i would think the cap would be the weak point right?

 

[Yooper]

No, usually the cap doesn't pop off. The cap is crimped on and doesn't let go, like a cork on a wine bottle would. Sometimes it holds just fine and when you open the bottle you get geysers. Other times, (especially if in a warm place), BOOM. This has never happened to me personally, but I do a very long secondary as a rule and don't bottle if in doubt.

Lorena