Bubbling bottles

[N4teTheGreat]

First time brewer here, so I'm probably overly nervous. I bottled on Sunday with the help of a friend (I filled, he capped) and everything went nice a smooth thanks to the advice I found in Revy's thread.

I pulled a few bottles out last night to take a peek and using a flashlight (this is a stout so I can only see anything in the neck of the beer) I found most bottles had a circle of small bubbles around the beer line at the neck, but one bottle had bubbles streaming up the neck similar to a glass of champagne.

From what I have read, this is either infected, or a bottle with a bad seal or possibly just carbonation streaming to fill the headspace.

Question is, should I leave it alone, or should I try to recap this one? If it is a possible bad seal, is it worth checking every bottle to make sure there aren't others?


Bottling background (if you're bored)

Bottles were all sanitized in the dishwasher caps and bottling wand were all sanitized in a sink full of Idophor and since the beer was fermented in the bottling bucket due to a previous mistake I had previously wrapped a bag full of Idophor around the spigot two days in advance to ensure all the nooks and crannies were sanitized.

I let about 2 cups of beer drain out which solved the trub problem and get any sanitizer left in the spigot out and after that the beer was coming out nice a clear.

Bottles have been sitting inside a plastic tub covered with a towel and conveniently the ambient temp in the apartment was in the 80s over the weekend and has been around 75 since then.

Thanks in advance, as always!

-- Nathan

 

[Gavin C]

Check the seal in the same way you look for a puncture. Take the bottle and immerse it upright in some water. If bubbles appear, it's not sealed.

I think you'll find it's sealed.

I've not seen what you describe but bubbles streaming up sounds like a potential bottle bomb in the works.

How much priming sugar did you add? What was the final gravity of the beer. How long had it been fermenting before you bottled it.

ie: Was it done fermenting? These questions can help answer that.

It may be nothing of concern and your beer is fine (most likely)
It may be excessive carbonation (too much sugar/beer not done fermenting)
It may be infection
A leak is not likely I think.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Good questions on details I left out.

The FG for this beer was 1.016 and had been that way for well over a week (I had to go on vacation and ran out of time to bottle before I left). After the first gravity reading I'd even moved the bucket up onto a table and given it a light swirl to see if any further attenuation could be achieved. 12 days later when I took my final reading it was still 1.016. The beer had been in the fermentor for nearly 5 weeks when I finally bottled.

As I'd fermented in the bottling bucket, I used coopers carbonation drops, two in each 24oz bottle per the instructions on the label. I know this won't give me control over carbonation levels, but I was feeling lazy.

I have the bottles in their cardboard box, inside a plastic tub as I didn't want to have to clean up a big mess on the off change a bottle bomb occurred. I plan to let the beer sit for at least 3 weeks before I even think about it. Realistically, as it's a stout, I'll probably let the majority of the bottles condition for 4 - 5 weeks.

Is there any point where I'd be able to consider myself "in the clear" for a bottle bomb or should I be taking precautions whenever I handle these bottles?

-- Nathan

 

[Kirkwooder]

Let it ride for a few more days. After it has been bottled for a week or so, pop one open and note the level of carbonation. If the beer gushes out when you open it, and you haven't shaken the bottle, then you likely have an issue. If it doesn't gush out then pour the beer into a glass and taste it. If it tastes sweet, it is likely not done carbing, and will need a bit more time.

Likely what is happening is that your beer is just doing what it is supposed to, fermenting the sugar you added so it will carbonate.

Relax, it sounds as though you are on your way to enjoying your beer!

 

[Gavin C]

All sounds fine. No worries at all.

 

[SnakeRidge]

There was a recent thread where somebody described the same phenomenon. I don't think he had any issues. It's not something I've personally seen, but I usually just let mine ride for 2-3 weeks before messing with them.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Thanks All,

Sounds like I'll just ignore them till around mid September or so and then see where things are at.

-- Nathan

 

[Spartan300man]

I open one of my beers every week just to get a gauge on where it is at, and I also like to see, taste and learn how the beer matures during the carbonation process. Week 1 is never like week 4.
I had some bottles recently that had a nice carbonation pfft when opening, no gushing, but when I poured them, the foam immediately filled the pint glass and I had only poured about half of the 12 oz bottle. I did not taste anything unusual, and it happened to bottles that had been in the fridge for only 8 hours as well as bottles that were in there for over 2 days. And it happened on only about 1/3 of the bottles I opened. Never figured out a real reason for that.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Downside of bottling in 24oz bottles is that opening one is a bigger commitment, otherwise I'd probably follow this. Everything I've read says stouts will do better the longer they condition so I'm happy to let these ride. I do look forward to cracking one open and (hopefully) enjoying my first home brew in September!

-- Nathan