Didn't account for volume loss, added too much priming sugar

[prince87x]

My final batch size went from 5 gallons down to 3.75 between extremely active fermentation with a blow off tube, dry hopping with whole hops, and other means. I used the priming calculator to come out to 4.4 oz of corn sugar for my 5 gallon batch of amber ale. I boiled and put the sugar into the bottling bucket before siphoning the beer into it so it wasn't until after I siphoned from the primary that I noticed I was only at about 3.70-3.8 gallons. It was my first time brewing so I didn't think about all the ways you get losses of batch size so I didn't adjust my priming sugar amount.

This takes me from my desired 2.52 CO2 volumes to 3.03ish volumes. I'm using mostly Negra Modelo bottles so I know they won't hold as high of carbonation has specialized homebrew bottles. I'll have to invest in some but used these for my first time.

Will I be alright at my new carbonation level? Perhaps instead of priming for 2-3 weeks I should stop at 1-2?

 

[CastleHollow]

You're still within the accepted carb level for an amber ale at 3vol, so your beer would be fine. I would just condition them normally for 3 weeks, test a bottle, and then chill the rest if you are satisfied with its carbonation.

If you are worried about the bottle integrity at that carb level, you should be fine. I think beer bottles are rated to 50psi, which is somwhere in the 4-5vol range.

 

[Flboy]

OH WOW! CLICK! I over carbed my last three batches and now I know why. Priming for 5 gal, bottling 4 or less-DUH.
Not bombs, but since I drink my beer warm, way too much carbonation. Thank you for your question!

 

[ColoradoHomebrew]

According to white labs, 35psi is toxic to yeast and I've read most regular beer bottles can handle 45 psi. So in my experience, all of my bottle bombs were caused by something else that can handle more than 35 psi, an infected batch of beer. unless you are re-pitching yeast at bottling I doubt you can make bottle bombs.

That being said, 35 psi is close to 45 psi so I would not recommend high carb levels in regular bottles but use champagne or Belgians.

The short of it? You should be just fine.

 

[andy6026]

ditto the above posters. You're not in bottle-bomb territory unless something else went awry, but they probably be will be over-carbed for your preference.

You can pop the caps to off-gas them a bit and then pop tops back on if it really concerns you.

 

[prince87x]

I thought about venting a little of it off but since they're already capped and marked I'll just live with them being more carbonated than intended. Like everyone says, you can make quite a few small mistakes while brewing and have everything turn out alright still. I added my priming sugar too soon, added my aroma hops addition during the boil (to which I decided to dry hop to get some back), and over primed but at the end of the day I learned quite a bit from it all.

Thanks for all of your replies!

 

[JohnL54]

Wait a minute, you blew off 5 qts from a 5 gallon batch? I think you should be thinking about getting a larger fermenter...!

 

[uatuba]

I personally like a lot of carbonation. As long as it doesn't explode, I'm good with it.


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