Getting gushers lately

[acarter5251]

So my last two batches have resulted in me getting gushers. The first tasted fine but really gushed when I opened the bottle. The other didn't gush when I cracked one about three weeks after bottling, but are starting to gush slowly when opened (about 2 months later). These also have a bit more of an alcohol burn taste with a bit of what tastes like cherry so now I'm thinking infection. If I run everything I can through a sanitizing cycle in the dishwasher and bleach anything I can't should I be fine to get back to making good non gushing bottles of beer?

 

[iijakii]

Make sure the bottles are clean, no gunk stuck in there. Brush clean if so. Run them through the sanitize cycle.

Replace your siphon tubing since that's hardish to clean and only a few bucks.

Do a thorough cleaning on everything else and sanitize well. Make sure you disassemble anything that can be disassembled. I've seen gunk in bottling bucket valves etc. Not sure what you use now but a no-rinse one like StarSan is really great and easy. Also if your carboy/buckets seem pretty banged up you might consider replacing those. There's a lot of common "if it's scratched it needs to go" mantra but personally I feel it's pretty easy to sanitize things well..

 

[grimzella]

yup.. bottles were my gusher issue a while back. Build up on the walls of the bottles. When I noticed this, I started soaking them in very warm water with oxyclean free. I would let these soak for at least two weeks. Never had a problem since.

 

[glenn514]

Are you using a "priming sugar calculator" at bottling? I had a couple of batches that produced "gushers" as well as "bottle bombs." I discovered that the included 5 ounces of priming sugar is simply way too much for some styles. Once I started using a calculator, the "gushers" and "bottle bombs" were things of the past.

glenn514

 

[soccerdad]

What he said ...

Make sure the bottles are clean, no gunk stuck in there. Brush clean if so. Run them through the sanitize cycle.

Replace your siphon tubing since that's hardish to clean and only a few bucks.

Do a thorough cleaning on everything else and sanitize well. Make sure you disassemble anything that can be disassembled. I've seen gunk in bottling bucket valves etc. Not sure what you use now but a no-rinse one like StarSan is really great and easy. Also if your carboy/buckets seem pretty banged up you might consider replacing those. There's a lot of common "if it's scratched it needs to go" mantra but personally I feel it's pretty easy to sanitize things well..

 

[acarter5251]

Thanks for the replies. I have been using a priming sugar calculator and allowing my yeast to finish fermentation so that shouldn't be an issue. I will clean out all of my bottle really well, already have new hosing ready to go, and will clean my fermenters and bottling bucket really well and try again

 

[m00ps]

Sounds like isolated infections in certain bottles. I had some early batches that did this. Stepping up my bottling regimen took care of it. I cleaned the bottles better, inspected them, and got a bottling tree so they are faced down and its harder for stuff to get in there once they are sanitized

 

[grimzella]

and to keep them clean.. I place sanitized foil over each bottle opening once they are dry.

 

[Shooter]

If it is an infection and the gushing eventually starts to appear in every bottle, I would think the infection is getting in at some point before it goes to bottle. Unless your cleaning and sanitation on every single bottle is bad.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Are you using a "priming sugar calculator" at bottling? I had a couple of batches that produced "gushers" as well as "bottle bombs." I discovered that the included 5 ounces of priming sugar is simply way too much for some styles. Once I started using a calculator, the "gushers" and "bottle bombs" were things of the past.

glenn514

Agreed. I've always wondered why kits come with so much sugar. I generally do around 3.5oz, depending on style.

 

[philosofool]

If it is an infection and the gushing eventually starts to appear in every bottle, I would think the infection is getting in at some point before it goes to bottle. Unless your cleaning and sanitation on every single bottle is bad.

If you are using a wand or any other object that goes into both beer and bottle at bottling, and you reuse your bottles, the gusher bugs are eventually going to be in all your bottles if your bottling regimine isn't excellent.

 

[philosofool]

If you find bottles that have visible gunk, just toss them. You get six free bottles with every purchase of 72 oz. of craft beer at the store.

 

[Shooter]

If you are using a wand or any other object that goes into both beer and bottle at bottling, and you reuse your bottles, the gusher bugs are eventually going to be in all your bottles if your bottling regimine isn't excellent.

True, that is what I was trying to indicate. It's likely not the bottles that are dirty, assuming you're properly cleaning them and sanitizing prior to use, if they are all gushing, but something in line ahead of them that is infecting each one.

 

[acarter5251]

I just bombed all of my equipment with oxi and star san today. We will see if I get gushers on my next batch...

 

[kh54s10]

I just bombed all of my equipment with oxi and star san today. We will see if I get gushers on my next batch...

I would not use Starsan in normal cleaning procedure. It might be worth it in this case. But In usual circumstances it is a waste. Once Starsan dries it is no longer doing anything to sanitize.

Make sure you use Starsan again on bottling day.

 

[acarter5251]

I would not use Starsan in normal cleaning procedure. It might be worth it in this case. But In usual circumstances it is a waste. Once Starsan dries it is no longer doing anything to sanitize.



Make sure you use Starsan again on bottling day.

Oh I don't usually use starsan for my cleaning regimen. I was only using it to really get at my equipment with a long soak in it. Figured it would be easier than bleaching everything and still would be pretty effective.

I'll be sure to resanitize on brew day.
Thanks!

 

[MaxStout]

For washing bottles, the Jet bottle washer works great.

After washing, set the bottles upside down to drain and dry. Then on bottling day, dunk in a bucket of StarSan, or use a Vinator to sanitize.