I'm just curious, not that I want to grenade any tasty beverage, but I hear about it often enough that I'm wondering how much priming sugar you'd need to make that happen given standard bottle types. Might be fun to try in a controlled environment....
Grenading, how much does it take, really
- Thread starter RedSun
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Pull off a bottle-full in full krausen. Save your priming sugar.
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Priming sugar could be the culprit, but it's not the only issue.
Contamination from wild yeast can cause bottle bombs too. The cure for that is better sanitation.
Also, premature bottling can also cause it.
As for how much over-pressurization is too much, it depends on the condition of the bottles. Most of my beer goes into 500mL Steigel bottles which are a little on the thin sides. The bottles used by Rogue and Avery Brweeries are MUCH more substantial. Most 12 ounce bottles are also more substantial. So I would say it just depends....
Contamination from wild yeast can cause bottle bombs too. The cure for that is better sanitation.
Also, premature bottling can also cause it.
As for how much over-pressurization is too much, it depends on the condition of the bottles. Most of my beer goes into 500mL Steigel bottles which are a little on the thin sides. The bottles used by Rogue and Avery Brweeries are MUCH more substantial. Most 12 ounce bottles are also more substantial. So I would say it just depends....
My third batch had a couple of bottles break due to over carbonation. I made a couple of mistakes with that batch - I used a full cup of priming sugar - and I had a low yield when I bottled. When I racked to the bottling bucket (straight from the primary) I was tilting it to get that last half gallon or so and the bucket slipped. I caught it but the trub was all stirred up and I opted not to transfer the remainder.
About 2-3 weeks after bottling I went out of town for a week and upon return two of them had busted. I also had several bottles in that batch that were all foam when I poured them. The lessons we learn.
About 2-3 weeks after bottling I went out of town for a week and upon return two of them had busted. I also had several bottles in that batch that were all foam when I poured them. The lessons we learn.
Llarian
Well-Known Member
Hmmm. Hefeweizen is up to 3.2 volumes of CO2 by style, which works out to be nearly 8oz of sugar, depending on your temperature. Seems like people are making bottles survive that.
-D
-D
magno
Sound Level Technician
In Stan Hieronymus' book Brew Like a Monk it mentions that normal bottles are rated to around 3 volumes of CO2, but some (like belgian and champagne) bottles are rated for much more pressure.
The only bottle bombs that I have ever had were due to an infection. I knew I shouldnt have bottled that batch.
- magno
The only bottle bombs that I have ever had were due to an infection. I knew I shouldnt have bottled that batch.
- magno
bottled a stout once that was stuck in primary. it was like 1.050 OG and was still 1.024 or so when I bottled, with 3/4cup priming sugar.
about 2 months later, POP! One blew, and broke 4 bottles around it. chilled the remaining bottles, then opened one by one, each was a gusher, launching about 1/3 the volume as foam.
the taste.....not so good.
(that was one of the batches that caused me to stop brewing beer...only mead)
about 2 months later, POP! One blew, and broke 4 bottles around it. chilled the remaining bottles, then opened one by one, each was a gusher, launching about 1/3 the volume as foam.
the taste.....not so good.
(that was one of the batches that caused me to stop brewing beer...only mead)
zoebisch01
Well-Known Member
magno said:
This is a point I always like to bring up too. I weighed various bottles. Off the top of my head I can't recall exact numbers but the regular browns fall around 200 grams, good browns (like Unibroue, although they are twists) are around 270 grams, and the Orval bottles are like 350 grams!
Most times that I've seen a "bomb" the bottle bottom unceremoniously fractures and the bottom falls out when you pick it up.
ColoradoXJ13
Well-Known Member
eh, I bottled a Saison in February that got stuck at 1.040, the bottles have been sitting in my dining room at 70-75*F all summer, and I have been happily drinking them with no bottle bombs at all, yes, a little sweet, but it isn't bad.
Finishing gravity is not always directly related to whether or not you'll overcarb. If it's high because it got stuck (but still has fermentable sugars contained) then you'll overcarb if the yeast wake back up. If it's high because your beer is made up of too many unfermentables, it will only carb to the level provided your added fermentable priming sugars.
I noticed on this last Hefe that I really picked up too damn much trub in some bottles so I had that sneaking suspicion, but nothing yet in 2 weeks. Probably through the highly sedimented ones in the fridge, but I'm gonna grenade one safely soon, just for fun. I should webcam it so we can watch it blow.
Llarian
Well-Known Member
Trub shouldn't significantly contribute to bottle pressure unless there's still unfermentables. You can put as much yeast into a bottle as you want and it'll still only consume what sugar is available to it.
-D
-D
