How likely are bottle bombs?

[TVarmy]

I bottled my first beer (a hefeweizen) yesterday, and I think I waited long enough and used 5 oz of priming sugar (in a premeasured bag from the LHBS) for the 5 gallon batch. However, I found out today that my hydrometer gets an inaccurate reading (1.005 in distilled water at 65 degrees). The airlock was still bubbling, but the hydrometer was consistant, so I assume it was just CO2 coming out of solution that would have left when I racked to the bottling bucket. I know that means that if anything, the gravity of the beer was lower, if it's consistently off, but I'm still being an anxious noob.

What are the chances of bottle bombs, and is there a time I should check if they're overcarbed before they'd be dangerous? I've got them in cardboard boxes inside a garbage bag, just in case.

 

[carnevoodoo]

I think you'll be ok. If the hydrometer was constant, I would think it was done. Just watch them. If you open the first and it is overcarbed, move them all into a cool/cold place.

 

[Franzi]

I've had bombs from two separate batches. It's certainly not fun and a bit scary when you're trying to clean up the mess and get rid of the remaining bottles which are ticking timebombs.

The sound of a bottle exploding and glass shards flying about is very unpleasant. (although I kinda like the smell of beer in the basement!)

 

[Erythro73]

With my first batch, I put all my bottles in 2 buckets. You know... just in case. So, if it explodes, I lose the bucket, I lose some bottles, but I certainly don't put anyone at risks and the beer+glass is confined to this one area.

 

[TVarmy]

Well, I'm still scared, but I guess that's what the box and bags are for. I'll try one after a week, I guess.

 

[NorCalAngler]

Depending on your capper you may see the caps start to bulge before anything happens to the bottle. My extra pale ale had inconsistent priming sugar in the batch and the bottles that got extra sugar started to bulge the caps out so I held the bottles with a towel and slowly popped the caps to release the pressure and recapped.

 

[Yooper]

If the beer was finished fermenting, and you added the correct amount of priming sugar which was dissolved properly and evenly distributed throughout the batch, there is NO chance of bottle bombs. So, don't worry!