luckybeagle
Making sales and brewing ales.
I know this topic in general has been covered extensively, but I can't seem to find anyone discussing safe levels of carbonation by volumes relative to glass weight. The most I've seen is "use heavy Belgian bottles" and "stay away from paper thin Sam Adams bottles." And "2.5 volumes is safe." As a rule of thumb, I get it, but those explanations just lack the detail that I feel I need for the styles of beers I like to brew.
The discussions regarding bottle integrity and maximum volumes seem to center on the argument that "bottles will hold X volumes of CO2... until they don't."
That's a fair statement to make, however commercial and Belgian/Trappist brewers deliberately choose bottles that will hold their bottle conditioned and carbonated beer safely... indefinitely. They must have some idea, and not just through trial and error, of what their bottles can reliably hold.
I weighed my personal collection by stye and have come up with the following:
We know Orval holds 5 volumes via BLAM. Is there a crude relationship between weight and maximum volume? If Orval can hold 5.0 volumes and the bottles weigh 314g, can one assume that 354/5 = 70.8 grams of glass per volume CO2 for a ~12 oz bottle is "safe?"
I regularly use my Ninkasi bottles for my 3.0 volume Belgian Blondes and Tripels. No bottle bombs yet. At 197g per bottle, it's 197g/3 = 65.6 grams of glass per volume. I wonder what level takes them outside of safe territory?
Westmalle bottles are carbed up to 4.0 volumes for some of their styles: 314/4 = 78.5g of glass per volume. Since Westmalle bottles are used in several Trappist breweries, it's possible these are made thicker to accommodate more bubbly brews.
Not sure on La Chouffe or Chimay's carbonation levels, though La Chouffe (284g) uses the same bottles as Duvel (4.25 volumes, CO2), which would be 284/4.25 = 66.82 grams of glass per volume.
Rochefort is carbed to about 3.5 volumes in 241 gram bottles. 241/5= 68.85 grams of glass per volume.
To me it seems a trend is being established: roughly 65 to 75g of glass per volume of CO2 seems to be safe, with most being on the low end of that range.
I am pushing the limit with the 197g craft beer bottles on a 3.25ish Dubbel that I just bottled 1 week ago. I split that batch between 197g glass and 230g glass. If any burst, I will report back. If any of my 230g glass blows but my 197g glass doesn't, I'll be confused/won't be able to draw a conclusion/correlation.
If anyone has thoughts, experiences, further knowledge or opinions on glass integrity, please share!
The discussions regarding bottle integrity and maximum volumes seem to center on the argument that "bottles will hold X volumes of CO2... until they don't."
That's a fair statement to make, however commercial and Belgian/Trappist brewers deliberately choose bottles that will hold their bottle conditioned and carbonated beer safely... indefinitely. They must have some idea, and not just through trial and error, of what their bottles can reliably hold.
I weighed my personal collection by stye and have come up with the following:
- Ninkasi/Deschutes/Hop Valley "Craft Beer" long necks and stubbies: 197 grams each
- Home brew supply store and miscellaneous thicker longnecks: 230 grams each
- Trappist Rochefort: 241 grams each
- Chimay: 271 grams each
- La Chouffe: 284 grams each
- Westmalle: 314 grams each
- Orval: 354 grams each
We know Orval holds 5 volumes via BLAM. Is there a crude relationship between weight and maximum volume? If Orval can hold 5.0 volumes and the bottles weigh 314g, can one assume that 354/5 = 70.8 grams of glass per volume CO2 for a ~12 oz bottle is "safe?"
I regularly use my Ninkasi bottles for my 3.0 volume Belgian Blondes and Tripels. No bottle bombs yet. At 197g per bottle, it's 197g/3 = 65.6 grams of glass per volume. I wonder what level takes them outside of safe territory?
Westmalle bottles are carbed up to 4.0 volumes for some of their styles: 314/4 = 78.5g of glass per volume. Since Westmalle bottles are used in several Trappist breweries, it's possible these are made thicker to accommodate more bubbly brews.
Not sure on La Chouffe or Chimay's carbonation levels, though La Chouffe (284g) uses the same bottles as Duvel (4.25 volumes, CO2), which would be 284/4.25 = 66.82 grams of glass per volume.
Rochefort is carbed to about 3.5 volumes in 241 gram bottles. 241/5= 68.85 grams of glass per volume.
To me it seems a trend is being established: roughly 65 to 75g of glass per volume of CO2 seems to be safe, with most being on the low end of that range.
I am pushing the limit with the 197g craft beer bottles on a 3.25ish Dubbel that I just bottled 1 week ago. I split that batch between 197g glass and 230g glass. If any burst, I will report back. If any of my 230g glass blows but my 197g glass doesn't, I'll be confused/won't be able to draw a conclusion/correlation.
If anyone has thoughts, experiences, further knowledge or opinions on glass integrity, please share!
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