My First Bottle Bomb

[Rocket365]

7 batches in and I've had my first bottle bomb. I first noticed glass on the floor below my conditioning shelf, then saw the soggy bottomed box of bottles. I'm 2 days shy of the 2 week conditioning mark of my Anniversary American Pale Ale from AHS and I'm usually am careful about weighing out my priming sugar (1 oz. per gallon of beer), so I'm just hoping that there was a hairline fracture in one of the bottles I didn't notice. I guess I'll just have to sacrifice another bottle to see where the carbonation is at.

Anyone else have a first bottle bomb experience?

 

[adfirmus]

Wow, that's a great picture. Save that for a bar fight. Did the bottom half shatter, or did it break into a couple of pieces? I've never personally had a bottle bomb, but I have broken a lot of glass/bottles/glassware. If it just broke into a couple of pieces it might have had a hairline crack from before filling.

What kind of force/pressure does it even take to break a bottle like that? I always under estimate how tough beer bottles are.Two days ago I definitely wung a bottle into an empty dumpster and heard it bounce off three of the ways and not break.

 

[beerkrump]

Sometimes the sugar you add during bottling doesn't get mixed well enough and you can get a bottle or two with too much sugar.

Are your bottles boxed? Or, at least, in a place where no one can be cut by flying debris?

 

[Rocket365]

The busted bottle had a few big pieces from the lover portion of the bottle, but also a number of smaller pieces. It's difficult to determine with any certainty if I over primed or if I filled and capped a damaged bottle. I guess I'll just wait to see if any more explode. +1 for kegging right?

 

[Rocket365]

This batch of bottle are boxed, with the top flaps folded in, but I have since placed a dish towel over each box to contain any flying glass.

Very possible that one bottle received more priming solution than the rest, but I did place the priming sugar solution in the empty bottling bucket, then racked the beer. This technique should have distributed the priming solution evenly.

 

[cadarnell]

This batch of bottle are boxed, with the top flaps folded in, but I have since placed a dish towel over each box to contain any flying glass.

Very possible that one bottle received more priming solution than the rest, but I did place the priming sugar solution in the empty bottling bucket, then racked the beer. This technique should have distributed the priming solution evenly.

i know I've read on here that it will mix just fine not stirring it .. but after one batch with inconsistant carbonation that I didn't stir .. I always stir .. I stir, bottle 12 .. stir, bottle 12 .. and so on .. it was probabaly a bad bottle .. at least I hope so .. good luck !!

 

[dfc]

This batch of bottle are boxed, with the top flaps folded in, but I have since placed a dish towel over each box to contain any flying glass.

Very possible that one bottle received more priming solution than the rest, but I did place the priming sugar solution in the empty bottling bucket, then racked the beer. This technique should have distributed the priming solution evenly.

Sanitize a spoon and stir it. I used to do the same thing and had uneven carbonation every time. All it took was one explosion and I updated my technique.

 

[Moonlighter]

I box and then put each box in a kitchen size plastic bag to condition, which I do in my clothes closet. Just a matter of time before one explodes, I guess.

 

[Toga]

I had my first bottle bomb back in December. All the bottles but the one that went b33r grenade were fine. The only thing I could attribute it to would be a bottle that had some type of defect.

 

[Wakadaka]

I had one recently as well that I used the same method. 4.5oz sugar for 5 gallons, put in bottling bucket, racked on top. Around 2 weeks in had one explode on me. I thought it was probably either a weak bottle, or not mixed properly. I tried a couple more last week after ~5 weeks in bottles, and neither of the two I opened had any carbonation. I guess it was poor mixing, but I opened ones that sat next to the one that exploded.

I know 3 weeks is the minimum, and this is a stout but the og was only 1.056. Oh well I am just going to wait a couple more weeks and give it another try.

 

[jonmohno]

Any of you guys noticing if they are the near first or near last,when botteling- the ones that exploded? Ive been drinking mine last bottled first thinking that if it settled it would be last of the bottles? i havent had any and ive been drinking them last bottled first.

 

[Mikespunchlist]

I've had a couple to explode but I also had an antique hand capping tool that broke a bunch of them for me. I don't know if I had some that had hairline cracks or just blew up naturally. The 2 that broke just popped the neck off. I found that to control any that may explode I bought a storage tub that was on the sale rack after halloween. It's real dark brown and has a lid that snaps on with some latches. Keeps the bottles dark and contained.

 

[greenfrog5]

To help mix when racking into the bottling bucket, I attach an upside down racking cane to the out-end of my siphon hose, with a 4" piece of tubing attached to the bottom/bent end of the racking cane. The 4" piece of tubing is a bit curved, so I can position it all so that curved tube follows the curve of the bucket and the beer entering the bucking gets a good whirlpool going as it is gently released into the bucket. I do stir gently with the cane when the transfer is done, but not much.

 

[enkamania]

My friend had a bottle bomb experience, but it was determined that was caused by an unfinished fermentation and not the amount of sugar

 

[Rocket365]

Nearly at the 4 week conditioning mark, I've had no other bottle bombs with this batch of AHS Anniversary American Pale Ale. After enjoying a couple bottles, I'd say the carbonation is less than I expected, confirming that the priming sugar was not well mixed in the bottling bucket. I am certain that the bottle that exploded had a higher percentage of priming sugar than the rest. So from now on I'll be sure to gently stir my beer + priming sugar solution, with a sanitized spoon, to ensure it is well mixed.

Live, learn and enjoy a home brew!

 

[jceglar]

had my first 'beer bomb' with a twist. I had bottled my first batch and had only 48 bottles. i put the rest in a 750 ml Trader Joe beer bottle and corked it with a #9 cork. The bottle didn't explode, but the cork was shot out of it and 'head' was everywhere. only half the beer left. i guess better this way than an exploding bottle.

 

[passedpawn]

 

[Face Eater]

I had 7 bottles from an oatmeal stout blow up about 3 weeks of bottle conditioning. I knew they were gonna be a bit overcarbed but never thought they would explode. I made a bit extra sugar for bottling and dumped it in the bottling bucket. Not only was there more sugar, after transferring the beer I only had about 4 gallons (couldn't tell out of my conical). So I figured they would be a bit overcarbed. Luckily I was able to save the rest of the beer by throwing them all in my fridge. There gushers but they are tasty!

 

[PIGMAN]

While we're on the topic, is there any time in the conditioning process when bottle bombs tyically occur? I keep my bottled batches in Rubbermaids, but when is it safe to assume they won't explode?

 

[RobWalker]

I'm looking forward to mine, as it's bottling season soon!

 

[eltrain13]

I just had my first bottle bomb in several years of brewing.... Should I be concerned about other bottles in the batch? I'm going to try another tonight to check the carb level, and if it's high, is my best option to get the rest in the fridge?

 

[passedpawn]

While we're on the topic, is there any time in the conditioning process when bottle bombs tyically occur? I keep my bottled batches in Rubbermaids, but when is it safe to assume they won't explode?

The one I posted a pic of, above, was probably about 1 year old. Went off shortly after I moved the bottle from a closet to a countertop.

 

[PIGMAN]

The one I posted a pic of, above, was probably about 1 year old. Went off shortly after I moved the bottle from a closet to a countertop.

That's real comforting. What do you think caused it?

 

[Zixxer10R]

The busted bottle had a few big pieces from the lover portion of the bottle, but also a number of smaller pieces. It's difficult to determine with any certainty if I over primed or if I filled and capped a damaged bottle. I guess I'll just wait to see if any more explode. +1 for kegging right?

New bottle type?

 

[passedpawn]

That's real comforting. What do you think caused it?

Hard to say. I had a dozen or so bottles left of this smokebeer. All were somewhat overpressured, so I dumped them.

That was my second bottle bomb. I had another one about a year ago. Same thing, old bottle. I ended up dumping the remainder of that batch also. If you've had a bomb go off near you, you won't f@ck around with them anymore; I dump without a hint of remorse.

I'd have to guess that there was some sort of bacterial infection in there. I have since stopped sanitizing in the dishwasher (starsan / vinator now). I also stopped growing yeast from frozen / banked yeast tubes. I haven't had a problem since.

 

[ishkochito]

A few minutes ago I heard a loud *pop* behind me here in my home office and investigated. Turns out it was a 22oz that the bottom popped off of, very similar to passedpawn's pic. This was an IPA brewed four months ago of which there are only about 8 bottles left, and they were on the top of my beer locker near the ceiling. Since this is the hottest day of the year so far (and the a/c is on a low setting and the attic is likely the same as outside temps), it may be related to the increasing ambient heat.

I hope the exploding bottle was simply cracked and that the others do not find a similar fate. I have moved the remainder to a low shelf inside a coleman cooler for safety, save one that I am now chilling for gustatory examination.

As a side note, my office now smells great.