Over carbed bottles!

[Ethan19993]

So, my beer has been fine, perfect head, perfect appearance, until these past few days. Everytime I cool one down and then pour it CALMLY into the glass, I get 85% head and just a small amount of visible beer at the bottom of the glass. What's the deal??? I used 5oz of priming sugar during bottling. Any advice? Thanks

 

[twistr25]

A few things come to mind. 1) you may have had uneven distribution of the priming solution in your bottling bucket so some got more sugar than others 2) You aren't cooling them long enough, make sure they are in the fridge for a minimum of 48 hours, preferably longer or 3) You have an infection in your bottle causing gushers.

 

[Hello]

How many bottles have you tried? As for infections, do you smell or taste anything off?

 

[Paradingbull]

+1 on twistr25's comments plus one other. If fermentation was not completely finished before bottling, it can lead to overcarbing.

 

[RM-MN]

+1 on twistr25's comments plus one other. If fermentation was not completely finished before bottling, it can lead to overcarbing.

This is what I'm currently battling. I left the beer in the fermenter for 3 weeks, checked the gravity and it was already below what was the predicted final gravity so I bottled. Now a few months later, I find a bunch of overcarbonated bottles. I guess the yeast wasn't quite finished when I bottled.

 

[Ethan19993]

This is what I'm currently battling. I left the beer in the fermenter for 3 weeks, checked the gravity and it was already below what was the predicted final gravity so I bottled. Now a few months later, I find a bunch of overcarbonated bottles. I guess the yeast wasn't quite finished when I bottled.

This could be the case, I stopped at three weeks in the fermenter. Nothing is infected, and the beer tastes great still, I guess it's just overcarbed. Would only chilling for 8 or so hours really have anything to do with them foaming?

 

[Paradingbull]

Yes, short chill time can cause high foaming. Like twistr said, let'm chill 2 days or more before drinking. If nothing else it helps the sediment fall to the bottom and makes for better beer.

 

[Ethan19993]

Yes, short chill time can cause high foaming. Like twistr said, let'm chill 2 days or more before drinking. If nothing else it helps the sediment fall to the bottom and makes for better beer.

Hmmm. That's interesting. Just curious, do you know why the short chill time may make it foamy?

 

[billl]

THe longer chill time give the CO2 time to come to equilibrium. Liquids are different temps absorb gas differently.

 

[twistr25]

As the bottles condition and carbonate, all of the CO2 gathers in the headspace. When you fridge the bottles the cold temperatures make the CO2 more dense and it is forced back into solution. If not given enough time, the majority of the CO2 will be concentrated near the neck of the bottle. When you open and pour the CO2 comes rushing out and effects that top portion of the liquid. So a longer chilling period makes the CO2 distribute uniformly

 

[Ethan19993]

As the bottles condition and carbonate, all of the CO2 gathers in the headspace. When you fridge the bottles the cold temperatures make the CO2 more dense and it is forced back into solution. If not given enough time, the majority of the CO2 will be concentrated near the neck of the bottle. When you open and pour the CO2 comes rushing out and effects that top portion of the liquid. So a longer chilling period makes the CO2 distribute uniformly

Wow. Thanks. Very interesting.

 

[jakenbacon]

As the bottles condition and carbonate, all of the CO2 gathers in the headspace. When you fridge the bottles the cold temperatures make the CO2 more dense and it is forced back into solution. If not given enough time, the majority of the CO2 will be concentrated near the neck of the bottle. When you open and pour the CO2 comes rushing out and effects that top portion of the liquid. So a longer chilling period makes the CO2 distribute uniformly

Couldn't have said it better. This is so true. I was getting pissed that every time I took beers to a friends house. I wouldn't have them chilled before hand and the caps would shoot thirty feet in the air when we popped them. I knew it was due to transport or temperature, and the amount of time it was cooled. Sure enough, a cooler full of ice doesn't cause the dissolution of Co2 in a night of drinking. Enough said ......

 

[Ethan19993]

Couldn't have said it better. This is so true. I was getting pissed that every time I took beers to a friends house. I wouldn't have them chilled before hand and the caps would shoot thirty feet in the air when we popped them. I knew it was due to transport or temperature, and the amount of time it was cooled. Sure enough, a cooler full of ice doesn't cause the dissolution of Co2 in a night of drinking. Enough said ......

I feel your pain. I brought some over to a friends house to get his opinion and you can imagine the rest... POP... Pour... Wait... Wait... "What's with the enormous head?"... Embarrassing to say the least...

 

[amfukuda]

If you think that's bad just wait till you have a bottle or two explode

 

[Ethan19993]

If you think that's bad just wait till you have a bottle or two explode

Fingers crossed that doesn't happen*

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I'll bring this one back...

I'm in a similar(ish) situation. I brewed a coffee stout back in September(?) and I've been saving about 14 bottles for Christmas to give away. I just cracked one and it slowly started to foam over. It was in the fridge for about 24 hours, so it probably could have used more time there. The thing is, it slowly kept going for about a solid minute, so I'm not convinced that's my problem here.

My plan is to open the remaining bottles up one by one and let them foam over, then recap after the worst of it is over, but as it's still going. It's a stout so I obviously don't want it too fizzy, but I'd hate to dump it in a fermenter for a few days and reprime.

Does my plan sound reasonable?

 

[RM-MN]

I'll bring this one back...

I'm in a similar(ish) situation. I brewed a coffee stout back in September(?) and I've been saving about 14 bottles for Christmas to give away. I just cracked one and it slowly started to foam over. It was in the fridge for about 24 hours, so it probably could have used more time there. The thing is, it slowly kept going for about a solid minute, so I'm not convinced that's my problem here.

My plan is to open the remaining bottles up one by one and let them foam over, then recap after the worst of it is over, but as it's still going. It's a stout so I obviously don't want it too fizzy, but I'd hate to dump it in a fermenter for a few days and reprime.

Does my plan sound reasonable?

I would expect you to lose between 1/4 and 1/2 of the beer in each bottle as it foams out. That's been my experience.

 

[Toy4Rick]

I have had some luck with just lifting the edge of the cap just enough to hear the pssst then put the capper back on it. Don't bend the cap...

Do this for about 3-4 days to each bottle then try one and go from there

In my case it was a bottling infection which came from the spigot, didn't know it could be taken apart, once I did the infection stopped

Good luck
Rick

 

[twistr25]

I have had some luck with just lifting the edge of the cap just enough to hear the pssst then put the capper back on it. Don't bend the cap...

Do this for about 3-4 days to each bottle then try one and go from there

In my case it was a bottling infection which came from the spigot, didn't know it could be taken apart, once I did the infection stopped

Good luck
Rick

I'll agree it sounds like a bottling infection. May be worthwhile to toss another in the fridge and give it the full 3 day cooling period, just to see as well. Good luck.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

That would be a bummer. Is there any issue with drinking it (assuming letting out some pressure solves the foam over problem)?

I'll toss another in the fridge and give it a few days and hope for the best.

 

[RM-MN]

That would be a bummer. Is there any issue with drinking it (assuming letting out some pressure solves the foam over problem)?

I'll toss another in the fridge and give it a few days and hope for the best.

You'll tend to burp a lot from the excess carbonation, that's all. With one batch of mine that was way overcarbonated I poured the bottle out into a quart size measuring vessel and then poured it from there into my glass. That extra pour seemed to get rid of the excess carbonation.