Over-priming problem?

[nickbrew]

Hey all, this is my first post - if any have any suggestions for a more correct board please let me know.

I have been using Brewhouse kits and I have had a problem with beers erupting with foam when they are opened.

For anyone not familiar with these kits, see here:

http://www.brewerylane.com/beer/brew-house-explained.html

I have been customizing them a bit with pretty great success minus this problem. For example my current batch started with the stout, I used a liquid yeast from a local brewery (no more details sorry), and 2oz of bourbon soaked hungarian oak.

The kit comes with 15L of wort and asks for 8L of water, however I find that halfing the water in these kits is much better.

I have had my batch in secondary for a month so I dont think the problem is an unfinished fermentation. The kit comes with 170g of dextrose for priming. I will also be adding 12oz of bourbon at bottling.

Does anyone know if I should add less sugar because I halved the water? My total volume should be 19L not 23L.

Also any other recommendations on alternative priming sugars that may suit this flavor profile?

Thanks for any help,

Nick

 

[nickbrew]

Another bit of information, I will be aging these beers in bottle for 8-12 months. I do not know if that will have an impact on this problem.

 

[Hopinista]

What are your conditioning temps? Also, how long do you soak the oak? Oak cubes/chips are notorious for infection if not treated properly

 

[nickbrew]

I am conditioning at ~18-20C. What would be ideal? I am somewhat limited with the poor heating in my apartment but I see what I can if changes need to be made. I soaked the oak cubes for 6 weeks in 12oz of Makers Mark, which will be added before bottling. I thought that would give plenty of time to take care of any critters and the like.

 

[danath34]

assuming no infection, I think the problem is, as you expected, with the halving of the water. reduce the amount of priming sugar accordingly.

adjusting for half the amount of water, plus the 12 oz bourbon, you should use 143g of priming sugar to get the originally intended amount of carbonation.

also make sure that once you're done bottle conditioning, put the bottles you intend to drink soon in the fridge for a couple days before opening. this allows more co2 to be dissolved in the beer at a lower pressure.

 

[flars]

You mention having the beer in a secondary for a month. How long did you primary? What was your OG and FG?

 

[nickbrew]

Og 1.075
fg 1.025

 

[nickbrew]

assuming no infection, I think the problem is, as you expected, with the halving of the water. reduce the amount of priming sugar accordingly.

adjusting for half the amount of water, plus the 12 oz bourbon, you should use 143g of priming sugar to get the originally intended amount of carbonation.

also make sure that once you're done bottle conditioning, put the bottles you intend to drink soon in the fridge for a couple days before opening. this allows more co2 to be dissolved in the beer at a lower pressure.

Ok that's fantastic, thank you so much for the help.

 

[flars]

Og 1.075
fg 1.025

Your over carbonation problem most likely stems from an incomplete fermentation before you bottled. A more likely FG for a complete fermentation would be 1.010 to 1.012.

Probable causes would be insufficient viable yeast cells pitched or to short of primary time.

The only way to tell when a fermentation is complete is with successive hydrometer readings that are the same.

Hydrometer readings that stabilize near 1.020 or higher indicate problems with the yeast or fermentation temperature not being optimum for the yeast.

You can save your beer by degassing and recapping. May take two to three attempts to release the excess CO2 produced by the fermentation finishing in the bottles.

 

[nickbrew]

Is there anything I can do at this point to fix my problem with an incomplete fermentation?

 

[flars]

Is there anything I can do at this point to fix my problem with an incomplete fermentation?

Try this test and then we can go on. Fill your test container with the stout. Let the CO2 off gas. Take a hydrometer reading on this sample. This reading will help determine a solution.

 

[nickbrew]

After doing that test I got a hydrometer reading of 1.025.

I forgot to answer your question earlier, I left in primary for 2 weeks.

 

[flars]

After doing that test I got a hydrometer reading of 1.025.

I forgot to answer your question earlier, I left in primary for 2 weeks.

1.025 is good. If the SG would have dropped it would have been a bigger problem. What you have had is a simple stuck fermentation. This can be fixed by looking at pitching rate, aeration, and fermentation temperature.

Excess CO2 pressure can be bled from the bottles. Not hard, just tedious.

This is done by lifting the edge of the cap until you hear escaping CO2 and then resealing immediately. May take more than one gas release to bring the carbonation level down to where you like it.

Lay a quarter across the top of the cap to avoid creasing it. A crease may prevent a perfect reseal.

This is the scientific part. If you hear a PHOOOOOSH when you raise the cap it is still over carbed. If you hear a phttt, carb level may be down to the low level of a stout.

If your bottles are already chilled one day in the frig is enough to do a pour test after a CO2 release. This will allow time for the CO2 to equalize in the headspace and solution. Chill a bottle for three days if they are at conditioning temperature before doing the pour test.

 

[nickbrew]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your insight, especially the scientific part

I still have hopes for this batch, I thought it may have been torched.

 

[rmyurick]

That's a lot of corn sugar--cut it in half. Use 3/4 cup or 3 oz (85 g).

 

[MrHopScotch]

Though the FG does seem a little high, it wouldn't be shocking if it was done, especially if you are using less water. The unfermentables would end up more concentrated. I definitely suspect you've been using too much priming sugar.

The sugar included will, when fermented, produce the same amount of co2 no matter what you put it in. If you are using less water and therefore a smaller volume of beer, you'll want to reduce the amount of priming sugar accordingly.

Definitely measure by weight and I recommend using brewers friend, beersmith, or something similar to tell you how much priming sugar to use.

Happy brewing!

 

[nickbrew]

Yikes. I followed previous instructions of 143g...Next time I will undoubtedly be halfing it. I will be bleeding the bottles and hoping for the best. Thanks for all the help everyone.