Overcarbonated beer - not the usual circumstances

[rhern053]

Our beer was done fermenting, 100% sure of this.

We did not over-prime the beer, we used a priming calculator and scale.

But our beer is over-carbonated. Could it be that we opened it up when it was still somewhat warm? What else could we be missing?

Thanks.

 

[wilserbrewer]

"somewhat warm" could be the issue...or infection??? Temperature plays a huge role!

 

[malkore]

not enough details.

Volume of beer bottled (exactly)
Weight of sugar used at bottling
Temperature of beer at bottling (wickedly important)
Time in bottle, and temperature stored at

If the beer was rather cold at bottling, it had more CO2 in it than you thought. many priming calculators include the temperature since that dictates residual CO2

Otherwise I'd have to say it was over primed or hasn't been sitting at least 3 weeks to carb,a nd then at least 2 days in the fridge to stabilize the co2 in solution.

 

[Revvy]

What do you mean not the usual circumstances? You haven't given us any info...more than likely though if your beer seems over carbed the circumstances are like all the new brewer's circumstances.

How long has it been in the bottles, and at what temps? How long are you chilling them down before sampling.

More than likely you are simply openning the beer too early, and/or not chilling the beer enough before openning it, which are 99% these types of threads.

Watch poindexter's video from my bottling blog.




Like he shows several times, even @ 1 week, all the hissing, all the foaming can and does happen, but until it's dissolved back into the beer, your don't really have carbonation, with tiny bubbles coming out of solution happening actually inside the glass, not JUST what's happening on the surface.

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

But until then the beer can even appear to be overcarbed, when really nothing is wrong.

A lot of new brewers who tend to kill their two cases off in a few days, don't experience true carbonation and the pleasures thereof, until they actually get a pipeline going, and have their first 5 or 6 week old full carbed and conditioned wonderfully little puppy! Then the come back with an "aha" moment.


Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

Makes sure the beers are minimum of 3 weeks at 70 degrees before you even think of opening them, then make sure a couple of them are THOROUGHLY chilled for at least 48 hours to draw the co2 into solution. Then more than likely everything will be hunky dory....

If none of this is relevent then please give us more details. We're good but we're not brewing psychics.

 

[rhern053]

Guys thank you for your responses, and sorry about being unclear.

Malkore:
I included the temp of the beer (which I forget) in the calculator, so I would assume the calculator was accurate in that sense.

It was 4.5 gallons of an OG 1.046 Amber Ale, bottled at 1.011. I used 4.2 ounces of Dextrose to prime. The beers were sitting at about 74-76 degrees Fahrenheit for only two weeks. I usually let them condition for 3-4, but the Northern Brewer instructions said 2 is enough. Maybe they are mistaken, as was I.

What you said next is exactly my issue. I only let them carb for 2 weeks, then popped them open after only 4 hours in the fridge. I had no idea they had to chill for much longer. The importance of temperature in bottle conditioning was foreign to me.

Revvy:
The video was very helpful. Sorry about giving so little information. I guess I thought I was doing everything right. Guess not!

As I told Malkore, I think, from what you guys have said, I was not letting the beers sit long enough, both at room temperature and in the fridge before opening.

Thanks for your help you guys it's been extremely educational. I'll be reading your blog for the next hour or so learning all the ins and outs of bottling correctly.

Thanks!

 

[7e7]

Revvy:

Thanks for the video. Extremely helpful. I'd been letting beers condition two weeks, but now will definitely push for 4 whenever possible.