some gushers

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kaconga

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So I made an IPA and got 52 bottles. Gave away approx 36 since I wanted to show my appreciation to my bottle producing friends. I drank all mine with no issues (and much joy) but of the others there were 4 gushers.

I did readings a week apart and it was steady. 5 oz of dextrose in 12 oz of water (boiled) went into the bottling bucket and then racked the beer on top of it. I sanitized the bottles via a dishwasher with heated dry. I assume this is my breach since I know it isn't perfect. I rinsed the caps with starsan and let dry. Is this looking like an infection in just those 4 bottles? Or unmixed sugar?
 
kaconga said:
So I made an IPA and got 52 bottles. Gave away approx 36 since I wanted to show my appreciation to my bottle producing friends. I drank all mine with no issues (and much joy) but of the others there were 4 gushers.

I did readings a week apart and it was steady. 5 oz of dextrose in 12 oz of water (boiled) went into the bottling bucket and then racked the beer on top of it. I sanitized the bottles via a dishwasher with heated dry. I assume this is my breach since I know it isn't perfect. I rinsed the caps with starsan and let dry. Is this looking like an infection in just those 4 bottles? Or unmixed sugar?

Still could use more info:
Total volume you bottled
How long was the beer bottled before drinking

I'm no expert but I think dishwasher sanitation is adequate. Letting your caps dry, on the other hand, is not best practice. Starsan only works if it stays wet.
I wouldn't suspect batch infection, since you only had 4 gushers...but individual bottles may have had some creepy crawlers loitering inside.


If it were uneven priming, I would think more than 4 would be off.


maybe it was how your friends handled the bottles...

Hope more chime in on this one.
 
5 gallons bottled. Age varied but I didn't finish mine until 3 gushers had happened. Most of these guys got 6 packs so they seemed to be taking care of the other five bottles ok. Typically they were after the 5 week mark. Distributed at 2.5 weeks after confirming carb level was reached and appeared stable. Conditioned those 2.5 weeks at 68 F and mine were chilled at 34 after that. I wish I knew more about how they treated them.
 
It could be unevenly distributed priming sugar....

But with "only 4 gushers", I would lean toward unclean bottles.

If the bottles aren't rinsed immediately after drinking.... and are THEN given to you.... and you just do a simple "once over".... then you will get gushers. Yes!!
 
5 oz of corn sugar will put the average 5 gal brew around 2.8 volumes which is high IMO. Wouldn't take a lot to get some moderate gushing at that level.

If you don't use one, try using a priming calculator. The work well. I use Beer Smith but this will work...

http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

I have noticed in my process I seem to get more co2 than calculated levels indicate for priming so I have learned to shoot to the low side.
 
5 oz of corn sugar will put the average 5 gal brew around 2.8 volumes which is high IMO. Wouldn't take a lot to get some moderate gushing at that level.

If you don't use one, try using a priming calculator. The work well. I use Beer Smith but this will work...

http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

I have noticed in my process I seem to get more co2 than calculated levels indicate for priming so I have learned to shoot to the low side.

I use 5 ounces of corn sugar for 5 gallons of IPA all the time. I"ve never once had a gusher. I like that much carb, and it's not at 2.8 volumes- more like 2.6-2.7.
 
According to the calculator that I linked to, 4.9 oz of corn sugar will yield 2.7 volumes and 5.2 oz will yield 2.8.

I should not be weighing in on gushing issues. I've never had them. Sorry.
 
I should note I clean with a bottling brush and visually inspect each bottle twice (once by my wife) before they go in the dishwasher. I talked to one of the guys and he said what beer he did drink from the fouled bottle tasted fine. The other three foamed so much there was none left.

My next batch of beer hits the bottle sometime this week. Any ways to improve my process without adding a lot of trouble unnecessarily? I am thinking a starsan dip for all bottles and a simple stir of the beer might remedy both sides.
 
What's a starsan "dip"?

A starsan "soak" sounds better to me. :)

My buddy and I put a small bit of iodine in the water, and let it fill up a few inches...in a container that is wide enough to hold about 12 or 13 - 22-oz bottles. We let 'em soak for at least 5 minutes.

But I think rinsing the bottle out [until there are no bubbles] as soon as you're finished drinking is the BEST way to keep the bottles perfectly clean.
 
Starsan only needs a contact Time of one to two minutes. A 30 second dip gives you that much time before it dries IMO. I usually don't soak (contact longer than 5 min) anything but a really dirty carboy. I figure that after a run through the dishwasher should eliminate any nasties.
 
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