To Much Sugar?

[pnh2atl]

Hello,

I bottles about 6 gallons of stout last week and I found a broken bottle in the case this morning. So I opened one and it didn't explode but it pushed all but about 1" of beer out of the bottle as foam. I used beersmith to determine how much sugar (6oz for 6 gallons). Did I use to much? Is there anything I can do to save the remaining bottles?

Thanks,

Nick

 

[Hammy71]

I usually use http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html to determine the amount of sugar to use when bottle priming. If a stout needs 2 volumes of CO2 for 6 gallons it only calls for 3.6 oz of corn sugar. Not sure if 6 ounces will give your bottle bombs though..... Hopefully someone with a similar problem will come on later today and actually have some advice....

 

[MaynardX]

6oz does sound like a bit much, esp for a stout. However, I don't think its enough to cause explosions. To me, it sounds like the priming sugar wasn't mixed well enough in the bottling bucket. When did you add the sugar in? Before or after you racked?

 

[pnh2atl]

I added it before I racked it. I have opened almost every bottle and each one without exception shot beer out of the top 4-6" in the air. I would think that if I didn't get the beer mixed well than it would have been isolated bottles not all of them.

On the bright side I get to brew again. Tomorrow in fact.

 

[danielinva]

How does the beer taste now compared to when you bottled? While gushers and bottle bombs can be caused by over-priming or inadequate mixing, they can also be caused by wild yeast infections in the beer. The wild yeast will eat sugars that are otherwise nonfermentable, resulting in more alcohol, more CO2 and a drier beer.

 

[Zen_Brew]

+1 on some wild yeast and infections sometimes causing this.

Also are you certain the beer was done fermenting when you bottled? Usually 2 consecutive identicle gravity readings over 3 days is used to determine the yeast have finished.

 

[sonetlumiere85]

The other thing to keep in mind is that most beers will gush a lot more when warm.

 

[pnh2atl]

I saved two so I'll try to open them after they are cold. The taste is ok. It is flat now but there is now wild taste. There was a lot more sediment in the bottles than there has in the past, but this was my first stout and I did not let it clear in secondary like I normally do. I will take a gravity reading once I open the last two and let you know.

 

[rico567]

If your beer was completely attenuated, priming at that rate should not cause an explosion in a sound bottle. It's consistent with the standard 5 oz. / 5 gal. rule. (Note the expressed parameters, however- your beer must be fully attenuated, and it may have just been a cracked bottle. I've had one or two.....) This amount of sugar would be a bit much for what many feel is appropriate carbonation for a stout, but is immaterial to the question of overpriming as it pertains to bottle bombs.

 

[pnh2atl]

OK I just checked the FFG (final final gravity) and it was 1.010 down from 1.020 when I bottled. I guess that explains that. That was my first 5 gallon lesson. Lets hope I don't make it again.

Nick