Too much foam

[Incongruent]

I brewed a belgian pale ale (is there such a thing?) with pale malt and t-58 yeast. I'm not sure if i over did it on priming sugar or if there's an infection... but whenever I pour a glass, and no matter how gently I pour at a 45deg angle, it will foam up.

When the pour is finished, it's about 10% foam, but for another minute or so after the pour the foam slowly grows to 50%.

What gives?

 

[microbusbrewery]

Yes, Belgian Pale Ale is a recognized BJCP style. Your most likely cause is at least one of the following:

1. It wasn't finished when you bottled.
2. You over-primed
3. You have a wild yeast

What was your final gravity before adding priming sugar and did you check it over a couple days? How much priming sugar did you use?

 

[day_trippr]

What happens if you pour into a chilled (but NOT frosted) wet glass?
While it's certainly possible any of the three causes listed above are applicable, the growing foam thing suggests beer being warmed...

Cheers!

 

[dantose]

I've had a similar issue when too much yeast is transferred to the bottles. On opening, the carbonation makes some bits of yeast cake float up, with provides more nucleation sites for further foam development. Hence the initial pour being fine, but then a slow build of foam. I'm guessing if you open one, and look in the bottle you will see the process playing out.

Also, whatever you do, don't try and take it somewhere in a car to open there. The vibration from driving will resuspend some yeast and cause it to geyser. Found that that one out the hard way. Several times.

 

[Incongruent]

I hit my FG as measured in the recipe calculated. 1.021 if I recall. OG was 1.062 I think.

I'll try a chilled glass next and report back. I think I may have overprimed. I know I was thinking belgian should be more carbonated so probably aimed for 2.8.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

I currently have a beer that I would describe just like what you have.
I am chalking it up to over carbonation.
I calculated an extra gallon when prepping the priming sugar because there was at least 1 gal of trub. So instead of 5.5gals I calculated 6.5gal. Big difference. Oops.

 

[bucketnative]

I had a similar instance with a Belgian dubbel that I brewed last year. I miscalculated the priming sugar somehow... When I went back and looked at my notes it was glaringly obvious.

I placed a nickel on the top of the bottle cap to keep the top from deforming during this process. Then I used a bottle opener to gently pry back the lip of the cap, listening for a hiss. I let it hiss to the point that I could see the foam inside reaching the lip of the bottle, then I eased off the pressure on the cap. The hissing stopped. I then used my wing capper to re-seal the cap. I let the bottles sit another few weeks to allow all of the sediment to resettle on the bottom. After that my foaming was gone, and I had a nicely carbed dubbel.