too much priming sugar

[usmc0811]

I just bottled my first ever batch and just realized now that I made a mistake. I used the 5oz. priming sugar packet my kit came with recommended for 5 gallon batches, but my brew was only about 4 gallons am I going to have bottle bombs? What should I do? They have been in bottles about 30 minutes so far. Total rookie mistake.

 

[Stillraining]

Your at 3 vols you should be OK...If your worried about it pop the caps at a week and re-cap.

 

[Pantherjon]

Pop them over the sink, you will probably have 'gushers'..

 

[BigFloyd]

Put them somewhere safe so that if they do happen to pop (not likely, but it is always possible), it won't hurt anything.

Give them 3 full weeks at 70-75*F to carbonate then stick some in the fridge a few days before sampling.

They'll probably be over-fizzy (like the mass-produced yellow horse wizz you can get at the corner store), but just let them off-gas as they warm to correct drinking temp (low 50's). Or, you can pour into a pitcher and serve from that.

 

[mongoose33]

I think you'll be ok. Here's an article that talks about how much sugar as equated to how much carbonation (how many atmospheres). It suggests in some cases people might use 6.71 ounces of sugar, in other cases less.

It also depends on what your final fermentation/bottling temperature was. Cold beer holds more CO2 in solution. If you bottled at room temperature, I think you'll be ok.

Say you want your five gallons (18.93 liters) of beer to have 2.5 volumes of CO2. That’s 18.93 liters x 2.5 volumes = 47.32 liters of CO2.

Since a mole of CO2 occupies 22.414 liters (STP), we need 47.32 / 22.414 = 2.11 moles of CO2. This will be produced by half that many moles of glucose, or 1.056 moles. Multiply by the molecular weight of glucose and you find that you need 190.2 grams of glucose or 6.71 ounces.

from: https://byo.com/bock/item/1132-master-the-action-carbonation

Make sure you read it before following the above advice.

 

[usmc0811]

Thanks for the quick replies I was worried, I will keep and eye on them.

 

[max384]

I didn't do the math, but assuming that the first poster is correct in that it'll be 3 volumes of CO2, you'll be fine. Your beer will be a bit overly fizzy, but you shouldn't have to worry about bottle bombs. Coors light is around 3 volumes of CO2, and they come in the cheaper thin twist off bottles. You'll be fine with using the thicker pry-off bottles that we use for homebrew.

Out of curiosity, what style of beer did you bottle? Some styles do better than others at higher carbonation levels.

 

[usmc0811]

I didn't do the math, but assuming that the first poster is correct in that it'll be 3 volumes of CO2, you'll be fine. Your beer will be a bit overly fizzy, but you shouldn't have to worry about bottle bombs. Coors light is around 3 volumes of CO2, and they come in the cheaper thin twist off bottles. You'll be fine with using the thicker pry-off bottles that we use for homebrew.

Out of curiosity, what style of beer did you bottle? Some styles do better than others at higher carbonation levels.

I did an IPA from Brewers Best. I Had about two glasses left that would not flow through the tube so I just dumped into a glass and I am drinking them now, flat but good lol, chilled them in the freezer first so at least they are cold.

 

[max384]

An IPA probably isn't the worst beer to have a bit over-carbed.

If you have the fridge space, you could put the whole batch in the fridge to halt fermentation once you get a carbonation that you're happy with. If you go this route, you'll have to leave them there to keep fermentation halted. Once they warm up again, the yeasties will continue producing CO2.

 

[seabrew8]

I just bottled my first ever batch and just realized now that I made a mistake. I used the 5oz. priming sugar packet my kit came with recommended for 5 gallon batches, but my brew was only about 4 gallons am I going to have bottle bombs? What should I do? They have been in bottles about 30 minutes so far. Total rookie mistake.

I'd say your close to the limit - I carbed to 3.5 volumes a while ago and it blew a 1L swing tops ass off! No kidding.

Then i moved them to about a 15C room, nothing.

There gushers but not much carbanation in the beer itself. I actually have one left!

 

[usmc0811]

I'd say your close to the limit - I carbed to 3.5 volumes a while ago and it blew a 1L swing tops ass off! No kidding.

Then i moved them to about a 15C room, nothing.

There gushers but not much carbanation in the beer itself. I actually have one left!

5 out of the 40 are the swing tops, I have them in my laundry room for now not to sure what the temp is, I need to get a room thermometer today.

 

[GrogNerd]

I primed a Grodziskie to 3.5 volumes in regular 12-oz bottles, no gushers or bottle bombs

 

[DevilNuts]

Pack towels around them, and when the first one blows move the rest into the fridge.

Fortune favors the bold!

 

[Twotaureanbrewing]

I use 6oz of sugar everytime in my "5 gallon batches", usually turns out 4 1/2 gallons. Anyway never had a problem. At about 2-3 weeks I refrigerate and carbonation is perfect. However bottles that were missed and sat out for a few months, turned to total fizz pours.

You'll be fine!

 

[seabrew8]

5 out of the 40 are the swing tops, I have them in my laundry room for now not to sure what the temp is, I need to get a room thermometer today.

I was thinking more about that batch i actually put 6.4oz of table sugar in a 5 gal batch. So it was over 3.5 volumes by math. But swing tops are supposely good for 4 volumes.

You might be fine man. Like it was mentioned just store them in a safe place and put them in a cold place if one explodes.

Thats all you can do, unless your going to dump them.

 

[max384]

I use 6oz of sugar everytime in my "5 gallon batches", usually turns out 4 1/2 gallons. Anyway never had a problem. At about 2-3 weeks I refrigerate and carbonation is perfect. However bottles that were missed and sat out for a few months, turned to total fizz pours.

You'll be fine!

Just curious, but why do you always use so much priming sugar? Why not use less so that you aren't forced to refrigerate to avoid gushers?

 

[Twotaureanbrewing]

6oz of sugar was a number I saw in a number of recipes, online and in books. It worked so I didnt want to fool with changing the amount.

A friend that brews with me must have measured the sugar incorrectly on one batch and we had no carb.

Have just been afraid of that happening again. How much should I use for a 5 gallon batch of IPA?

 

[DevilNuts]

I use 5 oz for every batch I make, and I've never had a problem.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I just use the online priming sugar calcs. It helps me control the carbonation by style instead of a certain amount every time.

 

[GrogNerd]

I use 5 oz for every batch I make, and I've never had a problem.

yeah, pretty much. used more for my Grodziskie, but that's to style; it's known as Polish Champagne

 

[kylieWylie]

I learned something dealing with priming sugar, Ounces is a weight measurement and tablespoons is a volume measurement. I typed in to google how many tablespoons are in an ounce and it said 2. Well, no, I am pretty sure they mean water. 1 oz of water is 2 tablespoons. Priming sugar is much lighter and my recipe said 2 and a half tablespoons is 1 oz. 2.5 tablespoons = 1 oz. In any event I need to use an online priming sugar calculator or learn the conversions that brewers use for my own. I am on it. Hope it helps.

 

[DevilNuts]

I never trust the pre-packaged priming bags; I have a little food scale and always measure it out.