Too much priming sugar

[Chet Ripley]

Made a 1/2 batch of the American IPA recipe from BCS a couple weeks ago. Checked the gravity last night and it looked good to go for bottling. Got everything ready this morning, used the calculator in the back of the book to figure out how much priming sugar, boiled it in a cup of water, added it to the beer in the bottling bucket, bottled, capped, done. While I'm cleaning up I take a drink of the little bit I had left and think to myself "that's awfully sweet . . ." After a little bit of thinking I realize that I added enough sugar for a full 5 gallon batch, not the 2.5 gallon batch I made. I just got back home and popped the caps off the bottles and covered them with sanitized aluminum foil. Bottle bombs are not an option in my house with the children and pets. So, how long will it take before the sugar is consumed and the bottles can be re-sugared and capped?

 

[hottpeper13]

I would recap now, let them carb up for 1-2 weeks(check one after 1) then refrigerate and consume asap. After all it is a style meant to consume fresh.

 

[Miraculix]

Made a 1/2 batch of the American IPA recipe from BCS a couple weeks ago. Checked the gravity last night and it looked good to go for bottling. Got everything ready this morning, used the calculator in the back of the book to figure out how much priming sugar, boiled it in a cup of water, added it to the beer in the bottling bucket, bottled, capped, done. While I'm cleaning up I take a drink of the little bit I had left and think to myself "that's awfully sweet . . ." After a little bit of thinking I realize that I added enough sugar for a full 5 gallon batch, not the 2.5 gallon batch I made. I just got back home and popped the caps off the bottles and covered them with sanitized aluminum foil. Bottle bombs are not an option in my house with the children and pets. So, how long will it take before the sugar is consumed and the bottles can be re-sugared and capped?

Usually, carbonation of bottles takes three weeks to fully finish. This is the time I would wait. Everything else would be gambling, without taking readings.

 

[Mothman]

If you are willing to sacrifice a bottle, you could use one for hydrometer readings. Check in a couple weeks, again a few days later, looking for consistent readings to confirm it's done.

 

[Miraculix]

If you are willing to sacrifice a bottle, you could use one for hydrometer readings. Check in a couple weeks, again a few days later, looking for consistent readings to confirm it's done.

That sounds like the most intelligent solution to me!

 

[Chet Ripley]

That is a good idea. Better to sacrifice one if I can save the rest. Thanks for the idea!

 

[Chet Ripley]

Just a followup. I waited two weeks and took a reading, 1.004. Had the same reading two days later. I used carbonation drops and as I was putting them in the first bottle it seemed like there was still CO2 in the bottles, so I put 2 in. The label said 3 for low fermentation, 4 for medium, 5 for high. Waited another two weeks and popped one open tonight. Should have went with 1 more drop. There's carbonation but it's low. Lost some of the hop aroma from when I originally bottled. Finishes with a little bit of an alcohol flavor. It's drinkable but not as good as it seemed like it was going to be originally. Thanks to everyone for their advice.

 

[Jtk78]

Just a followup. I waited two weeks and took a reading, 1.004. Had the same reading two days later. I used carbonation drops and as I was putting them in the first bottle it seemed like there was still CO2 in the bottles, so I put 2 in. The label said 3 for low fermentation, 4 for medium, 5 for high. Waited another two weeks and popped one open tonight. Should have went with 1 more drop. There's carbonation but it's low. Lost some of the hop aroma from when I originally bottled. Finishes with a little bit of an alcohol flavor. It's drinkable but not as good as it seemed like it was going to be originally. Thanks to everyone for their advice.

I've never used carb drops, but have used Domino sugar cubes with good results. One per 12oz bottle, 2 per 22oz. I keg now, but will sometimes bottle a handful prior to kegging and use this method.

Every batch is a learning experience. Keep at it.

 

[Mothman]

At least it was drinkable.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[ncbrewer]

At least it was drinkable.

And they didn't explode.