Way too much head!

[Jtc2811]

Ok, I have read a bunch of threads on head issues, but none seem to match with mine. I have about 3 batches of beer with very different recipes and carbonation levels. All of them went into bottles without a hitch. After 3 weeks I opened each of them to test and they were fantastic!

The problem arises during week 8 and on, more or less. I don't drink much, but I love brewing, so batches tend to sit for a couple of months. After about the second month sitting in bottles, all of my beers exhibit the same behavior wherein they foam up to ridiculous levels. I can get about an inch of beer and then the rest of the glass fills with head.

I pour gently into a freshly washed glass every time. It's not an infection, as some of the burlier ones have sat since September and still taste almost exactly the same, just with some hop loss. They all stay in the primary for at least 4 weeks, and sometimes another 2 in secondary for conditioning stuff. Some are steeping and extract kits, some are partial mash. I always measure my bottling sugar levels to the middle of the style, but I have low yield sometimes, resulting in higher than expected units of CO2, but never more than 3.

What the hell is happening?!

 

[1Mainebrew]

1) Does it foam only when you pour, or does it behave like old faithful right out of the bottle?

2) What gravity beers have you been brewing?

3) What do you use for sanitizers?

4) What temperature is your beer and your glass when you serve?

It sounds like an infection, especially since the foaming gets worse as time goes on. Not all infections taste bad either- most do, but now all.

Alternatively, sometimes serving a beer into a glass that's too warm allows too much of the CO2 to come out of solution and foam like that. A little more info would be helpful.

 

[eastoak]

probably an infection. drink faster.

 

[bkorver]

I read the title of the thread and came in here with the intention of slapping you. After reading and realizing this thread is not what I expected, I would say maybe after two or three weeks of carbing, drop the temp and condition them somewhere colder.

 

[Unibrow]

I read the title of the thread and came in here with the intention of slapping you. After reading and realizing this thread is not what I expected, I would say maybe after two or three weeks of carbing, drop the temp and condition them somewhere colder.

On any other forum, this title would be a red flag....

 

[NervousDad]

I read the title of the thread and came in here with the intention of slapping you. After reading and realizing this thread is not what I expected, I would say maybe after two or three weeks of carbing, drop the temp and condition them somewhere colder.

I laughed when I read the title.

 

[MuchoGusto]

I don't get enough head so stop complaining. What head I do get lasts less than 2 minutes... tops!

 

[bighorn_brew]

Nucleation sites in your glassware? Try purchasing a single nice beer glass,,,actually, our local target has Riedel beer glasses on sale right now...
Like someone mentioned using too warm a glass will cause increased foaming...

 

[RM-MN]

How long and at what temperatures did you ferment the beer. My guess is that the yeast wasn't quite done fermenting when you bottled and you had a little residual sugars which added to what you primed with giving you more carbonation than you planned. If they get to that point of carbonation and stop that is the likely cause. If they continue to get more carbonation and eventually make bottle bombs then I'd guess infection.

 

[bighorn_brew]

How long and at what temperatures did you ferment the beer. My guess is that the yeast wasn't quite done fermenting when you bottled and you had a little residual sugars which added to what you primed with giving you more carbonation than you planned. If they get to that point of carbonation and stop that is the likely cause. If they continue to get more carbonation and eventually make bottle bombs then I'd guess infection.

^Very good point

 

[cshamilton]

How long do you chill your beer before pouring? If I don't give my beer at least 24 hours then I get more foam, since the CO2 hasn't had enough time to dissolve in the beer. A week chilled is even better.

Also, hoppy beers (especially dry hopped) are worse, since the hop particles can serve as nucleation points and causes more foam when a bunch of CO2 comes out of solution (think diet coke and mentos). Longer cold storage will keep the hop particles with the sediment in the bottles.

 

[eastoak]

a non infected bottle of beer will not gush out 3/4 of it's contents no matter the temperature.

 

[Jtc2811]

The beer generally only foams up at first pour. After letting it sit for a couple of.minutes it settles down and is still decently carbonated. I usually only let them sit in the fridge for a couple of days before opening.

OF on them is anywhere from 1.05 all the way to 1.075 depending on style.

Fermented them all at about 68 for 4 to 6 weeks. Conditioned at about 70 for a minimum of 3 weeks.

Sanitizer used was star San solution from a spray bottle.

 

[unionrdr]

Beers don't have to be infected to gush or foam out of the bottle. The bottles will do that sometimes if well carbonated & not chilled,or only chilled a short time. Keep them in the fridge at least 1 week. Better at two weeks. They'll behave then,& the head will be thicker,& longer lasting carbonation.

 

[jonmohno]

Almost 100% of the time ive used a quick freezer chill for 40 min or so,ive not had foaming.Just did it last night in fact to check on one after a week.

 

[RM-MN]

a non infected bottle of beer will not gush out 3/4 of it's contents no matter the temperature.

Care to place a bet on that?

I brewed a dark spiced ale and after it carbonated I put on in the refrigerator for a couple days and it gushed out when opened. Two weeks later and the problem was solved. The first one had not had enough time for the spices to settle and they created nucleation sites for the CO2 and caused it to gush.

 

[flabyboy]

I had this same problem with a Surly Bender clone. I primaried for 5-6 weeks and bottled after I had a consistent 1.016 reading. Thought it was done. Added 3 oz of corn sugar when bottling. I ended up getting bottle bombs after 2 weeks. I think the extra sugar and warmer temps jump started the yeast and there were a few residual sugars left. This is why I keg now. Nothing like having a couple bottles of brown ale explode all over you wife's clothes in the closet