Weak bottle or incomplete fermentation?

[Deavis]

I've made a few batches of beer and haven't had any issues using the 1-2-3 methodology but have been using my hydrometer as well. I brewed a bourbon barrel porter kit (mini-mash) from NBS.

1.068OG (corrected for temp)
1000mL 40 point yeast starter
1728 yeast (69-73% attenuation)
1.020 FG at bottling

active fermentation was fast and vigorous, it blew the airlock off within 12 hours, replaced with a blow-off tube, and it finished fermenting within 2 days. gravity sat at 1.021 3 days, so I transferred to the secondary at 7 days. Added bourbon, oak vubes , and allowed it to sit in the secondary 4 weeks (wanted that oakiness to be in there). Measured SG before bottling at it was right at 1.020 which would be ~70.5% attentuation which is what the yeast should achieve. However, I'm not sure how adding the bourbon would affect the SG exactly, maybe someone can comment on that.

Regardless, it has been carbonating for a week (5oz priming, bulk, gentle stir at start) and I had a 22oz bottle break last night. Nothing big, I heard a noise like something fell lightly and beer was everywhere. Bottom of the bottle was sep'd from the body, very little glass around. It looked like when you do the hot/cold trick with a glass mug to remove the bottom. Not really an explosion.

I opened another beer and it was barely carbonated. given this information I'm trying to figure out if it was just a bad bottle (it was brand-new) or if I've got a problem. No new fatalities in 24h. Any input?

 

[HOOTER]

I don't think you'd be the first to experience issues with bad bottles if that's the case. I've never experienced bottle bombs myself but I've heard they can cause a pretty nasty and dangerous explosion. With the way your bottle broke it almost sounds like the bottle was just weak around the base. It sounds like fermentation was done so I doubt that's your problem.

 

[Thalon]

I don't think you'd be the first to experience issues with bad bottles if that's the case. I've never experienced bottle bombs myself but I've heard they can cause a pretty nasty and dangerous explosion. With the way your bottle broke it almost sounds like the bottle was just weak around the base. It sounds like fermentation was done so I doubt that's your problem.

+1



(10 char min)

 

[EvilTOJ]

I've had a few bottle bombs, and every time the bottom has popped off.

 

[HOOTER]

I've had a few bottle bombs, and every time the bottom has popped off.

Was it an explosion or did the bottom just seem to separate from the rest of the bottle?

 

[CalmYourself]

My current batch has just given me 1 bottle where the bottom separated from the top. The top half of the bottle was lying on the other side of the room though, so pretty sure it was an explosion.

So far it's the only 1 from the batch. I did bottle the batch slightly early though, hydrometer was reading around 1.014 which was higher than i expected but it was stable. I also didn't do any temperature control so fermentation was probably in hibernation. Oh well. Live and Learn.

I'm going to try some of the other bottles from the batch tonight, What should I be looking for to let me know if I should worry about what to do with the other bottles?

Edit: Wow, sorry for the super bump! didn't see the date until after I posted!!