Beer A Little Fizzy Before Bottling.

[Haibane]

Hey, when I went to bottle my Cooper's Lager, it was a little fizzy as it poured into the bottles (a little foam and bubbles). Is this normal? Also, the plastic bottles themselves feel like they're really full of CO2 and don't dent when I poke them - do I need to degas and if so, is it OK to reuse the lids after breaking their seals? I've also been contemplating poking a tiny hole near the top then just putting a band aid over it to degas? Bad idea?

 

[Amber Fluid]

Was your FG the same reading over the last 2-3 days?

If you feel the bottles are over carbed it wont hurt to release the cap to let some of the pressure out, then do it back up again.

I certainly wouldn't be poking holes in and using a bandaid that's for sure.

 

[Haibane]

Was your FG the same reading over the last 2-3 days?

If you feel the bottles are over carbed it wont hurt to release the cap to let some of the pressure out, then do it back up again.

I certainly wouldn't be poking holes in and using a bandaid that's for sure.

Thank you. I'm just paranoid about infection is all. And to be honest... I didn't bother with the FG readings... I know - dumb right.

 

[Supra-Jim]

CO2 is a by-product of fermentation. The release of this CO2 is what causes your airlock to bubble. There will be a certain amount of CO2 in your fermented beer. The amount of CO2 remaining in the beer depends of the maximum temp reached during fermentation.

This is all very normal.

Regarding your idea to poke a hole in the top of the bottle, this is a very bad idea and if you do, you'll have flat beer.

How long has beer been bottled for? I would suggest opening one and assessing the level of carbonation.

Cheers SJ

 

[Supra-Jim]

Ahh, no hydrometer reading. You run the risk of an incomplete fermentation doing this. If there are unfermented sugars remaining in your beer and you add more priming sugar, you are running the risk of over-priming your beer. This can lead to gushers or worst case, bottle bombs (note your using PET so this risk is lower.

a good habit is to wait for consistant hydrometer readings over 2-3 days (at or very close to you anticipated final gravity) before bottling.

Cheers SJ

 

[felten]

Hey, when I went to bottle my Cooper's Lager, it was a little fizzy as it poured into the bottles (a little foam and bubbles). Is this normal? Also, the plastic bottles themselves feel like they're really full of CO2 and don't dent when I poke them - do I need to degas and if so, is it OK to reuse the lids after breaking their seals? I've also been contemplating poking a tiny hole near the top then just putting a band aid over it to degas? Bad idea?

If the bottle starts to distort badly then they're probably overcarbed, if you keep an eye on the bottles you'll definitely notice the lids dome up and the bases will distort badly.

 

[fcmcg]

Mate....
Why , oh Why , would you even consider poking a hole in your bottles ????????????
If you think you've over carbed , then breaking the seal and checking one would be a good thing to do....
I re-use my pet bottle lids...just clean and sanitise....
If you need to de-gas...then breaking the seal is the way to go....
A pin prick will fark your bottle tops....
Glad you asked before you did this...or did you h34r:
Coke bottle lids are a good replacement
Beer SHOULD be a little gassy as you bottle...it means fermentation has taken place...
Cheers
Ferg

 

[Haibane]

Mate....
Why , oh Why , would you even consider poking a hole in your bottles ????????????
If you think you've over carbed , then breaking the seal and checking one would be a good thing to do....
I re-use my pet bottle lids...just clean and sanitise....
If you need to de-gas...then breaking the seal is the way to go....
A pin prick will fark your bottle tops....
Glad you asked before you did this...or did you h34r:
Coke bottle lids are a good replacement
Beer SHOULD be a little gassy as you bottle...it means fermentation has taken place...
Cheers
Ferg

Thanks for saving me from doing some thing retarded guys.

 

[toadskin]

Thanks for saving me from doing some thing retarded guys.

I have found, now that I am using a temperature controlled fermenting fridge, that my finished beer has more CO2 dissolved in it prior to bottling and foams a bit when I bottle it. I have dropped back my priming sugars as a result because I was getting over carbonation.

 

[mwd]

If you use a bottling wand or little bottler you should never get fizzy beer when bottling or I should say I never do.
Always take a hydrometer reading to see what FG is before attempting to bottle.

 

[hhouken]

I have found, now that I am using a temperature controlled fermenting fridge, that my finished beer has more CO2 dissolved in it prior to bottling and foams a bit when I bottle it. I have dropped back my priming sugars as a result because I was getting over carbonation.

interesting you should mention this - have found the same thing - had a (PET) bottle or two in recent brews pump out all the beer thru lid. Never had that before using a fermentation fridge.