Errutions And Overflows When Priming Full Bottles.

[Mitcho89]

Hi guys,

I bottled my Amber ale yesterday and unfortunately lost quite a bit of beer due to the beer heading up extremely quickly and me not being able to get the lid on. I sometimes put the sugar after I fill the beer to avoid the massive head when trying to fill. Usually I can dump the sugar and manage the cap it before it overflows but I'm just sick of doing it that way and losing beer in the process.

Of course bulk priming is the way to go but I don't really have much to measure the correct dose of sugar so I was wondering how people prime theirs with powdered dextrose? I might make a counter pressure filler..

 

[Gopha]

Hi guys,

I bottled my Amber ale yesterday and unfortunately lost quite a bit of beer due to the beer heading up extremely quickly and me not being able to get the lid on. I sometimes put the sugar after I fill the beer to avoid the massive head when trying to fill. Usually I can dump the sugar and manage the cap it before it overflows but I'm just sick of doing it that way and losing beer in the process.

Of course bulk priming is the way to go but I don't really have much to measure the correct dose of sugar so I was wondering how people prime theirs with powdered dextrose? I might make a counter pressure filler..

Hi, You may be bottling your beer too warm. I assume you are bottling from a fermenter, not a keg with your reference to a counter pressure filler.
Bulk priming is the way to go to get even carbonation across all your bottles. If you do not wont to bulk prime, I would suggest you chill your beer a little before bottling and if you are using 375ml bottles try using carbonation drops - Cheers

 

[manticle]

If you're priming individual bottles you need to put the sugar in first. Fill more gently to start to get less head (less splashing is better anyway) and allow to settle while you fill another. Top up if need be.

Next time you get, get a bottling wand or racking cane and use that - makes things a bit easier.

 

[bum]

Hmmm...seems weird. Usually dumping the sugar in after the beer causes more frothiness. Sorry if this seems a stupid question but are you using a bottling wand of some description or just pouring straight from the tap?

 

[Nick JD]

If you want to add sugar to a bottle that's already full and not have it erupt, use a liquid sugar - either dissolved sugar or honey works well. It'll still fizz, but way less.

If you are having trouble filling your bottles with the sugar already in them you are either filling them too quickly, or not on an angle so the beer runs down the side like filling a glass.

Sometimes, a brew will be difficult to bottle - in those cases it's cool to fill till the head almost reaches the top, put aside and top up when the head's gone.

 

[Flash_DG]

Are you using a bottling wand?

 

[Mitcho89]

Thanks for the quick reply everyone. Yeah I do use a bottling wond. I use it with the tap half closed and I fill on an angle. I just had a thought... If I disolve 200G of Dex in 200ml of water and then scoop it out with the 1/2 teaspoon priming measure to the appropriate level, it would be the same as having just powdered wouldn't it? I could try that but then what's the point when I could throw it into the fermenter and bulk prime...

I guess the 200ml dissolved dex measured with the teaspoon measure would work fine if I didn't have a second fermenter to decant to to bulk prime. I'm thinking it would stop the eruptions too! It's more the less the psuedo method right?

 

[DU99]

i had volcano's also went putting sugar in first..you could part fill then top up

 

[DangerousDave]

why have the tap half closed when using a bottle wand ? i would thing that your causing turbulance

 

[Murcluf]

I find this bizzare as I never had this issue, always put sugar in first and filled using the wand. don't quite understand why this is happening. :huh:

 

[manticle]

Thanks for the quick reply everyone. Yeah I do use a bottling wond. I use it with the tap half closed and I fill on an angle. I just had a thought... If I disolve 200G of Dex in 200ml of water and then scoop it out with the 1/2 teaspoon priming measure to the appropriate level, it would be the same as having just powdered wouldn't it? I could try that but then what's the point when I could throw it into the fermenter and bulk prime...

I guess the 200ml dissolved dex measured with the teaspoon measure would work fine if I didn't have a second fermenter to decant to to bulk prime. I'm thinking it would stop the eruptions too! It's more the less the psuedo method right?

You're overcomplicating things. Dex first, fill gently on an angle, top up if needed, then cap.

 

[Hatchy]

You're overcomplicating things. Dex first, fill gently on an angle, top up if needed, then cap.

Or bulk prime

 

[Silo Ted]

Does your bottling wand have a little blue spring loaded valve on the end, or is it just a straight bit of tube ? Apart from a few drips you should be able to turn the tap on full and the valve end of the wand in its closed position is generally enough to hold the beer back until you press the nub onto the bottle base. Time for an investment of $8 for a new wand I think, because your symptoms are very unusual.

 

[Hatchy]

I've got 2 bottling valves & neither have a spring any more. I hardly get any dribbling.

 

[Pennywise]

Sounds to me like you bottling wand has a piece missing? You should be able to have the tap all the way open the whole time. And yes, adding the priming sugar after filling will almost garentee frothing.

Also below could be a possible cause

 

[stm]

Maybe you are bottling too early. How many days did you have it in the fermenter?

 

[tavas]

Does your bottling wand have a little blue spring loaded valve on the end, or is it just a straight bit of tube ?

All of the wands I have seen don't have a spring in them. The valve stem is closed by the weight of beer sitting on top. That is enough to close the valve.

If your wand doesn't close off on it's own (i.e. you have to close the tap on the fermenter), then its missing a piece and time to invest in a new wand.

 

[Banshee]

Maybe you are bottling too early.

My thoughts too. I prime after filling and don't get head so if you leave your beer in the fermenter a bit longer the CO2 should escape from the fermented beer resulting in no froth primming.

 

[rendo]

(prepares grenade)

CARB DROPS !!!!

(runs for cover... h34r: )

My thoughts too. I prime after filling and don't get head so if you leave your beer in the fermenter a bit longer the CO2 should escape from the fermented beer resulting in no froth primming.