Exploding Beers

[MrGuzzle]

hey guys, i bottled a batch last weekend into stubbies and last night i hered one go BANG, this is the first time i have had a beer explode, i no the main reson one would explode is from to much sugar in the stubbie when i bottle, i usually am very cautious when i do this so i dont have exploding beers so i think i might not have been that, is there any other resons why it would explode? to much sugar in my primary stage of fementing? cheers

 

[cozmocracker]

quick answer would be fermentation wasnt complete, you need to get 3 consecutive readings over 3 days which would suggest fermentation has stopped. what was your final SG reading?

 

[MrGuzzle]

1004 and it held it for 2 days,

 

[cozmocracker]

well it should of been finished, my next suggestion is that you have an infection! bummer! how long have they been in the bottle? how does it smell, taste?

thats about all i can suggest someone with more experience will have to chime in.

coz

 

[MrGuzzle]

i bottled 1 week ago and i havent had the chance to taste the brew yet, cant wait to hop into it tho :icon_cheers:

 

[warra48]

I agree with cozmo.
It may also have been over primed.

 

[petesbrew]

Yep, either how much sugar you primed with.
Or how clean were your bottles is another question.

 

[MrGuzzle]

sweet, cheers guys

 

[praxis178]

i bottled 1 week ago and i havent had the chance to taste the brew yet, cant wait to hop into it tho :icon_cheers:

Only heard the one go? Might that one have been over primed (and only that one*) or the bottle might have been damaged, doesn't take much to compromise a glass bottle under pressure.....

*Before I stared bulk priming every now and again one bottle would end up with a bit more sugar than it should have, usually about 1/2 scoops worth as I'd notice as I was puring in the second load that there was already sugar in the bottle. Got sick of that so started bulk priming.

 

[Wolfy]

If it was me I'd cover them with a towel (or something) and open a few of the bottles, if you find that they are all over-carbonated then you'll have to do something about it so it does not cause damage/injury.
If none of the others are over-carbonated then maybe it was just an infection in that one bottle that caused it to explode.

 

[MrGuzzle]

nah i am very weiry about over priming them i line all the bottle up and get the right amount for them, yeh i coulda ben a numbber a things but yeh i just hoping i dont have to many more that go bang, its a very common thing isnt it?

 

[MrGuzzle]

if you find that they are all over-carbonated then you'll have to do something about it so it does not cause damage/injury.

if i found they were over-carbonated what whould i do then?

 

[warra48]

nah i am very weiry about over priming them i line all the bottle up and get the right amount for them, yeh i coulda ben a numbber a things but yeh i just hoping i dont have to many more that go bang, its a very common thing isnt it?

Not if you follow appropriate and standard procedures.
I haven't had a bottle blow up on me since 1973 when I made my first batch!

 

[Wolfy]

if i found they were over-carbonated what whould i do then?

Not having had one bottle explode yet, I'm not an expert, but I'd open each bottle after covering with a towel or something in-case it explodes while you handle it, then sit the lids on top to keep it sanitary.
Give it a little while for the CO2 to dissipate and then recap them all again.
Then I'd check (a different bottle) every 2-3 days after to see how the carbonation was going and repeat the procedure again if required.

Much better to be safe-than-sorry IMHO, the risk of personal injury not to mention the mess that exploding bottles create is not worth the risk of having more explode.