Finally! First gusher

[neal.p]

After fermentation of a split batch milk stout was complete (Irish Ale of Whitbread...can't remember), I added 4 vanilla pods, 120g of cocoa nibs, 375ml (ish) of bourbon, and 60ml of espresso to the 10L batch. Gently stirred and then bottled with 3g of priming sugar per bottle. I managed to wait 7 days before trying a bottle...haha

The other 10L batch, with only coffee added, was only 7 days old as well and it is drinking well considering. Sure it could do with a bit of conditioning but not tainted or anything.

I think it was the sugars in the bourbon? The beer tastes and smells OK. If it is the bourbon, have I got 12 bombs to sell on ISIS ebay? Or will they calm down over time?

I placed the bottles in a cardboard box and then put that inside a plastic storage box from Bunnings. And I might just move that from the spare room into the bathroom. I still remember what it was like cleaning up 10L of RIS from the carpet.

 

[manticle]

Could be a million things causing it (you've given some detail but need more).

However my money is on particulate matter, either from choosing one of the last 3-4 bottled or just the large amount of additives. Did you add, then bottle immediately? Usual practice would be to add, then leave until the flavour is roughly as desired, then bottle. Hop matter and trub at the end of bottling can make for big, uninfected gushing bottles.

Other gusher causes are infected malt (fusarium - unlikely I reckon), overcarb/incomplete fermentation (more details on priming method, amounts, recipe, process, og and fg needed), dirty bottles, infection.

Beer should taste infected if that's the cause. How many bottles have exhibited this phenomenon so far?

Were they chilled, chilled then allowed to warm or just warm?

 

[wynnum1]

It is possible to double prime a bottle and if you use a funnel a lump of sugar can get stuck in funnel and get in next bottle.

 

[madpierre06]

It is possible to double prime a bottle and if you use a funnel a lump of sugar can get stuck in funnel and get in next bottle.

Speshully if you try and use Aldi sugar...only do that once.

 

[neal.p]

Thanks for the info guys.

I added the extras and bottled immediately. They were fermenting in the spare room at 20-22c. The gusher was thrown into freezer for 30mins (not ideal but common practice due to SO and fridge space). Yeast cake was pretty solid and I picked a bottle from mid bottling process. It's the only one I've tried. I need to improve my record taking while brewing.

The other 10L of the split batch is fine (no adds) but they were in different fermenters with different yeast.

The question I guess is to dump before potential bombs or see if they ferment out?

 

[manticle]

Open another bottle. See if it's a one off.

Chill this one overnight, upright.

 

[Markbeer]

You can vent the overcarbonated bottles. There is a YouTube vid on it.

 

[neal.p]

All the bottles have this 'foam' in the neck. I haven't noticed it in my other beers before.

I'll pop this in the fridge for tomorrow

 

[neal.p]

It gushed, tasted and smelled OK.



That racket is from the fidget spinner I put in the starter flask...turn sound off/down

 

[manticle]

Was there visible particulate matter in the foam or remaining beer?

 

[neal.p]

Was there visible particulate matter in the foam or remaining beer.

No, no bits.

 

[Garfield]

You can vent the overcarbonated bottles. There is a YouTube vid on it.

Plus 1 for venting bottles if you're worried about bombs

 

[MHB]

It isn't "the sugar in the Bourbon" there is no sugar in distilled spirits, sugars don't distill.
Just looking at the bottle my first guess would be that it was infected.
There is the possibility that you just bottled way too early (it wasn't finished fermenting) but if you haven't taken hydrometer readings all the answers become guesswork
You can try letting out some of the fizz (as above) but personally I have my doubts.
Mark

 

[neal.p]

Thanks for the info about bourbon sugars, I didn't know that.

I stirred the mixture in, let the ferm sit overnight in fridge (4c I guess), and bottled the next day. Maybe it stirred up just enough trub. Bottling wand has a filter.

Anyways, I think I'll degas them asap and see how they go. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Markbeer]

When you vent you may need to recrimp if you lift too far. I've successfully done it on over 50 bottles.

 

[neal.p]

Thanks for that. I'm degassing again today.

I gently lifted the caps 7 times on each bottle the first times and then they went back in the fridge. I'm up to four times this round. I'm thinking of throwing them back into a fermenter as this is getting tedious. If the beer hasn't finished fermenting I think it will be OK?

 

[Markbeer]

If you throw back into the fermenter they Will oxidize and the result won't be good. You must have bottled before fermentation finished.

You can either keep venting or even remove and recap and drink the batch quick or toss I guess.

Warning that you are at risk of harm and losing an eye with exploding bottles if they are that bad.

 

[neal.p]

Yeah, there's nothing left to do that's worth the risk, so they've gone down the sink.