Fixing Over Carbonated Bottles

[marlow_coates]

So I have made a common mistake, that I could have avoided, and am now in a frustrating position.

I brewed a Belgian Pale Ale, and used the Wyeast Canadian / Belgian yeast. 20C 12 days.
I brew in glass carboys so have a good view of fermentation, and bubbling etc...
This brew finished all bubbling, and was given a spin (twisted carboy in milk crate around several times vigorously) on the last 3 days.
No signs of fermentation.
This is usually the process I use to decide when it is finished.
I know a hydro reading is better, but have not had any issues with this method until now. ****.

So I bottled and bulk primed as usual (to about 3.2 pressures), and had a bottle bomb today. (3 weeks post bottling)
Had one in the fridge to taste the other night, and at about 4C produced excessive head but was not a gusher so I just assumed the high levels of carbonation I had wanted were a little over the top.

So now I have 2 and a half cartons of potential bombs under the house.

Put the motocycle gloves on, and the old swimming goggles, and transfered all the brews to the fridge, and it is set at 4C.

So to the point of my question:

To decompress the bottles do I - chill, open, wait 30 sec or so for some gas to be blown off, then recap?

Is there any way to tell if this will be enough release of gas?
Or too much?

It can't have had much left to ferment for the reasons I stated above. I think it is just the combination of high priming, and a little fermentation to go.

The only bottle that exploded was a Corona bottle, which I find is a lot weaker than other bottles.

Any help, or past experience in fixing this problem is welcome and hoped for.

Cheers

Marlow

 

[Pennywise]

I've never had such a bad problem with overcarbed bottles, but I will suggest that you wear alot of protection whenever moving the bottles. Chilling them will help but when you uncap/recap them for god's sake be carefull. It sounds like the rest of the bottles are alot stronger than the one that exploded so that may be your saviour, I'd still be bloody careful though.

 

[BoilerBoy]

I'd chill then release some of the pressure, if it contiues just repeat the process.

Good luck with it,

BB

 

[Frank]

I think the best option would be to tell your mates to bring some meat around for a BBQ and you will supply the beer. Pour the beer into a jug and allow it to settle a bit. Then drink them. A couple of sessions and they should be all gone.
Cracking the tops and re capping will need to be done a few times to get the the carbonation level you want. :icon_cheers:

 

[marlow_coates]

Cheers guys,

Pretty sure by the time I decap all of them, then start recapping, the time they are uncapped will be enough to reduce the pressure to safe and drinkable levels.
Will then let them warm back to room temp, and in a couple of days fridge another one and see how they are faring.

HB79, I was scared shitless transfering to the fridge.
Had them inside the cartons still, with a plank of wood over to top to stop any blow outs hitting my face. Goggles and gloves made me look really cool I am sure :lol:
Would hate the job of defusing a bomb...

Really pissed off I have made this beginner error.
Just got lazy with the hydro I guess.

Marlow

 

[marlow_coates]

Boston, I would definately have taken that option, but in the middle of study lock down for exams.

Can't do any real drinking for 3 weeks.

Marlow

 

[marlow_coates]

Said my prayers, and opened each chilled bottle to the sound of a 'K-SHHHHHHHH' .

Bottles sat nice for about 30 seconds then began their froth out the top.

Left for 5 min, or untill each one stopped frothing, then recapped.

Hosed off the beer on the side, and restacked somewhere safe.

No gushers at 4C in the whole bunch thankfully, which means they are only a bit overcarbed, and I reckon with the blow off they all had, it should balance it out.

Have a bottle in the fridge settling, which I will try tomorrow.

Definately learned my lesson with bottling too early, and will be using the hydro from now on.

Marlow

 

[marlow_coates]

Just updating this topic on how the de-carbing went.

Allowing each one to stop frothing prior to re-capping, seems to have worked quite well.

Just re-opened one, and it's still carbed nicely, and tasting good :icon_drool2:



So, for anyone coming across this thread in time, I would recomend:

Chillling the beer to whatever temp you plan to drink or serve it at,
Open each one and allow it to froth,
Once frothing has stopped, and the neck is still filled with CO2 bubbles, re-cap the bottle,

The remaining CO2 trapped in the beer should be spot-on for serving at that temperature (if you serve it colder it will have less carb initially, if you serve it at higher temps it will give off more CO2 and might be overcarbed).

Another thing I have learned is that Corona bottles are weak little bastards. Don't trust them for high carbed beers. Go with the thicker micro-brewery bottles.

Hope this is usefull to someone in the future.
I have to re-do 2 more cartons with this same procedure tonight, after I underestimated the attenuation capacity of the Wyeast Canadian Belgian yeast.

Marlow

 

[joecast]

thanks for the follow up. wish i knew about this when i was bottling. never had bottle bombs, but had quite a few gushers