Heat Makes Bottles Explode

[kalbarluke]

I have had bottles explode because of dodgy practices and, I believe, because of heat. I find the main reason for bottle bombs isn't dirty bottles but bottling too early.

I did live in Charleville in SW QLD where it does get very, very hot in summer (ie: 48 degrees) and several of my home brewing friends and I did get bottle bombs on these really hot days. I know this proves nothing, just an anecdote of my experiences on the subject.

Someone mentioned something earlier about changes in pressure. When I was living in London I had a Guiness pint glass explode when I had done the dishes in very hot water and drained it (ie: turned it upside down) on the sink. Maybe the place was haunted or something but the glass shattered. There was a loud bang and glass all around the kitchen. I put it down to changes in temp or pressure between the air inside the upturned glass and the air outside of it. I know it sounds like I'm speaking shit but it did happen.

 

[QldKev]

Two more than I've had.

Difficult to get them when ya don't use glass.

Agreed, after nearly 20 years of filling up those little bottles, I'm never going back

Kegs FTW :icon_cheers:

 

[manticle]

I had a very small amount of bottle bombs in the early days of brewing. One of those was a very hot day and the brew (cider) had been in and out of the fridge a few times..

Since learning to make sure fermentation is finished properly, I haven't had a single one, regardless of weather, stormfront.org or Bethany Biscuits down the road.

Unfinished fermentation, too much sugar etc are the likely culprits. I'd happily leave any of my bottles in a 45 degree heatwave (except that ruins the beer) with no expectation of bursting.

Yes I use glass and yes I re-use my bottles.

 

[Nick JD]

Kegs FTW :icon_cheers:

Two things we wholeheartedly agree on, Kev - Holdens and kegs. :icon_cheers:

 

[pk.sax]

I wouldn't wanna die in a Holden h34r:

 

[psytramp]

i don't care what anyone thinks either, i've had 2 bottles also blow in 3 years and both have been on days with a sudden heat increase.

woke me up at 2am the bloody thing!!

 

[the_new_darren]

I'd happily leave any of my bottles in a 45 degree heatwave (except that ruins the beer) with no expectation of bursting.

Just dont leave them on the top shelf of an incredibly white kitchen and you will live in peace 8)

tnd

 

[Aleosaurus cervisiae]

I had two bottle bombs. Both were dodgy plastic bottles from Brewcraft starter kit, the rest of the bottles from that batch were perfectly fine. On the topic of commercial beers and re-using of bottles, I am old enough to remember when you returned the bottles to the shop to be re-filled. This is still common practice for soft drinks in India, don't know about the beer. Anyway, they never went kaboom

 

[bum]

If it means anything oin regards to anyone BULLSHIT generalisations, I was in 36 degree heat and 94% humidity biut noit one but me batted an eyelid so it must have been pretty common place.

never ever seen one in melobourne, but.

 

[psytramp]

Boom!!

 

[Brewman_]

So Clemo,

You don't care what anyone thinks? Then why post this?

Maybe it was high tide that caused your bottle to blow...

Funny thing I found about brewing is that there is no magic! Look beyond the obvious and maybe the answer to your question is right here in this post, but then again you did not ask a question, so will you be able to learn?

Fear

 

[drtomc]

Funny, I was just reading that Rochefort recycle bottles.

T.

 

[DUANNE]

does not the reputebly best beer in the world activly encourage recycling bottles? westveleteren. part of the reason they dont label. bottle bombs are resultent of bad pad practice. full stop....

 

[Florian]

Every beer bottle in Germany (and probably other countries as well) gets recycled over and over again. When buying beer you also pay a small deposit on the bottle, which you get back when you return the bottle (or leave your bottles anywhere on the street when drinking on the go and 'donate' the deposit to the homeless who will pick them up and return).
That's why German bottles are generally of a pretty high standard and thickness. Screw tops are unheard of over there.

 

[pk.sax]

Every beer bottle in Germany (and probably other countries as well) gets recycled over and over again. When buying beer you also pay a small deposit on the bottle, which you get back when you return the bottle (or leave your bottles anywhere on the street when drinking on the go and 'donate' the deposit to the homeless who will pick them up and return).
That's why German bottles are generally of a pretty high standard and thickness. Screw tops are unheard of over there.

that takes me back...
I didn't know and so I just took all the bottles to the recycling bin and someone saw me and stopped me from putting the bottles in there! Was quite funny at the time. Of course I couldn't read the instructions on the bin yet

 

[np1962]

Every beer bottle in Germany (and probably other countries as well) gets recycled over and over again. When buying beer you also pay a small deposit on the bottle, which you get back when you return the bottle (or leave your bottles anywhere on the street when drinking on the go and 'donate' the deposit to the homeless who will pick them up and return).
That's why German bottles are generally of a pretty high standard and thickness. Screw tops are unheard of over there.

No need to go to Europe for this, come to South Australia.
All drink containers, glass and plastic bottles, cans and even flavoured milk cartons have a 10c refundable deposit.
Not unusual to see a homeless person, even non-homeless ones with a shopping trolley and wheat bags hanging off it full of bottles and cans heading off to the recycling depot.
While the bottles are recycled they are no longer refilled as they were in the pickaxe/ Adelaide Bottle Co days prior to the deposit legislation.
I saw a program on Heineken the other week that said their bottles are 25% new material and 75% recycled glass.
Cheers
Nige

 

[RdeVjun]

If you have a close look at the European- style 0.5cL bottles we get here (like Florian is talking about, Erdinger, Weinstephan and even TTL come in them), many are scratched right on the shoulder and likewise towards the base- obviously they've been handled many, many times over with continual refilling but the thickness and quality of the glass means they're up for it. I doubt many make the trip back home from here, but I use them quite a lot instead of stubbies.

 

[Florian]

No need to go to Europe for this, come to South Australia.

But do the bottles in SA actually get reused as they are?

Maybe I should have worded it differently, they don't get recycled (crushed and used to make new bottles) but rather find their way back to they brewery they came from. Every bottling line in a big brewery also has a big wash plant for bottles, labels get soaked of and sent to paper recycling and bottles get checked for cleanliness then refilled and relabeled.

And as Ralph said they have a slightly thicker bit at the bottom and on the shoulder, this is so they can roll against each other on the line without damaging the labels.

 

[MaltyHops]

But do the bottles in SA actually get reused as they are?
Maybe I should have worded it differently, they don't get recycled (crushed and
used to make new bottles) but rather find their way back to they brewery they
came from. ...

No, I think a recycling depot worker told me once they get melted to make
new bottles - much more efficient than worrying about getting each bottle clean
enough (doing the first clean of bottles bought from the recyclers and you get
an idea what a PITA this is) or whether bottles have defects.

T.

 

[bcp]

heres a question... when can i move them again? (from garage to fridge) does the gas inside die down at all?

1. I'd be moving them when it's cool. I'd also be covering them with something to protect my face. I'd refrigerate them too if i had room - reduces risk significantly.

2. I'd be asking if the whole batch has a problem or just some bottles - in other words, are they all in danger of blowing or just some? eg,
Did each bottle have the same dose of sugar? (eg, carb drops or bulk carbing?) or did you measure out sugar for each bottle?
Did I over carb? If so, i'd release some CO2 on each one.
Is it possible some bottles weren't 100% clean and had an infection? Or is it possible the whole batch is infected?

3. I'd also open one to see if it's a gusher.