Just had my first bottle gushers

[Beil]

I think I've figured this one out, but just wanted some clarification.

I've got a raspberry Brown ale in bottles.
FG of 1.01, in bottles since 18/2/17
A few bottles that's I've drank were fine.
But I've just opened two in a row that gushed.

I've just checked the gravity after drinking and degassing the second gusher (the first one took me by surprise after I just got home from work and made a ******* mess, atleast it was only the kitchen counter and floor!)

The gravity is still at 1.01, which if I'm understanding would be lower if a wild bacteria had gotten inside and started eating residual sugars.

Did a quick Google if all gushers are infection, apparently not.
I bulk primed to 2.6Vol.
Like I said a few were fine, but came across a comment that noted that nucleation points can add to gushing effects..
This is where I noted that the two bottles that gushed had more than an acceptable amount of raspberry debris in; I wasn't too fussed about sucking this down when priming and bottling as I didn't think it would have any adverse affects and I would simply be able to pour and leave it behind as with the yeast layer I'm bottles- of course I avoided it best I could.


Basically, just want confirmation that these bits of raspberry are likely the cause of these gushers, which if I do another one I will take note of and try to avoid bottling any.

I get a good whirlpool motion when I bulk prime and 'believe' this mixes the dextrose solution well enough.

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, sediment, hop material and other potential nucleation points can definitely lead to gushers. Sounds like it's very unlikely you'll experience bottle bombs, but keep them in mind. They're nothing to **** with. There's a big difference between breaking glass and exploding glass.

 

[RdeVjun]

Seems likely to be the case IMO, anecdotally I can relate that there seems to be a threshold for particulates such as raspberry debris in your case, or dry hops in mine, where you are always going to get a gusher, seemingly due to nucleation points. Seems more problematic or common though at higher level of carbonation, which is logical.
Inconsistent levels of debris also confound the issue, but I think you're aware of that.

 

[n87]

All the gushers i have come across have been due to some sort of 'floater', usually hop matter.

 

[Droopy Brew]

Yep I have had them when siphoning from a massively dry hopped IPA and the ones that got too much hop matter were explosive.

BTW whirlpooling your bulk prime is a great way to oxidise the shit out of your beer.

 

[mongey]

Last night I opened the final long neck from a batch and it sever gushed while the other 22 (or whatever it was) were fine . it had been in the bottles for about 3 months


luckily was close enough to the sink and had to pour it. shame . I like to enjoy the last one from a batch

I put it down to maybe I didn't clean that bottle well enough and it had some gunk in the bottom

 

[warra48]

I went through a stage where I cleaned my bottles with plain napisan.
No matter how well I rinsed them, there always seemed to be some residual in the bottles, even though it couldn't be detected by plain sight, but enough to cause gushing, which was a pain in the proverbial.
I now clean my bottles with Brewclean (bought at the HB shop in Port Macqaurie) and use a bottle brush. A decent rinse after that has solved my problem.
I believe any bit of crud left in a bottle will enhance the opportunity to develop a gusher. Obvious beer stone deposits also will potentially do the same.

I also find that chilling my bottles for at least 24 hours in the fridge before consumption makes a difference. I guess the colder temperature allows the beer to get the Co2 back into solution instead of pressurising the space at the top of the bottle.

 

[Beil]

Yep I have had them when siphoning from a massively dry hopped IPA and the ones that got too much hop matter were explosive.

BTW whirlpooling your bulk prime is a great way to oxidise the shit out of your beer.

When I say whirlpooling, I mean the hose is curled around the bottom, and the action of the wort entering the bucket moves it in a circle- I don't use a spoon to whirlpool the shit out of it like in the kettle to build a mound of trub.

Unless this is still likely to oxidise the beer? I had read that allowing the beer to move itself in a circle was a better way to mix the priming solution than using a spoon and possibly splashing.


As for the gushers, learnt something new and will just need to take note.