Maximum Carbonation For Bottles?

[bcp]

About to bottle a hefeweizen, which should be 3.3 to 4.5. I'd like to push the carbonation to the high side, and wondered if bottle carbing creates greater risk of gushers?

Is there a maximum vol for bottle conditioning? I realise i've never gone as high as 3.3.

 

[Bizier]

It depends on which bottles you are talking about and the condition that they are in.

A percentage of cheap thin glass (generally rated to approx 4 bar) starts to pop around the 3 bar mark. I am talking about below 1%, but it is enough that I would worry about my physical well-being if taking the risk.

Obviously commercial beers with high carbonation require a suitable bottle. I would look at the reusable European bottles (if they are in good condition) or Belgian bottles. Basically you could assume that the heavier the glass, the more they can handle. Personally I would be happy to use the heavier 300ml bottles that craft breweries here use, but I would try to obtain some specs via the codes on the base.

I know that this may sound like overkill, but when they pop because of high CO2, they really pop.

 

[dkaos]

Can't help with the pressure question, as that would depend on the manufacturer.

Having a high carbonation won't create a gusher. Infection and hop matter will though.

 

[bcp]

It depends on which bottles you are talking about and the condition that they are in.

A percentage of cheap thin glass (generally rated to approx 4 bar) starts to pop around the 3 bar mark. I am talking about below 1%, but it is enough that I would worry about my physical well-being if taking the risk.

Obviously commercial beers with high carbonation require a suitable bottle. I would look at the reusable European bottles (if they are in good condition) or Belgian bottles. Basically you could assume that the heavier the glass, the more they can handle. Personally I would be happy to use the heavier 300ml bottles that craft breweries here use, but I would try to obtain some specs via the codes on the base.

I know that this may sound like overkill, but when they pop because of high CO2, they really pop.

Just to clarify - is 3 bar the same as 3 vols?

 

[black_labb]

No, but the pressure will vary a lot with temperature

 

[Nick JD]

A lot of those Euro 500ml hefe bottles are pretty thin.

 

[m3taL]

Coopers Pale ale and Sparkling ale bottles are heavy and thick as anything....... iv got about 25 of them, need more but iv seen plenty on ebay....

 

[Bizier]

A lot of those Euro 500ml hefe bottles are pretty thin.

Yeah, I know, and I bet they probably regularly explode in the filler, but the reduced weight of shipping glass would dramatically mitigate any lost income.
I would assume that they also have their CO2 g/l dialled in pretty tight.

I have bottle conditioned in Schfferhofer bottles, which are paper thin and I would not do it again if I were brewing something with high CO2. I dropped one once and I think that the largest pieces of glass were smaller than a 5c coin. The thing nearly turned back to sand. On the other hand I have dropped a Coopers 750ml down a flight of stairs, and despite a tiny chip where the crown seals, it just bounced and made a hell of a lot of noise. I would also trust a Weihenstephaner 500ml.

The thing is that you need additional buffer capacity, so if there is some freak attenuation or priming issue, it just foams on opening, not explodes.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

A bit late for your current brew, but start saving/collecting champagne bottles and a tirage capper. They make good gifts and can take a lot of carb.

 

[MaltyHops]

A bit late for your current brew, but start saving/collecting champagne bottles and a tirage capper. They make good gifts and can take a lot of carb.

Plus one - I'm doing this and buy them from a bottle recycling depot
for 10 cents each.

Only issue is they're not designed to filter out hop damaging light
- they vary from very light green (esp the French bottles) to very
dark green/grey - so need to wrap in butcher/newspaper if giving
away as gifts.

 

[Dars183]

I found that weighing your bottles a simple solution when looking for a 'high' carb level brew, you will see a fairly large difference between what look to be identical bottles. There was a snippet on the Coopers forums about bottles and from memeory their heaviest glass tallies came in around the ~530gm mark (not quotable on the weight). Get your scales out and feel a little bit more comfortable you have done what you can to minimise the chance of seeing any bombs

Cheers

 

[warra48]

Little Creatures pint bottles are also of good heavy quality, similar to Coopers longnecks.

Weighing the bottles gives you perfect information about the amount of glass in each. The more glass, the safer you are. You'd be surpirsed at how much even like looking bottles can vary.

 

[MaltyHops]

I found that weighing your bottles a simple solution when looking for a 'high' carb level brew, you will see a fairly large difference between what look to be identical bottles. There was a snippet on the Coopers forums about bottles and from memeory their heaviest glass tallies came in around the ~530gm mark ...

I have had Coopers longnecks that weighed in at 545g (post) so looks like Coopers have changed their bottles over the years.

Champagne bottles also come in different ratings (post) rated for up to 7 CO2 vols (so would actually go higher for safety margin). Of the champagne bottles I now have, some weigh 670g and others 930g.

... Only issue is they're not designed to filter out hop damaging light ... so need to wrap in butcher/newspaper ...

Went to a butchers supplies shop and ended up getting a stack of brown paper bags for bottles (500 for $21 - should last a while).

 

[koots]

anyone bottled hefeweizens etc at the high end of carbonation in twist top longies? ie. vb longies etc. just weighed one and it came in at 430grams so quite a bit less than the coopers bottles

 

[warra48]

anyone bottled hefeweizens etc at the high end of carbonation in twist top longies? ie. vb longies etc. just weighed one and it came in at 430grams so quite a bit less than the coopers bottles

Never done it, for the very good reason I like to be safe. So should you.
Hefes go into actual German hefe bottles, Coopers longnecks, or LCPA pint bottles.

 

[carniebrew]

anyone bottled hefeweizens etc at the high end of carbonation in twist top longies? ie. vb longies etc. just weighed one and it came in at 430grams so quite a bit less than the coopers bottles

Yep, my last few hefe's have all been bottled in twist top tallies (~420 grams), using carb drops 'coz I like how they come out with high hefe-style carbonation levels. Some of the brews have been so highly carbed that you simply can't drink them out of the stubby, you have to pour them aggressively into a glass and let the head settle before tucking in.

Never had a bottle bomb, nor a pop top. Must have done 60 or more of the lightweight twist top tallies with hefe's.

I know its controversial, and needs to come with a disclaimer, but I really have been having trouble finding anyone getting a bottle bomb from correctly primed home brew...they all seem to be related to overpriming, bottling too early or some kind of infection.

I will admit that I was very nervous when I first started doing this, given the horror tales out there, but many months later with no failures I'm less concerned. Still mindful, usually my twist top tallies will go into a sealed esky in a cupboard sitting on a towel, as opposed to just in a cardboard box or sitting out in the open.

 

[Midnight Brew]

I have bottle conditioned in Schfferhofer bottles, which are paper thin and I would not do it again if I were brewing something with high CO2. I dropped one once and I think that the largest pieces of glass were smaller than a 5c coin.

How old are your schoffer bottles?

Ive had mine for years and theyve serve their purpose to me. Only one breakage due to dropping.