Quick Question Re: Bottle Bombs.

[Spork]

Tried a search - 10 000 results, but none stood out as having the answer to my question, although I'm sure it's there somewhere.

Haven't had a bottle bomb yet, and hope not to in the future, however as I generally bottle condition inside I put each freshly bottled batch into eskys, to reduce temperature fluctuations, and "just in case".
I have enough eskys for about 2 1/2 batches.
I currently have all eskys full, and todays batch (an AIPA) was bottled 1/2 into the old faithful Coopers bottles, and the rest into various "odds and sods" bottles. They all felt pretty heavy / solid, so heres hoping.
Anyway, my question is: How long after bottling does the danger of a bottle exploding pass? Or how long after bottling are they most likley to explode?
nb: All have ale yeast (SA-04 or US-05) and are sitting around 14-18c.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kelbygreen]

well I would say the time they would explode would be from the time they are bottled to the time they are fully carbed up this can vary with yeast and storage temps. Once fully carbed they should be right but I wouldnt go kicking the box just encase there is a bottle with a hair line crack.

 

[stef]

I don't think the danger ever completely ends...

I'd also say that the reason the bottles explode is going to dictate when it explodes. The only bottle bombs i've ever had have been when i've used honey from my farm and its keep fermenting for a lot longer than i thought it would.

If treated properly, i don't think bottle bombs are too much of an issue. The very occasional infected bottle might blow up, but if all your other practices are sound (fermenting, priming etc) you wont have any bombs...

That doesn't really answer your question, but i'd suggest that you'll get pretty varied answers as it depends why the bottles exploding in the first place.

Stef

 

[kelbygreen]

there is another think to add there stef. Is the bottles them selfs if you want to be certain look at them threw the inside in the light. I have had a few with little cracks, mainly the cheap mega swill ones they crack where its cast. also for chips and any other imperfections

 

[MaltyHops]

there is another think to add there stef. Is the bottles them selfs if you want to be
certain look at them threw the inside in the light. I have had a few with little cracks,
mainly the cheap mega swill ones they crack where its cast. also for chips and any
other imperfections

Like ones described here ? Can I suggest to do the close up examination
only when the bottle is empty - or at least wear safety glasses otherwise.

Don't know if OP does it but I always bottle into a couple of PET bottles
when I do a batch as a way to keep a check on how the carbing is going.
If the PET bottles carb up really quick and become rock hard, then it's time
to put on the stainless suit of armour ..... and be afraid, very afraid! h34r:

I have found though that the PET bottles I save for pressure monitoring
can't be kept for the long term as CO2 slowly leaks out and air can get
into them - had some that were about a year old and were undrinkable
(like sherry, cough medicine).

So if bottle survive the initial few months based on the PET checks, things
should mostly be ok except for the possibility of gushers cause by infection
I guess as stef said.

T.

 

[Spork]

Thanks fellas. I do fill a couple of PET bottles to monitor carbonation. Guess as long as I keep doing what I have been doing with the same or a lesser amount of sugar I should be pretty safe. Just feel a touch uneasy with these untested bottles. Oh well, will begin kegging soon, so I guess I can leave the non-coopers bottles in an eski until they are all drank and safe inside me.

 

[drtomc]

2 main reasons for bottle bombs:

1. Incomplete fermentation/hasty bottling. More likely to explode sooner rather than later. Probably going to apply to every bottle.

2. Infection. Time depends on the bugs, but some bacterial infections can build quite slowly. May apply to the whole batch, or selected poorly cleaned/sanitized bottles.

I've had a few over the years, always because of the second reason: infection. One time, I forgot to sanitize my bulk priming vessel and I had one explode about a week later. I instantly realised what had happened, and put on long sleeves, gloves and safety glasses and opened them all (all gushers) and discarded the bottles. Another time, I had a couple of bottles which had sat happily for several months explode on a hot afternoon (42C). I did the same procedure, but found only a few bottles had over-carbed. Clearly a bottle washing/sanitizing fail.

In both cases, big mess. Glass fragments and off beer everywhere. :-(

T.

 

[arogers]

I don't have bottle bombs anymore.....

I bought kegs :beerbang:

 

[Anofre]

Most often happened to us when the sugar dispenser (read Lacky) forgot his count & doubles up on a bottle.
They usually go off in the night & take out the adjacent ones.
Now it's compulsory in the Brauhaus to say out loud "one, two three" as you dispense.

Have lost whole batches (before temp control days) from bottling too early.
Kegs now so it's been a while...

 

[jotaigna]

In my personal experience, bottles explode earlier rather than later. My bombs have been mostly due to poor bottle sanitation (now I inspect each bottle for mould and discard them if I see any spot, not even bother risking it) and they tended to explode no later than 4 weeks after bottling. I have had overcarb (fizzer) beers too from bottling too early and they keep in the bottle, for over 10 months, which is when I found one in my garage and opened it out of curiosity. I think for bottle bombs is not only the amount of CO2 building pressure in the bottle but also the rate at which it builds up, creating more outward force and destabilising the bottles.

I also have had success containing the shards with simple cardboard boxes. Still have to cleanup the mess but the explosion does not leave the box (look out for shards embedded in the cardboard), so that's how I store all my brew.

Most often happened to us when the sugar dispenser (read Lacky) forgot his count & doubles up on a bottle.
They usually go off in the night & take out the adjacent ones.
Now it's compulsory in the Brauhaus to say out loud "one, two three" as you dispense.

Have lost whole batches (before temp control days) from bottling too early.
Kegs now so it's been a while...