What do you think happed to this ale?

[birusuki]

Just getting back into home brew again after 2 years away. not that I knew what I was doing back then anyway.
I brewed this ale, stored it in a cupboard I dont use. During winter I dont bother putting my beers in the fridge as it is
so cold over here. I just move them to the back room which has big glass windows. the snow does the rest.
Anyway this brew would erupt into a volcano of foaming head, with every bottle I opened. I assumed they had some nasties in there.
left them in the cupboard never got round to chucking them. Now I am brewing again I want the bottles so starting tipping them out.
Same thing foam froth everywhere. Then I picked up one that was bottled in a pet bottle. it was soft no gas what so ever. Looking at the lids
they were kind of out of shape, so I started thinking , maybe they were over primed or FG was not reached.
Put one in my fridge which I had not done before with this brew. spring here now. Plus it is set really low as I am freezing bottles
of water. much colder than I normally drink beer, would make a difference? Thought I see if I could get half a glass out of it. No explosion of froth. Did get a heady beer and got a head
iside the bottle. I took the plunge on 2 year ale I though was spoilt. It was good, good to go. had one last night, still breathing today. just had another.

Over gassed?

 

[manticle]

Gas comes out of solution more readily when it's warmer.

As for why it's gushing - could be a number of reasons - probably unfinished fermentation.

 

[Mr B]

Yep reckon its overcarbonation, most likely from incomplete fermentation or overpriming.

Colder beer will absorb/hold more co2, so less foaming in this situation than warm beer.

 

[maddogpearse]

I had a batch of golden ale recently that I believe got a bacterial infection somewhere along the line. It had certainly finished fermenting but they're gassy. Taste fine though.

 

[barls]

almost impossible to tell without know the whole fermentation and recipe.
could be any number of factors from not quite finished to an infection.

 

[birusuki]

Yeah,　I wish I still had the recipe. My brew book from two years ago has gone missing, I know it is some kind of ale.
I`m guessing FG was reached, I kind of remember one of my brews stalled and I bottled it.
Tell you what though it sure retains it`s head. wont be tipping the rest out.

@mr. b. didn't know t hat about colder beer.
Turned a disappointment into a good experience.
And I still have most of it.