Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: what to do if i have bottle bombs  (Read 3148 times)

Offline Jeff M

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 821
  • Currently upgrading to Brewery 3.0
what to do if i have bottle bombs
« on: June 24, 2013, 04:39:44 pm »
So,

For the first time ever we had a beer explode.  the odd thing is the cap didnt come off, it acctaully broke the bottle.  Is this because the bottle was defective or because its supposed to happen that way?  Looking for some feedback on what to do when bottle bombs could be happening in quantity soon!

Thanks
Jeff 
Granite Coast Brewing Company.
Building a clone of The Electric Brewery to use as a pilot system for new recipes!

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: what to do if i have bottle bombs
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2013, 04:46:59 pm »
gotta get the rest of the bottles cold and contained. I like a cooler with lots of ice.

There as likely a weak spot in that bottle but that doesn't mean others won't also have weak spots and/or blow. The caps might not come off at all. They are designed to stay on under pretty high pressure.

Did you taste the one that blew? did it take like infection?

If you overcarbed the whole batch you might be able to pop each one open and recap to reduce pressure. If there is an infection keep them cold and drink quickly assuming they are drinkable.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline Jeff M

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 821
  • Currently upgrading to Brewery 3.0
Re: what to do if i have bottle bombs
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2013, 04:54:38 pm »
unfortuantly we brew at my buddies house so id idnt get a chance to taste it.  Im drinking one at my house from the same batch that was cold(the one that blew was room temp, and its been fairly warm here)and when i cracked the cap it didnt sound any different then a normal beer.  when i poured it tho the initial head was fairly large but went down quickly. if the batch was infected what would i be looking for? the bottom of the bottle i opened had what seemed to me the normal amount of yeast in it after bottle conditioning using 3/4 cup corn sugar.
Granite Coast Brewing Company.
Building a clone of The Electric Brewery to use as a pilot system for new recipes!

Offline duboman

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1578
what to do if i have bottle bombs
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2013, 06:31:25 pm »
Bottle bombs occur because they are over primed, infected or a bottle or two were defective or the beer was not at FG.

You should weigh your priming sugar using a calculator and account for temperature. It is simply more precise.

You need to verify FG

You need to place the bottles in a closed container and cold

Because they are bottles you have many of them. Some may explode some may not so you need to verify your bottling process. If they are infected you will know it by smell or taste, but again it might be one bottle, all, or several. Think about your cleaning and sanitizing process, spigot, tubing, bucket, etc

When priming be sure to bulk prime and get a good mix to ensure even carb over all bottles.

Use a calculator accounting for volume of Co2 and temperature of beer. Measuring by cups is just not accurate, weight in grams is precise.

Verify FG-stable over a couple days, not sweet tasting beer. Evaluate attenuation for the strain

Be safe... Exploding bottles can happen any time and flying glass is not fun
Peace....Love......Beer......

The Commune Brewing Company-Perfecting the craft of beer since 2010