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Author Topic: when to check for bottle bombs  (Read 6460 times)

Offline n518lf

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when to check for bottle bombs
« on: June 08, 2013, 08:39:17 am »
Okay, I don't want to get into why, but I just bottled my first batch last night and I am a little concerned about bottle bombs. After searching on my own I see some people recommend uncapping and seeing if you get a gusher. My question is one is a good time to do that? 1 day, 3 days, 1 week?

If it makes any difference, it is a NB chocolate mile-stout kit and I used NB's website to calculate the proper amount of priming sugar (by weight) to use based on quantity and temp of my beer.

Offline flars

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2013, 08:51:31 am »
One week would be a good time to begin checking carbonation pressure if you are conditioning at about 70°.  In the meantime have your bottles in plastic totes with lids to contain possible flying glass and beer.  Handle the bottle you will be checking very gently.  Gloves and eye protection would be a very good idea.  If the first bottle is okay, check another at two weeks.  Select this bottle from one that may have been  bottled first/last, but the opposite of the first bottle checked. 

Offline erockrph

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2013, 09:18:44 am »
I don't suspect you have any risk of bottle bombs based on your procedure. How many volumes of CO2 did you carbonate to? Typical bottles are safe to a minimum of 3 volumes, and most beers should target the 2-2.5 volume range of carbonation.

Depending on the temperature you are carbonating at, I think 7-10 days is the earliest where you'll even see a drinkable amount of carbonation. Full carbonation is generally in the 2-4 week range.

RDWHAHB. Wait 10 days, then put a bottle in the fridge for 1-2 days (the cold helps the CO2 get into solution better). Then enjoy your brew :)
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline repo

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2013, 11:25:17 am »
If you bottled a still fermenting beer, you do have a risk of bottle bombs-priming sugar aside. You don't want to get into why you are worried, so.....

If you used cane or corn sugar to prime, I would expect 3 to 4 days at room temperature(70ish) to get a sense of how the final carbed beer will be. I find that at 7 days they are more than ready to drink, and fully carbed- under normal conditions.

Putting one in the fridge for a day or two will not increase the carbonation. Naturally carbonating a beer occurs faster at warmer temps. 

Offline n518lf

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2013, 12:02:41 pm »
Thanks everyone. Using NB's website, I used enough of the priming sugar for a 2.1 volume. This is my first batch and I am trying to relax, not to worry, have a brew... but here are the things I know I screwed up on (even if I screw up the beer, at least I am learning :D):

I had pretty low attenuation. I wrote it down in my log but if memory serves me right it was around 60%. I think this was due to letting the primary get upwards of 80 degrees. Airlock was very active for the first couple of days then stopped (I know this doesn't indicate much if anything). Activity was so strong that I got krausen up into the airlock (5 gallon batch in a 6.5 pail). Transferred to a secondary after two weeks and after taking two fg readings a couple days apart (they were the same).

Sat in the secondary for 2 weeks. I was careful to not get any trub but later I read it isn't a bad idea to get a little?

The bottles I used were a combo of 12 ounce stone bottles and 22 ounce bottles (used) from a local micro-brewery. The 12 oz bottles were rinse after use, then sat in starsan for a couple of days (to eat off the painted labels). Rinsed in an oxyclean solution and then rinse in clean water with a bottle rinser. Air dried then rinse with a clean solution of star san just before bottling.

The 22 ounce bottles I am a little concerned about. They went throw a similar routine as the smaller bottles (to get the labels off). Soaked in Star-San, soaked in Oxyclean, rinse thoroughly with a bottle rinser and fresh water, and a fresh mixture of star-san just before bottling.

With all of that work, and a desire to bottle after 4 weeks of waiting, I FORGOT TO SCRUB THE INSIDE OF THE BOTTLES WITH A BOTTLE BRUSH :o

Offline erockrph

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2013, 12:44:46 pm »
With all of that work, and a desire to bottle after 4 weeks of waiting, I FORGOT TO SCRUB THE INSIDE OF THE BOTTLES WITH A BOTTLE BRUSH :o

If you soaked in OxiClean, I don't think this is an issue. To be honest, I just rinse my bottles right after pouring - no scrubbing. The only time I ever use my bottle brush is if there's visible crud on the bottom that won't rinse clean. Frankly, OxiClean should get most of that. My bet is that you'll be fine.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline gymrat

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2013, 08:33:17 am »
With all of that work, and a desire to bottle after 4 weeks of waiting, I FORGOT TO SCRUB THE INSIDE OF THE BOTTLES WITH A BOTTLE BRUSH :o

If you soaked in OxiClean, I don't think this is an issue. To be honest, I just rinse my bottles right after pouring - no scrubbing. The only time I ever use my bottle brush is if there's visible crud on the bottom that won't rinse clean. Frankly, OxiClean should get most of that. My bet is that you'll be fine.

I always get residue from oxyclean that I need an ice pick to get off. It doesn't seem to matter how much I rinse. When I use that stuff I have to use a bottle brush to get it out.
Ralph's Brewery
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2013, 08:05:31 am »
With all of that work, and a desire to bottle after 4 weeks of waiting, I FORGOT TO SCRUB THE INSIDE OF THE BOTTLES WITH A BOTTLE BRUSH :o

If you soaked in OxiClean, I don't think this is an issue. To be honest, I just rinse my bottles right after pouring - no scrubbing. The only time I ever use my bottle brush is if there's visible crud on the bottom that won't rinse clean. Frankly, OxiClean should get most of that. My bet is that you'll be fine.

Same here.  I can't recall the last time I used a bottle brush, but I only use them for crud that won't soak off.  I've got so many bottles though that I generally just toss them if they're nasty.

Is this an extract batch?  The low attenuation could be due to the extract.  Probably a dark extract for a stout, and who knows how fermentable that might be.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline n518lf

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2013, 07:37:34 pm »
Joe Sr., yes, this was a stout extract kit and add to that the fact it had some lactose (non-fermentable) sugar in it.

Visually the bottles were perfect. While I did forget to use the bottle brush I did spend a fair amount of time soaking, rinsing, etc.  and when I inspected them after the last rinse, they looked "brand new". I even held the bottles up to a light and didn't see anything. If the oxy-clean or anything else was left inside, it was not visible the naked eye.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: when to check for bottle bombs
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2013, 07:33:58 am »
Joe Sr., yes, this was a stout extract kit and add to that the fact it had some lactose (non-fermentable) sugar in it.

Visually the bottles were perfect. While I did forget to use the bottle brush I did spend a fair amount of time soaking, rinsing, etc.  and when I inspected them after the last rinse, they looked "brand new". I even held the bottles up to a light and didn't see anything. If the oxy-clean or anything else was left inside, it was not visible the naked eye.

In that case, I wouldn't be unduly worried.  Have a couple over the course of the next couple weeks.  If they seem to be overcarbonating, chill them down, call up some friends and enjoy.  Cold will both slow down the process of carbonating and get the CO2 into solution, reducing the pressure a bit.

If you're REALLY concerned and they seem to be overcarbonating, you can pop the tops and recap quickly to release some pressure.  Not ideal, but it will work and it's better than exploding bottles.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton