Beer

[scottysssute]

Hi can someone pls help me???? I have been brewing for 2 yrs...... Once again it's the start of the hot weather and I have my first exploding bottle!!!! I check my brew, wash properly and have even started putting my priming sugar instead but once again am getting my first hot day and boomb!!!!!! I'm convinced it's the weather causing this as it gets up too 35•+ sometimes.......

 

[NTXBrauer]

What is the ambient temp of the area you are bottle conditioning? 35C (95F) is rather warm. The yeast will be over active at this high of a temp.

 

[kombat]

If you're getting bottle bombs consistently with higher temperatures, then that would suggest to me that you might be using too much priming sugar.

 

[duboman]

Temperature should only effect the rate with which the beer carbonates, not increase the volume of CO2 being produced.

You have yeast, you add a very specific amount of sugar to produce a specific level of CO2 in a contained space. Just because the temperature is higher than normal does not mean the yeast consume more sugar that isn't there to produce more CO2............It's not possible

The beer was either not done fermenting or you added too much priming sugar. The one possibility is that you are not adjusting for the temperature of the beer when calculating the priming sugar since this is happening once temperatures rise.

Also, are you weighing out your sugar or measuring by volume? Weight is much more accurate than volume. As for temperature you want to calculate based upon the temperature that the beer was at for the longest period of time prior to bottling as there is more CO2 in colder beer than warmer beer

For example a beer at 65F will take 5.13 oz of sugar for 2.3 vol of CO2 but a beer at 70 will take 5.36 oz to do the same.

 

[Loftearmen]

Temperature should only effect the rate with which the beer carbonates, not increase the volume of CO2 being produced.

You have yeast, you add a very specific amount of sugar to produce a specific level of CO2 in a contained space. Just because the temperature is higher than normal does not mean the yeast consume more sugar that isn't there to produce more CO2............It's not possible

The beer was either not done fermenting or you added too much priming sugar. The one possibility is that you are not adjusting for the temperature of the beer when calculating the priming sugar since this is happening once temperatures rise.

Also, are you weighing out your sugar or measuring by volume? Weight is much more accurate than volume. As for temperature you want to calculate based upon the temperature that the beer was at for the longest period of time prior to bottling as there is more CO2 in colder beer than warmer beer

For example a beer at 65F will take 5.13 oz of sugar for 2.3 vol of CO2 but a beer at 70 will take 5.36 oz to do the same.

But he heat could cause all of the molecules in the beer bottle to become more active, thus causing expansion and higher pressure within the bottle regardless of the contents and yeast activity.

OP, why do you have to store your beer in such a hot area? Do you not have AC?

 

[duboman]

I suppose but I know of several commercial breweries that have bottle conditioning rooms that are kept at 80-85 degrees and they do not have exploding bottles.....

 

[jro238]

Loft is correct. If you have 2 identically carbonated bottles at 70 deg f then move one to a 50 deg room and the other to a 90 deg room, the warmer bottle will have a less carbonated beer (and hiss a lot more when you open it) while the 50 deg bottle will have a more carbonated beer.

It sounds to me like you are either using too much sugar or have weak bottles. If possible try to cool them down some or vent a little carbonation if cooling isn't possible.

 

[ColoHox]

Loft is correct. If you have 2 identically carbonated bottles at 70 deg f then move one to a 50 deg room and the other to a 90 deg room, the warmer bottle will have a less carbonated beer (and hiss a lot more when you open it) while the 50 deg bottle will have a more carbonated beer.

It sounds to me like you are either using too much sugar or have weak bottles. If possible try to cool them down some or vent a little carbonation if cooling isn't possible.

I agree with duboman. What you are describing is the carbonation level in solution. The co2 produced will not stay in solution as readily in warm temperatures. Which is why temp is important when setting keg pressure. Also a specific quantity of sugar = specific level of carbonation, but if most of that carbonation is in the headspace in the neck of the bottle, that could be a problem.

 

[duboman]

Loft is correct. If you have 2 identically carbonated bottles at 70 deg f then move one to a 50 deg room and the other to a 90 deg room, the warmer bottle will have a less carbonated beer (and hiss a lot more when you open it) while the 50 deg bottle will have a more carbonated beer. It sounds to me like you are either using too much sugar or have weak bottles. If possible try to cool them down some or vent a little carbonation if cooling isn't possible.

Yes, this can happen but this isn't what is being said/asked. Unless I'm reading the OP wrong he is saying his bottles explode once the temp goes up and I don't attribute the issue to the heat.

If it was only the heat then a commercial conditioned bottle of beer would also blow up if kept in the heat vs cold and that doesn't happen, it just becomes hot beer

 

[feinbera]

Long story short, duboman is exactly right -- commercial beers don't blow up at 35 *C.

It's possible some of your bottles are "worn out" from repeated use, but the most likely answer is too much carbonation, right on the edge of being explosive, but only being pushed over when the beers get warm.

Use a priming sugar calculator. Measure your sugar by weight. Take multiple gravity readings a couple of days apart to make sure the gravity is stable; the yeast can still be slowly chewing up the last bit of fermentable sugars even after the airlock stops bubbling and the krausen drops.

 

[jro238]

Yes, this can happen but this isn't what is being said/asked. Unless I'm reading the OP wrong he is saying his bottles explode once the temp goes up and I don't attribute the issue to the heat.

If it was only the heat then a commercial conditioned bottle of beer would also blow up if kept in the heat vs cold and that doesn't happen, it just becomes hot beer

You're (obviously) right about commercial brews not blowing up at those temps. I was just giving an example of how temperature affects the amount of dissolved gas and saying that it might be the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. This would be added to the major factors of too much sugar and/or weak bottles.

 

[scottysssute]

If you're getting bottle bombs consistently with higher temperatures, then that would suggest to me that you might be using too much priming sugar.

Well I followed the chart. 37• 23litre keg equalled 121g sugar?

 

[scottysssute]

But he heat could cause all of the molecules in the beer bottle to become more active, thus causing expansion and higher pressure within the bottle regardless of the contents and yeast activity. OP, why do you have to store your beer in such a hot area? Do you not have AC?

I have no choice as I have a low pitched metal roof and it's closed up all day and gets up to 35•... Only option is my shed outside but think you're correct tho

 

[scottysssute]

I agree with duboman. What you are describing is the carbonation level in solution. The co2 produced will not stay in solution as readily in warm temperatures. Which is why temp is important when setting keg pressure. Also a specific quantity of sugar = specific level of carbonation, but if most of that carbonation is in the headspace in the neck of the bottle, that could be a problem.

Yeh thnx guys but I measure it properly. They only pop in summer which leads me to believe it's the storage.. Could you pls explain what you meant but carbonating it a little?

 

[duboman]

Well I followed the chart. 37• 23litre keg equalled 121g sugar?

Not sure what this means? Are you saying you calculated the amount of priming sugar based on the temperature of 37C???

If so then something is wrong, you should be calculating based on the longest amount of time the beer was at fermentation temperature. So if you fermented at say 19C and the beer sat at that temp for 3 weeks then that is the temp you should use to prime. Cold beer retains more CO2 in suspension than warm. If you use too warm a temperature to calculate you are over priming because the calculator assumes less CO2 already present.

Also be sure your beer has reached final gravity and is stable and your sanitation practice is sound.

It's good that you weigh the sugar and it sounds as though you are racking onto a simple syrup as well for a good mix.

 

[TheSquid]

Regardless of the reason for your....mishap, I would definitely put the rest of the bottles in a safe place. Somewhere away from people and pets and preferably somewhere that is easily cleaned

 

[scottysssute]

Not sure what this means? Are you saying you calculated the amount of priming sugar based on the temperature of 37C??? If so then something is wrong, you should be calculating based on the longest amount of time the beer was at fermentation temperature. So if you fermented at say 19C and the beer sat at that temp for 3 weeks then that is the temp you should use to prime. Cold beer retains more CO2 in suspension than warm. If you use too warm a temperature to calculate you are over priming because the calculator assumes less CO2 already present. Also be sure your beer has reached final gravity and is stable and your sanitation practice is sound. It's good that you weigh the sugar and it sounds as though you are racking onto a simple syrup as well for a good mix.

Yes I do check when it's finished fermenting completely?? I'm not sure I understand what you're saying?? It equates to around 4g per 750ml

 

[duboman]

Yes I do check when it's finished fermenting completely?? I'm not sure I understand what you're saying?? It equates to around 4g per 750ml

Sorry, not into all the metric conversions...........
What I mean is beer at different temperatures will retain different volumes of CO2 which is naturally produced during fermentation. This means that even before priming there is already some CO2 in suspension in the finished beer. A cold beer will have more, a warm beer will have less. This means that the temperature of the finished beer needs to be taken into account when calculating the amount of priming sugar.

So for example, say you ferment a beer at 65F for 2 weeks and then condition the beer at 70 for 2 weeks. You would use the 70F temperature when calculating the amount of priming sugar.

So, if you did not or are not taking this change into account you could be using more sugar than necessary to prime your bottles. Does that make sense?

 

[gromitdj]

Actually, it doesn't make sense to me. Whenever you rack your beer to a different vessel (carboy, keg, bottle, etc.) much of the carbonation is going to come out of solution anyways. When using the priming calculators, the serving temperature, beer volume, and volumes of co2 desired should be used to determine the amount of priming sugar to be used.

 

[scottysssute]

Sorry, not into all the metric conversions........... What I mean is beer at different temperatures will retain different volumes of CO2 which is naturally produced during fermentation. This means that even before priming there is already some CO2 in suspension in the finished beer. A cold beer will have more, a warm beer will have less. This means that the temperature of the finished beer needs to be taken into account when calculating the amount of priming sugar. So for example, say you ferment a beer at 65F for 2 weeks and then condition the beer at 70 for 2 weeks. You would use the 70F temperature when calculating the amount of priming sugar. So, if you did not or are not taking this change into account you could be using more sugar than necessary to prime your bottles. Does that make sense?

I think so.. In lamons terms you're saying if the storage temp is higher then the fermenting temp, it creates more co2??

 

[duboman]

No, I'm saying it either retains more or less CO2 in suspension

 

[scottysssute]

No, I'm saying it either retains more or less CO2 in suspension

Srry to sound nieave but can you explain that better? I'm really pisses at all thus measured everything to the enth degree and my beer keeps getting gassy!!! Does 4g per 750ml bottle sound right.

 

[duboman]

It sounds as though you are measuring/weighing grams to use per bottle of beer? This is not really the most ideal way to go about priming. You should be bulk priming the entire batch at once.

You calculate the finished volume of beer to bottle and determine how much priming sugar to use for that volume. You boil one cup of water and add the weighed out sugar to that to dissolve. (A simple syrup). Cool and pitch into bottling bucket.

Rack the beer onto the syrup and it will self mix. Take a sanitized spoon when complete and very gently stir to ensure a good mix. Bottle as normal.

This process ensures that each beer receives the exact same amount of priming sugar to each bottle. IMO, trying to weigh out 4 grams per 750ml bottle is not really an accurate way to go about this. This also assumes your scale is capable of being precise to that small amount of weight.

Perhaps this calculator will assist. You can also play with the amounts and temperature and see how the amount of sugar will vary based on beer temperature.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

 

[BrewLocal365]

The only bottle bombs I have ever had (and they were bad) was when I brewed a big IPA without temperature control during fermentation and during the primary the temperature took a bit of a swing downwards. My finishing gravity measured as stable, but since I was doing all-grain, and I had a few issues in the mash, my original gravity was lower than target, so when my final gravity was higher than target, I took it as related to my mash issues (wrong!) when really it was that my yeast had gone dormant. I didn't really have much of a choice in any case, since I had no means of temperature control.

My mistake (beyond misdiagnosing the problem to begin with) was not lowering the volume of priming sugar to compensate for the extra sugars left in the beer at this point. Then on top of that, towards the end of my bottle conditioning period, the temperature swung from the low 60s (F) to the mid-to-high 80s. Bomb. Bomb. Bomb.

Luckily the bottle conditioning period was over by then, so I just moved all the rest of them into my chest freezer. The cooler temperature put the yeast back to sleep and lowered the pressure in the bottles. Beer actually turned out quite good despite being a point low in ABV, but I make sure always to store it in the fridge or freezer. No bombs in this batch since.

 

[CallMeAl]

I am guessing the OP is over filling his bottles since this is an annual event.
For all practical purposes, liquids cannot be compressed, only gasses can. As the temperature rises carbon dioxide (gas) starts coming out of solution while the beer (liquid) is also expanding. Not enough headspace for that increasing pressure can lead to violent bottle fragmentation.
When I first started brewing, I had some Grolsch bottles leak past the caps/gaskets after leaving some beer in my car on a warm day. Luckily I didn’t have any bottle bombs (these Grolsch bottles are tough), but I learned not to fill my bottles to the top. I have not had a recurrence since I began filling to the OEM level.