Incoming bottle bombs?

[Leapsandbounds]

So, I brewed a grapefruit juice pale ale 3 weeks ago. I pitched US-05 (dry) into 2.5 gallons of wort at about 75f (higher than normal but I was out of time). OG was around 1.050. The beer fermented between 70-72. Also, the juice was preservative free.

Yesterday I bottled it but I didn’t have enough for a hydrometer FG (I usually assume that 3 weeks is enough for complete fermentation and take readings at the end).

I work in a lab so I brought a sample in and used a refractometer and it was 1.023! However, this reading does include priming sugar which was 2.5 oz (I wanted high carb). I suppose I need to remember to take FG before adding corn sugar next time.

So, did I just blow up a case of beer? I’m at work but as soon as I get home the beer is going on a storage container.

 

[pdxal]

Check up on reading gravity after fermentation with a refractometer. The reading needs to be corrected for the presence of alcohol.

 

[Leapsandbounds]

Check up on reading gravity after fermentation with a refractometer. The reading needs to be corrected for the presence of alcohol.

It would appear that I can’t use my work refractometer as it only measures specific gravity and not Brix. I’ll just have to store the beer in a safe location and hope for the best.

Thanks for your help.

 

[GRJBowers]

I plugged 1.023 into Brewer's Friend's SG to Brix converter and came up with 5.8 Brix. I then put that into the refractometer calculator and it came back with a gravity of 1.008 as a final gravity. You're probably safe.

Edit: I left the OG at the default 1.048 in the refractometer calculator, the correct FG should be about 1.007.

 

[C-Rider]

I always do 2 gallon batches w/about 1.75 at bottling. Why did you not have enough for a hydrometer reading? I always take one and pour the sample into the bottling bucket. Never had a problem doing that.
Not sure what you are brewing. How about a recipe?

 

[Leapsandbounds]

I always do 2 gallon batches w/about 1.75 at bottling. Why did you not have enough for a hydrometer reading? I always take one and pour the sample into the bottling bucket. Never had a problem doing that.
Not sure what you are brewing. How about a recipe?

I usually take a sample at the very end of bottling which is a practice I need to change. I was really pushing for 24 12oz beers which didn’t leave enough for a reading.

Here’s the recipe:

Grapefruit Pale Ale (15 minute boil)

3 lbs Light DME
.5 lbs 40L crystal (steeped).

1 oz cascade 15 min
.5 oz cascade 5 min
.5 oz Amarillo 0 min/flameout
.5 quart grapefruit juice during chill

Yeast: US-05

 

[C-Rider]

I usually take a sample at the very end of bottling which is a practice I need to change. I was really pushing for 24 12oz beers which didn’t leave enough for a reading.

Here’s the recipe:

Grapefruit Pale Ale (15 minute boil)

3 lbs Light DME
.5 lbs 40L crystal (steeped).

1 oz cascade 15 min
.5 oz cascade 5 min
.5 oz Amarillo 0 min/flameout
.5 quart grapefruit juice during chill

Yeast: US-05

Next time take you sample as soon as you open the fermenter. Then after adding the sugar to the bottling bucket pour in the sample.

 

[Calder]

Drink the sample. It tells you a lot more about the beer than just the gravity reading.

Yes you can use a refractometer for FG measurements, but you need to use a calculator to estimate the actual FG. There are many calculators available online.

I just use a refractometer for mashing and figuring out my efficiency. I always use an hydrometer at bottling, and always drink the sample..

 

[Leapsandbounds]

Drink the sample. It tells you a lot more about the beer than just the gravity reading.

Yes you can use a refractometer for FG measurements, but you need to use a calculator to estimate the actual FG. There are many calculators available online.

I just use a refractometer for mashing and figuring out my efficiency. I always use an hydrometer at bottling, and always drink the sample..

Tasting the uncarbonated beer is something I like to do too (mostly for the detection of off flavors). I thought the sample tasted fully fermented. More specifically, it wasn’t sweet in any way.

Hopefully my initial concern is unfounded and merely the result of a measurement error (lack of correction for alcohol).

 

[bronzdragon]

When I was bottling, I always made it a habit to put the boxes of bottles in an area that would not be ruined if some bottles went off. I learned the hard way. I also used to put an old towel over the top of the boxes. Hope all goes well. /cheers