overcarbonation

[LopeJuice]

my last few beers have been severely overcarbonated and I can't figure out why. They are usually in the 1.055-70 OG range and I give them 4 weeks to ferment. I've been using the hbd.org carbonation calculator and still, every beer that I open foams for a few minutes, is incredibly hard to pour, and then once it settles enough to drink tastes like beer champagne. There's a considerable amount of hop matter/yeast trub in the beer when it's bottled but that shouldn't affect this, right? I also sanitize my bottles in a dishwasher set on high with no detergent in it. any ideas would be greatly appreciated, this is getting frustrating.

 

[vogtenstein222]

What did you use to carb, how long have they been in bottles?

 

[LopeJuice]

I've been using priming sugar from the LHBS. I let them carb/condition for about 2 weeks.

 

[Whsoj]

Thats kind of early mine sit four weeks before I even look @ them so I wont be tempted to waste a beer! If you are using kits, and you get the 1 cup of corn sugar with the kit cut back to about 3/4 a cup and let them sit for 4 weeks

 

[LopeJuice]

i just read that someone uses 1 oz/gallon and gets good results... i've been using WAY less than that. bump for ideas...

 

[Weizer]

I had the same problem before. I use the beersmith calculator now and it hasn't failed me.

-Input exact quantity of beer in your bottling bucket
-Input desired carb level
-Input beer temperature
-Weigh out your priming sugar

Problem solved.

 

[Whsoj]

Do you bottle from primary?
Have you measured your wort after your boil?
Dish washer should have nothing to do with it I use that as well to sanitize.
How many bottles do you get on your last 5 gal batch batch?

 

[tre9er]

Are you refrigerating for 2-3 days before sampling? Do you have stable gravity for 2-3 consecutive days before bottling? Are all bottles overcarbed or just some? Do you use a no-rinse sanitizer like Star San even after you run the bottles thru the DW? I don't trust the bottles are sanitized much longer than a few minutes after they've gone through the DW. It doesn't put some sort of bacterial shield on them, after all. Do you have any off flavors whatsoever, any signs of infection? If you're not overpriming, all bottles are overcarbed, then it just about has to be infection or beer isn't done when you bottle.

 

[mojotele]

I had the same problem before. I use the beersmith calculator now and it hasn't failed me.

-Input exact quantity of beer in your bottling bucket
-Input desired carb level
-Input beer temperature
-Weigh out your priming sugar

Problem solved.

Wise words, here. The Beersmith calculator has never failed me. You just have to pay attention to every point Weizer makes here:

-Input the ACTUAL volume of beer in your bottling bucket. Not a guess. The actual volume. It doesn't have to be precise, just reasonably accurate. 5 gallons when it is 5.07 gallons is fine, but 5 gallons when it is 4.5 gallons is not.
-You should know how much carbonation you want. If you have no idea, just look at style guidelines and start somewhere in the middle. If it ends up too flat for your tastes, go for higher carbonation next time. Reverse if it is too fizzy.
-The beer temperature should be the highest temperature the beer reached after primary fermentation stopped. It is not the present temperature of the beer (edit: original parenthetical rescinded - getting the temperature right matters).
-WEIGH your priming sugar. Do not measure by volume!!! So use grams or ounces, not cups!!

Give the beer at least 3 weeks in the bottle, then put it in the fridge for at least 48 hours. Do not skimp on time in the fridge!!!

 

[homebrewdad]

Here's the actual question - what temperature are you using for your beer in that calculator? It's very possible that you are overcarbing due to not understanding the temperature value.

 

[tre9er]

Wise words, here. The Beersmith calculator has never failed me. You just have to pay attention to every point Weizer makes here:

-The beer temperature should be the highest temperature the beer reached after primary fermentation stopped. It is not the present temperature of the beer (though, really, it probably doesn't make much difference 99% of the time).

This is kinda important. I've had issues when using the cold-crashed temp in this calculator.

 

[homebrewdad]

Temperature is definitely important. Some people misunderstand and use the expected bottle temperature. If your beer has been kept pretty cool, this can be a noticeable difference, as you are now adding too much sugar - easily enough to make a half volume (or more) of difference.

 

[tre9er]

Temperature is definitely important. Some people misunderstand and use the expected bottle temperature. If your beer has been kept pretty cool, this can be a noticeable difference, as you are now adding too much sugar - easily enough to make a half volume (or more) of difference.

Right, but using the crashed temp (ie. 40 degrees) can cause underpriming because the Co2 from fermentation didn't actually go into solution over the course of a week or two at 40 degrees, ya know? I had undercarbed beers using my crashed temps on numerous occasions.

 

[mojotele]

Yeah, I should rescind my 99% comment. I usually don't cold crash my beers so it doesn't make much difference for me. Different processes are different, though.

 

[homebrewdad]

Right, but using the crashed temp (ie. 40 degrees) can cause underpriming because the Co2 from fermentation didn't actually go into solution over the course of a week or two at 40 degrees, ya know? I had undercarbed beers using my crashed temps on numerous occasions.

Agreed. I remember one guy complaining that priming calculators never worked for him, as his beers were too flat... he always used the cold crash temp.

I didn't address that, though, because the OP is having the opposite problem of overcarbed beer.

 

[tre9er]

Agreed. I remember one guy complaining that priming calculators never worked for him, as his beers were too flat... he always used the cold crash temp.

I didn't address that, though, because the OP is having the opposite problem of overcarbed beer.

I like to address everything, including things that were never asked or even imagined. Be sure to clean your gutters and sit with good posture at work.

 

[LopeJuice]

wow thanks for all the responses. I have been using the temperature of the liquid at bottling... This is usually around 70f once it has been transferred to my bottling bucket and sitting out at room temp. I take it when i check the fg. Is this not the correct temperature? I'm fermenting at or less than 68f.

 

[homebrewdad]

wow thanks for all the responses. I have been using the temperature of the liquid at bottling... This is usually around 70f once it has been transferred to my bottling bucket and sitting out at room temp. I take it when i check the fg. Is this not the correct temperature? I'm fermenting at or less than 68f.

You want to use the highest temperature post fermentation. Sounds like you should be fine on that front.