Bottle bombs?

[mChavez]

Hi!

I have just bottled my second batch (Cooper's wheat beer). And I think I might have miscalculated my priming sugar amount!
For 45 pints I have added 280g of sugar (using the bottling bucket method).
Should I expect any bottle bombs soon?

Thank you!

 

[Heavywalker]

I would be worried, that is almost double the amount that is the norm for priming. I honestly don't know what volume of Co2 is required to cause bottle bombs, but I would be worried with that amount of sugar.

 

[VTBrewer]

At 72 degrees, 280g of sugar will give 5.625 gallons (45 pints) a CO2 volume of 4.0. Thats getting up there....

 

[mChavez]

4.0 is what the priming calculator still allows for wheat beer... but I guess that this is more suitable for barrells rather than bottles =((

Any suggestions on how to stop the bombs and not get killed in my sleep by SWMBO for messing up the kitchen?

 

[Heavywalker]

Don't sleep

 

[boydster]

Wait until a few days after you bottled, uncap to release the pressure, then recap all your bottles?

...4 volumes of CO2... Yowzah! Would you like anything to drink with your glass of beer-flavored bubbles?

 

[AlCophile]

Everybody:
If you suspect over-carbing, you can test by GENTLY lifting one small edge of the cap. See how much batch foams or hisses relative to normal batch.
Yes, you can, carefully, reclose the same cap and probably will get away without contaminating the beer.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to wear eye protection.

 

[mChavez]

Thank you guys!

How many days should I wait before releasing the pressure?

 

[Leithoa]

I typically do 0.7-2oz per gallon or 22-56g/3.8L with wheat beers being towards the higher end of things.

 

[rswear]

Thank you guys!

How many days should I wait before releasing the pressure?

I wouldn’t wait. I had one bottle bomb. I then opened every bottle in the batch and 2/3 of them gushered. I dumped the batch assuming it had an infection.

 

[flars]

Keep the bottles in a plastic tote with a lid. If you have a bomb the mess and flying glass will be contained.

 

[mChavez]

Thanks for the advice!

I have done some googling and it seems that 4.0 and even 4.5 is typical for wheat beers. Does it mean that 4.0 will be well within safety range?
Has anyone bottled any beers at 4.5 without bombs before?

Re releasign the pressure - how many days does it take for co2 to build up? Surely, if I release on the second day, there won't be much CO2 to let out?

 

[Paps]

perhaps move the beer into grolsh style bottles so if they pop they wont shoot glass shards everywhere.

 

[boydster]

From what I can gather, if you are using standard 12-oz. bottles that aren't damaged at all, 3 volumes seems to be the safety limit.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/vols-co2-bottles-373031/

This forum, at the bottom of the page, mentions limits for a few different bottle sizes: http://www.tastybrew.com/forum/thread/263386

On HBT, there is a thread where Revvy mentions going up close to 4 volumes and being ok: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/maximum-volume-carbonation-regular-bottles-154580/

Heavier bottles with be able to better withstand the pressure, so if you have exceptionally thick glass bottles then you should be OK. If you are using thin bottles (like repurposed Sam Adams bottles) then you may not want to carb up that high.

 

[andy6026]

I over-carbed my first two batches immensely. I added two and a half cups of table sugar to each of the 5.5 gallon batches. Realizing my mistake after the 4th day of conditioning I popped one open and it gushered out. You'd have to do the math to figure how that compares to your quantity of sugar.

After even relieving the pressure 4-5 times over 3 weeks I found the beer to be undrinkable and I dumped both batches. They were much too sweet, but also tasted poor probably due to other brewing mistakes I made. I didn't have any explosions though, but I'm certain it's because I relieved the pressure multiple times.

 

[mChavez]

Thanks guys!

I've cracked a bottle open - got a very well carbed wheat beer (on second day in the bottle!) which was VERY sweet!

I've relieved the pressure today and will give it another try in 3 days. Will probably need to relieve the pressure quite a few times.

 

[ICWiener]

Has anyone bottled any beers at 4.5 without bombs before?

Only when I make a Berliner Weisse. And those go into champagne or Orval bottles.

I've cracked a bottle open - got a very well carbed wheat beer (on second day in the bottle!) which was VERY sweet!

I've relieved the pressure today and will give it another try in 3 days. Will probably need to relieve the pressure quite a few times.

If they taste good, just drink 'em as fast as you can! Fewer bottles to fuss with.

 

[mChavez]

Taste too sweet! Can't feel the hops behind the sugar. Almost like a shandy with too much lemonade =(

I am planning to release pressure at least every 4 days, unless you guys advise to do it more often!

 

[IslandLizard]

Taste too sweet! Can't feel the hops behind the sugar. Almost like a shandy with too much lemonade =(

I am planning to release pressure at least every 4 days, unless you guys advise to do it more often!

As said before, you can lift the edge of the cap carefully to relieve the pressure and then reseal with your capper. Keep things sanitized.

Spray underneath the cap area with Starsan for all security and use a flat opener, also dipped in Starsan.

I'd rather drink 'em sweet than pitching them. Maybe a slice of lime, lemon, or orange to cut through the sugar taste?