Too much carbonation. Help Please

[bmu48]

I had a question for all of the seasoned brewers out there. I still consider myself new to brewing...I have done probably 10 batches, all extract kits from a LHBS. Up until my last two batches, I have had very good results. My last IPA (recipe below) came out very carbonated. It wasn't to the point of being horrible, but you could stand to drink it. The IPA was in the primary for 2 weeks and bottled for 2+ weeks.

Briess Golden Light Liquid Extract 8 lbs, 0 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 10 1 lbs, 0 oz
Centennial Pellets 1 oz @ 60 mins
Centennial Pellets 1 oz @ 15 mins
Centennial Pellets 1 oz @ 5 mins
Centennial Pellets 1 oz @ 2 mins
Centennial Pellets 1 oz @ Dry
SAFALE US-05 American Ale 1 ea

My last DIPA (recipe below) came out perfect for the first few that I opened (probably 3). Now they are to the point where you can't even drink them they are so over-carbonated. The DIPA was in the primary for 2 weeks, secondary for 1 week and bottled for 2+ weeks.
Briess Golden Light Liquid Extract 10 lbs, 0 oz
Briess 2 Row Caramel 60 1 lbs, 0 oz
Cascade Pellets .25 oz @ FWH
Summit Pellets .25 oz @ FWH
Columbus Pellets .25 oz @ FWH
Summit Pellets .75 oz @ 60 mins
Cascade Pellets .75 oz @ 30 mins
Columbus Pellets .75 oz @ 30 mins
Columbus Pellets 1 oz @ 0 mins
Cascade Pellets 1 oz @ 0 mins
Summit Pellets 1 oz @ 0 mins
Cascade Pellets 1 oz @ Dry

I know I need to get in the practice of checking the FG before I bottle, but was always good with 2 week fermentation in the past. These are 5 gallon batches.

What could be my issue in the last two batches. Both used 5oz corn sugar at bottling. I have read on here that bottling too early and/or too much sugar can cause my issue. Are there any other issues to look out for. I will definitely allow the fermentation to go longer in the future. Could sanitizing be an issue? I feel I keep everything pretty clean. I have brewed both recipes several times each and everything has been done the same way with good results except these last two.

Thanks in advance for the help and let me know if you need any further info to help provide a suggestion.

 

[Shred]

I think you hit on all the possible problems.

5 ounces is a lot for a 5 gallon batch. It will carb you to around 2.7 vols of CO2. Incomplete fermentation can also be an issue.

I typically leave my beers in primary for at least 3 weeks then take a final gravity reading. If it reads higher than expected you could have issues with over-carbing or even bottle bombs. The extra time in the fermenter allows the yeast to clean up the beer better as well.

Lastly, yes - sanitization could be a problem. Infections will often cause crazy carbonation and/or bottle bombs. Do you pick up on any off flavors?

 

[bmu48]

I don't notice any off flavors, but they are usually too carbed to really taste the underlying flavors. I will check into the calculations to lower my sugar before bottling and go with a longer fermentation period. Just confusing to me that I am just now getting the issue. I did open a DIPA this weekend and let it sit for 10-15 minutes and try to let the beer breathe some and decarb a little. It seemed to help, but still not a desired outcome.

 

[Shred]

In a DIPA you have a lot of sugars to be fermented. If you under-pitched the yeast or the yeast wasn't healthy it may have slowed down and not finished fermentation. Are you using the yeast that comes with the kits? It's recommended you buy fresh yeast. There's really no telling what that yeast has been through in storage and transport.

Definitely make sure you take gravity readings before you bottle. Preferably take 2, 3 days apart to confirm it's not still dropping.

 

[brokebucket]

ignoring everything else but the high carb sugars, I would recommend venting and recapping....I just went thru this with an imperial stout and it worked like a champ, really saved a great beer.

Some others said you can do it by venting then reseating the caps. I havent tried this yet.

here is what I would do:
-find a tub or something that will hold a six pack or two at a time.
-put the beers in the tub, pop off the tops and set the caps back on. If they are foaming out, just let them go. As long as something is coming out, nothing will be able to get in.
-Let them foam off or off gas for a half hour or so, then clean the neck off and recap with sanitized caps.
-refrigerate for a day or so and see how the new carb level tastes.

 

[bmu48]

I am using yeast that is recommended for the recipe...in these cases the SAFALE US-05 on both recipes. I bought everything in the LHBS, so it wasn't shipped directly to me. I think their quality is very good.

 

[bmu48]

I like your recommendation. I think i'll try that with a few of the remainders to see how it works. Can't hurt. Thanks for posting your process to vent and recap.

 

[Beergazzi]

I have a Saison thats too bubbly, and I just decided that when I pour one, that I first pour it into a small pitcher, and just come back to it in 15 minutes.

It brings it to the right temperature, and lets it off gas...but it still gives me heart burn, I think its the saison yeast that did that though.

(Oh, 5oz of sugar is too much, Im sticking to 3.6-3.8 from now on)

 

[MalamuteBrew]

Since you're using a dry yeast packet, making sure to do a proper rehydration step before pitching is important. It's possible that by pitching directly into the wort, especially if its high gravity, the resulting loss in total viable yeast cells might cause fermentation to proceed slower than you were expecting, increasing the likelihood that (without the benefit of measuring gravity) you are bottling before fermentation is complete.

 

[feinbera]

These both sounds like pretty big beers; while 5 oz is usually too much priming sugar, I wouldn't be shocked if two weeks wasn't quite enough time in primary for them to finish up.

What were your FG readings? Did you take two readings three days apart? Especially with bigger beers, it's common for the yeast to keeping working slowly on the last sugars, only knocking off a gravity point every couple days. Your beer will "look done" in terms of lack of airlock activity, most of the yeast settling to the bottom, etc., but if you bottle it in this state, the yeast will continue to knock off those last few gravity points in the bottle, resulting in overcarbonation.