Too much head

[beermeister]

Has anyone ever had a bottle that erupts like Krakatoa on opening?

I had two bottles of the same batch last night, a stout, and they both continually blew foam for about 90 seconds. The leftover beer that I was able to pour was pretty flat.

I didn't shake the bottles and previous samples from the same batch have been fine.

Cheers

BM

[Aussie Claret]

Just read the tittle and had to read the rest, when is too much head a problem? Oh you're talking about beer!

May be you didn't added equal amounts of priming sugar to the bottles?, or if you are sure that the amount was the same, you may be overpriming. The longer the bottles are left to condition if you are adding too much priming sugar could result in increased pressure within the bottles. Be careful they could explode if over primed.
If more bottles are like the last, place them in the freezer for an hour or so before drinking to cool them further which can help to reduce the foaming. Otheriwse you may need to release some of the pressure if its a real problem by opening the tops and re-capping. (last option).
Cheers
AC

[db]

Has anyone ever had a bottle that erupts like Krakatoa on opening?

I had two bottles of the same batch last night, a stout, and they both continually blew foam for about 90 seconds. The leftover beer that I was able to pour was pretty flat.

I didn't shake the bottles and previous samples from the same batch have been fine.

Cheers

BM

how do you prime BM?
i had the same prob when i started bulk priming.. i've since learnt its best to gently stir during & after racking (when priming)

[Dogger Dan]

It can also indicate bacterial infection

Dogger

[beermeister]

I primed with 1 tsp of Dextrose. Not sure if it was infected as it tasted and smelled OK, though that doesn't always mean it isn't infected, right?

Will try the freezer trick.

And yes, I thought the headline would grab someone's attention.



Thanks

BM

[Oliver]

I have been known to double-prime bottles when bottling under the influence.

This results in the problem you describe.

But if you're sure there was only the correct amount of priming sugar, then I'm at a loss.

Oliver

[Aussie Claret]

Hey Beermeister,
I use the carbonation drops from coopers of morgans when bottle priming, they are real easy to use, simply add one lolly (pastle) to each stubby or 2 for a long neck, takes all the hassel out of measuring spoons and pouring into bottles etc.
Quick and easy, ok might cost you a couple of bucks but I'm all for the simply easy life.

Cheers
AC

[undercover1]

I had a batch of old that did the same thing, even 6 months after bottling, and even with the freezer trick.
Read somewhere that the dark beers contain a proportion of slow fermenting sugars, that go on and on slowly in the bottle. You think you have a stable FG for a couple of days, and so bottle, but there is still plenty of action going on. The usual priming level then combines with this and voila, overprimed f---ing volcanoes going off in the kitchen.
Second batch I did was in primary 16 days, racked to secondary for 10 days & bulk primed at the low end, 6g per litre. Problem disappeared.

[r.magnay]

What sort of freezers have you blokes got? If I left beer in mine for an hour she would be all over!

[Aussie Claret]

Magnay,
You must have a monster freezer, I have the two door std type fridge freezer. No way would my freezer, freeze the beer within an hour.

If your freezer could freeze the beer that quickly just don't leave it in there so long, what you're trying to do is simply cool to very low temp, which does help control the amount of frothing.
Cheers
AC

[Ilike'emfizzy]

I wish mine would blow with froth.
im always getting flat beers.

Ive just started adding 3 lollies to each longneck.
I shall let yall know how that turns out.

Anyway, i have had one batch that was really fizzy ( which was great ) and I am pretty sure I bottled that batch too early. It needed a couple of more days I reckon
So I am thinking that fermentation was still occuring in the bottles. If thats possible.

But I am still a rookie, so its just a guess

[Tyberious Funk]

I had a batch of old that did the same thing, even 6 months after bottling, and even with the freezer trick.
Read somewhere that the dark beers contain a proportion of slow fermenting sugars, that go on and on slowly in the bottle. You think you have a stable FG for a couple of days, and so bottle, but there is still plenty of action going on.

I currently have a stout fermenting... took a reading after it had fermented a week or so, and it had hit it's target FG. Gave it a couple of days more and checked again, and sure enough it looked like it had stabilised. "You beauty", I thought.

I think it has probably been about four weeks, now, but every morning I check the water level on the airlock and the damn thing is still bubbling. Slowly... very, very slowly. But there is definitely movement going on.

[AussieSquid]

Had the same thing happen with a few of my bottles just wack the hand over the top and gradually let the pressure out till you can grab a glass then keep pouring or just neck the whole bottle.

[Tony]

I currently have a stout fermenting... took a reading after it had fermented a week or so, and it had hit it's target FG. Gave it a couple of days more and checked again, and sure enough it looked like it had stabilised. "You beauty", I thought.

I think it has probably been about four weeks, now, but every morning I check the water level on the airlock and the damn thing is still bubbling. Slowly... very, very slowly. But there is definitely movement going on.

I guess it has to be said again - don't trust the airlock as a reliable indication of fermentation.

False negative - no airlock activity != no fermentation. Enough's been said about this.

False positive - airlock activity != fermentation. Once fermentation has finished as indicated by your hydrometer, the airlock can continue to bubble. This is just dissolved CO2 coming out of solution. This will more noticeable as the weather warms up, since cold liquid can hold more dissolved gas than warm liquid. So as the green beer warms up, it releases dissolved CO2 and therefore the airlock bubbles (assuming it was sealed properly in the first place )

There will still be some slow fermentation happening as the yeast slowly chews on the more complex sugars, which is why the head gets better over time, and why you can still get carbonation in unprimed stouts etc. This slow fermentation is not going to cause a bottle bomb, and you can quite safely bottle once the SG readings have stabilised (assuming you haven't got a stuck fermentation on your hands).

By waiting all this additional time, you're just delaying your drinking pleasure

Tony

[Tyberious Funk]

By waiting all this additional time, you're just delaying your drinking pleasure

Actually, I've mainly been delaying bottling because I'm waiting for the beer to clear a bit more. The activity in the airlock is just something I've happened to notice over the past week.