1st brew ever

[Arlen Thomas]

Hello everyone.  

Just started brewing 4weeks ago and thought it bout time i tasted my brew.  Popped a cap and it exploded all over me and the roof and the floor. Managed to get a taste but all the others over opened since then are doing the same sorta thing.  Any ideas. Pretty thirsty now but don't was waste it

[Lab Cat]

Needs some more info

• What did you brew,
• what was your start and end gravity reading,
• how long did you brew it for,
• how did you carb the bottles

It's possible the brew didn't completely ferment, so when you added the carbing sugar, it's overcarbed. Can't say unless we know your process.

[Shamus O'Sean]

I agree with @Lab Cat, it sounds over carbonated due to being bottled before fermentation was finished. 

The more info you can give, the easier it is to help diagnose your issue and help with a solution. 

[Journeyman]

For the ones you have, chill it right down as far as you can then open. Should reduce the foaming. If you have PET bottles, you can crack the top just a fraction then reseal, crack it again and reseal until the gas bleeds off enough you can open it. You can sorta do the same with crown seals on glass bottle - ease the opener up till you hear a hiss rather than flip the top off.

 

As above for future problems though - the FG MUST be constant for at least 2 days to show the fermenting has completed, THEN you can bottle.

[Marty_G]

As has been mentioned the more info the better.  If we know the brew recipe and the sugars used, any hydrometer readings, where you are, the temps you fermented at, how long it was in the FV before bottling and how long since bottling we can use that to come up with better advice.  

[Arlen Thomas]

Oh thanks everyone.  Everything you said makes sense even though i sorta just winged it. I difinetly think i bottled you early. I didn't record any of my information and just went full stream ahead.  Can understand why is important to be observant of the process.  Be putting my next brew in soon so i keep use posted.  Cheers!!

[Lab Cat]

Best not to wing it too much. It's pretty simple - good cleaning and sanitising, take a starting gravity reading, make sure it's fully fermented. You don't need an essay of notes and observations and daily readings on every beer.

[JoeB7]

Hey Arlen, if you have a smart phone there are many apps to keep track of your brews.

I add notes on yeast pitch temp, any additives e.g hops, boiled grain and type of fermentables

[Geoff S]

This is my cat scratches.

[Panther Branch Brewing]

You want to be careful with those bottles if they're glass. Enough pressure and they can start exploding. Glass makes some ugly shrapnel.

You can vent glass bottles, I've done this before. Lift the cap until you just hear a hiss. Watch the liquid start foaming towards the top of the bottle, let go of the cap and re-crimp. If you didn't lift it too far it should reseat enough to not make a mess but still recrimp it. You'll probably have to do this a number of times.