foaming when primed

[I'mRev]

After my brew reached FG I let it cool for 2 days at ambient temperature.  The brew was 13 deg when bottled, but when I added the priming sugar the beer instantly foamed in the bottles.  Some over flowed before I got the cap on.

What causes this ...and will my bottles be under carbonated?

[Back Brewing]

I usually put the priming sugar in first for the reason you explained above 

As for carbonation it depends how much priming sugar you lost with the over foaming I'm sure someone who has had this happen can help

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Back Brewing

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Back Brewing said:

I usually put the priming sugar in first for the reason you explained above 

As for carbonation it depends how much priming sugar you lost with the over foaming I'm sure someone who has had this happen can help

 

I have never really had the problem with foaming, I always put the white sugar in first & I have done this with k & k brews & also AG brews - when you bottle the few litres that won't fit in the keg. There are a number of possible reasons from bottles that are not properly cleaned to the amount of sugar added.

You haven't stated whether they are 375ml or 750ml but the golden rule would be 1 tsp (4.1gms) for a longneck & 1/2 for a stubby.

[Back Brewing]

20 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I have never really had the problem with foaming, I always put the white sugar in first & I have done this with k & k brews & also AG brews - when you bottle the few litres that won't fit in the keg. There are a number of possible reasons from bottles that are not properly cleaned to the amount of sugar added.

You haven't stated whether they are 375ml or 750ml but the golden rule would be 1 tsp (4.1gms) for a longneck & 1/2 for a stubby.

It's not me CB I was answering the OP question

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, Back Brewing said:

It's not me CB I was answering the OP question

Yeah, I realise that I just ducked in there. 

[Aussiekraut]

3 hours ago, I'mRev said:

After my brew reached FG I let it cool for 2 days at ambient temperature.  The brew was 13 deg when bottled, but when I added the priming sugar the beer instantly foamed in the bottles.  Some over flowed before I got the cap on.

What causes this ...and will my bottles be under carbonated?

Put the priming sugar in before the beer and it should be fine. I've seen this when using carbonation lollies in full bottles. It shouldn't be under carbed unless the froth washes the priming sugar out. 

 

[Kegory]

6 hours ago, I'mRev said:

After my brew reached FG I let it cool for 2 days at ambient temperature.  The brew was 13 deg when bottled, but when I added the priming sugar the beer instantly foamed in the bottles.  Some over flowed before I got the cap on.

What causes this ...and will my bottles be under carbonated?

I've never had that happen. What kind of priming sugar did you use? What is your process?

I bottled my last batch at about 13C. I pulled the bottles directly off the bottle tree and filled them with beer. I rested a cap on top of each bottle while I filled the rest of the bottles in that batch. I used 3 different types of priming sugar, carbonation drops, white sugar, and dextrose so I divided them into three batches. When I finished filling each batch I removed the caps and primed each bottle and then rested the cap back on top. When I finished priming all the bottles in each batch I capped them. I then repeated that process.

I have no idea what caused that to happen to you. It seems a bit strange as it takes about two weeks for the yeast to convert the priming sugar and that's at a higher temperature, too. I don't know if your bottles will be under carbonated, time will tell, but I have knowingly under carbonated some bottles as a test and they still have some carbonation when they are opened after the conditioning period.

Edited August 26, 2023 by Kegory
more words

[Back Brewing]

1 minute ago, Kegory said:

I've never had that happen. What kind of priming sugar did you use? What is your process?

I bottled my last batch at about 13C. I pulled the bottles directly off the bottle tree and filled them with beer. I rested a cap on top of each bottle while I filled the rest of the bottles in that batch. I used 3 different types of priming sugar, carbonation drops, white sugar, and dextrose. When I finished filling each batch I removed the caps and primed each bottle and then rested the cap back on top. When I finished priming all the bottles in each batch I capped them. I then repeated that process.

I have no idea what caused that to happen to you. It seems a bit strange as it takes about two weeks for the yeast to convert the priming sugar and that's at a higher temperature, too. I don't know if your bottles will be under carbonated, time will tell, but I have knowingly under carbonated some bottles as a test and they still have some carbonation when they are opened after the conditioning period.

I wonder if in actual fact it hadn't finished fermenting 

[Kegory]

42 minutes ago, Back Brewing said:

I wonder if in actual fact it hadn't finished fermenting 

Maybe, but wouldn't that be more likely to lead to bottle bombs or excessive carbonation after conditioning?

[Back Brewing]

I think he is soon to find out

[Kegory]

Fair point.

[Shamus O'Sean]

7 hours ago, I'mRev said:

After my brew reached FG I let it cool for 2 days at ambient temperature.  The brew was 13 deg when bottled, but when I added the priming sugar the beer instantly foamed in the bottles.  Some over flowed before I got the cap on.

What causes this ...and will my bottles be under carbonated?

My guess is there was some CO2 in solution in your beer.  When you added the sugar, the surface of the grains are nucleation points that allow the dissolved CO2 to be released as gas.  Plus the sugar drifts through the beer, contacting plenty of the dissolved CO2.  Hence the foaming up you see.

Like others have said, add the sugar first.  Only a small amount of beer touches the sugar, so any foaming is less or even non-existent.

[Kegory]

Good explanation @Shamus O'Sean

[Kegory]

I always give the fermenter a bit of a rock when I raise the temperature at the end of fermentation (to rouse the yeast in case they've got a bit lazy/make sure they've finished fermenting). I guess that would serve to release any CO2 that was in suspension thus sparing me any foaming when I'm adding the priming sugars.

[Classic Brewing Co]

9 minutes ago, Kegory said:

I always give the fermenter a bit of a rock when I raise the temperature at the end of fermentation (to rouse the yeast in case they've got a bit lazy/make sure they've finished fermenting). I guess that would serve to release any CO2 that was in suspension thus sparing me any foaming when I'm adding the priming sugars.

There is no need to do that, I have never done it in 40 years of brewing,  you are interrupting the natural process of fermentation. 

No possible advantage.

[Kegory]

19 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

There is no need to do that, I have never done it in 40 years of brewing,  you are interrupting the natural process of fermentation. 

No possible advantage.

Two possible advantages: rousing the yeast to finish fermenting preventing bottle bombs; releasing CO2 in suspension preventing foaming when adding priming sugars.

[Oldbloke]

I like shamus theory. He could be onto something.

I've always put sugar in first before I started bulk priming.

 

I've had them being a tad foamy. In each case i was bottling a bit earlier than usual, say 6 or 7 days. My theory was fermentation was not quite complete. I only rarely use the hydrometer.  So, my fault if that's the case I guess. 

[Kegory]

@I'mRev this is a beer I bottled in May. I deliberately under carbonated it with one carbonation drops in a 650ml bottle.

 It's definitely under carbonated but as you can see it's not flat.

I think your beer will be fine.

[Back Brewing]

Good beer but shite  music

[ChairmanDrew]

I use a 1/2 flat teaspoon of sugar for 450ml bottles. I've found it to be perfect for carbonation. I think that is fair amount less equivalent to the carb drops.

[Kegory]

What's that in grams? The carbonation drops are 3.47 grams.

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, ChairmanDrew said:

I use a 1/2 flat teaspoon of sugar for 450ml bottles. I've found it to be perfect for carbonation. I think that is fair amount less equivalent to the carb drops.

Me too.

@Kegory, I am pretty sure it is 4 grams.

[Otto Von Blotto]

What Shamus said is the reason for it. There's always some CO2 in the beer after fermentation even if it tastes essentially flat. The priming sugar creates nucleation points and there's your bubbles.