PhilboBaggins Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Well, one of my pet hates is people who won't admit that they are in the wrong about anything. As a result I usually feel compelled to tell the whole world when I've made a complete arse of something. [lol] This morning (2nd day of my annual leave [biggrin]) I went out the back to get some beers out of the shed (it's not that warm out there at this time of year) and smelled beer. Opened the cupboard and one of my AG English pale ales had exploded all over the place. After dramatically dropping to my knees, arms outstretched to the sky and screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOOO" I started to get pretty mad about the whole thing (and realised I was kneeling in glass). I've been at this for a long time now, and since the early days have not had this happen. I'll outline the process, and if anyone can spot anything 'off' in my routine, please let me know! It was in the FV for 15 days, dropping from 1.047 to 1.011 (exactly to plan) and staying there right up until day 15. It was between 20-22 degrees the whole time, and I'm damn sure she was finished. I bulk primed at 7g per litre using a sanitised hose coiled into the second FV with the lid ajar over the opening the whole time. My bottles are always spotless on the tree as I rinse straight after use. Out of habit, I still give them a scrub in hot water and spot check each one as I go. All were crystal. I tip some StarSan from my trigger spray bottle into a shot glass to ensure it's still clear, and then hit all the bottles with about 5 squirts each inside, then place on tree (I spray that too). I sanitise my bottler and away I go! I've put one in the fridge to try tomorrow so I can see if it gushes or not, but if it's fine I guess it's gotta either be uneven mixing of the priming sugar or a bottle cleaning issue. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 If the rest of the batch seems ok then it is likely to be a problem with only that one bottle. Could be a sanitation issue but could also be a flaw in the bottle itself ie. a small crack or weak spot. If they all start expolding then you have a different problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I go with Hairy - the bottle could be the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 What a real bummer!... I suggest if you suspect others may also blow then cover them with an old blanket or even wrap them in glad wrap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Cheers fellas. Will do Bill. The AG-BIAB stuff has been really good to me, and I'd consider myself to be a more than competant brewer at this stage, so it just sucks that I get something fundamental like keeping the beer in the bottles wrong! When I try one later on I'll know what to suspect I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 another 'possibility' is an infection, wild yeast will ferment sugars that brewing yeast will not... I hope that it is not the case, it's something you should be aware of though. [crying] (Fingers crossed for you) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Okay, good news (I think). Just opened the one I put in the fridge this morning, and carb levels were quite normal (in fact they were quite low, but it's only 2 weeks in the bottle). Anyway, beer was quite clear, and apart from being VERY green was a very promising drop. The bottle which popped was an old Coopers screw-top stubbie. Probably been used twenty times over. I reckon this puts me in the clear as far as fermenter hygeine goes, and I'm just hoping that Hairy was right and that it was a dodgy bottle. [biggrin] Incidentally I've never sampled one of my AG EBs this early, and it's got a real nice flavour from a combo of Challenger, EKG, and Caraaroma. BOOYAH! [kissing] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 That's good Philbo. I reckon it was the bottle. The screw top stubbies aren't really designed for re-use so it would be pretty easy to weaken it after 20 brews. It could have been the pressure when you capped it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Yeah I can be a bit heavy handed. I'm really glad it looks like the one bottle, especially after trying it today. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave from Kiwiland Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I was at a Home Brew event on Thursday and they were using Starsan for the fermenter. When the wort was poured into the fermenter there was still Starsan foam in it and I asked the obvious question about rinsing the fermenter and was told that Starsan didnt need to be rinsed and it also had a nutrient in it. So could it also be possible the Starsan has something to do with it ?As I am told that Starsan has an ingredient in it that is a type of nutriant.If this is true maybe the yeast has more than sugar to munch on in the bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Starsan has nothing to do with it. If in fact it did would only be the case if it was not used. Starsan is good for your brewery, not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I was at a Home Brew event on Thursday and they were using Starsan for the fermenter. When the wort was poured into the fermenter there was still Starsan foam in it and I asked the obvious question about rinsing the fermenter and was told that Starsan didnt need to be rinsed and it also had a nutrient in it. So could it also be possible the Starsan has something to do with it ?As I am told that Starsan has an ingredient in it that is a type of nutriant.If this is true maybe the yeast has more than sugar to munch on in the bottle. It's true that Starsan breaks down into a yeast nutrient. But the nutrient isn't fermentable; it just provides the yeast with the nutrients it needs to chomp through the sugars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Maybe it was just a dodgy bottle to begin with and it gave up sooner, I've been using the same bottles for the last 10 years and never had an explosion. Touch wood [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilboBaggins Posted September 29, 2012 Author Share Posted September 29, 2012 Well, all is good now that I've cracked one open and found out the batch itself is fine (better than fine actually [love]). All stoked for my IPA that I'll be mashing, boiling and cubing today. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Someone said earlier in the year on here that the Coopers stubbies changed? They were re-usable but now have the "not for refill" embossed on the bottom? Out of curiosity one day I weighed two bottles that looked exactly the same shape and size (330 mL) and the one that had "not for re-fill" embossed on it was 15g lighter than the other that didn't (I think it was a Little Creatures stubbie). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 I've done that before too. Most of my stubbies vary in weight between 200-230g empty. I also weighed an old XXXX longneck, it was about 500g empty. All the ones I use have 'NO REFILL' embossed on them. But I think it's more directed at not reusing them in the brewery they came from. As we all know, there is nothing to stop you reusing them at home. Whether it be for reasons of explosion risk or sanitation reasons, I'm not sure, but I've never had a problem using them. I reckon if your processes are right and everything is kept clean and you don't over prime then there's no reason they should explode. But I think I will start to gradually 'retire' some of the older ones I've got and replace them with new ones, just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 ...could also be a flaw in the bottle itself ie. a small crack or weak spot. It's bound to happen sooner or later, was it a homebrew type bottle, eg Coopers Pale Ale long neck, or a commercial type eg VB. I use both but am trying to move to solid types, a bit hard with stubbies though. I'm dreading a bomb [pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Philbo said it was a Coopers stubbie bottle on its 20th plus use. Also Scott, love the bottle opener in your signature photo; very cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Good to hear that the batch is okay, Philbo [biggrin] I would be pointing the finger at the bottle. There's a very good reason why we supply PET bottles with the kit and offer our Sparkling, Pale, Mild and Stout in reusable, sturdy 750ml glass bottles. [wink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 G'day guys. I've just finished re-reading this whole thread, & amongst all the suggestions offered as to why this may have happened, no-one has offered up "Bulk Priming" as even a possible cause. I individually prime each bottle, thus I can guarantee the secondary sugar level for EVERY bottle that enters this stage of the brewing cycle. Even without knowing each & everyone's method that bulk primes, it still certainly deserves thought for discussion. For the record, having Philbo say he hadn't had this happen before makes me believe it was more likely a weakened or slightly thin walled bottle that caused it to explode. And the beat goes on.... [biggrin] Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Hey Beerlust. How do you guarantee the sugar for the bottle? You would have to measure the weight and ensure that exact weight of sugar goes into the bottle - maybe have the bottle on the scale and check the weight goes up the required amount. Then, you have to ensure you put the exact same amount of beer in each bottle. By mixing a bulk amount of priming sugar with the entire beer and mixing it in properly it should be fairly close to exactly the same no matter the size of the bottle. For me I mix it up with the 740 mL PETs, 500 mL and 330 mL glass for one brew. It would be impossible to measure the sugar for every bottle [pinched] Just sayin [joyful] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Yeah Adam is right. By correctly bulk priming you are getting the same sugar amount in every bottle no matter what size the bottle is. This is the main reason people bulk prime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I bottle directly from my primary fermenter & am quite fussy about how far down I bottle to. My priming sugar weight is precise from bottle to bottle & would estimate the liquid amount poured into each bottle to fluctuate by no more than 5-8mls & that would be always as an over fill, not an under fill thus over priming is not something I ever worry about. There is always the potential of exploding bottles, & you never say never, but I won't be looking too hard for the chalk to mark one on that side of the board. [wink] You say tomato, I say tomatoe. [sleeping] Beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Just regarding bulk priming - would it be alright to use a sanitized spoon to gently stir it in a bit more after transferring to the second fermenter? I don't mean go nuts on it like you do before pitching yeast but just a little extra mixing to ensure it's evenly mixed throughout the batch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Just regarding bulk priming - would it be alright to use a sanitized spoon to gently stir it in a bit more after transferring to the second fermenter? I don't mean go nuts on it like you do before pitching yeast but just a little extra mixing to ensure it's evenly mixed throughout the batch. Lusty got you scared, hey! [devil] You can stir with a sanistised spoon. Just make sure it is gentle so you don't oxidise the beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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