Problem with my Milestone Crusader kit: any ideas?

[George Zip]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me. I've got some Milestone Crusader on the go at the moment, and it's too lively. When I open a bottle, no matter how slowly, the fizz sucks up all the sediment and suspends it in the beer. I followed the instructions to the letter, and it's now been in the bottles for 5 weeks, a week longer than it says is minimum.

I'm only a beginner, so I don't know if this problem will clear with time. Does anyone have any ideas about what might have caused this, or what I can do to sort it out.

Cheers.

[brysie]

maybe too much priming sugar?

you could chill them down for a few hours before opening them.... might help.

[George Zip]

cheers brysie, that advice is gold. yesterday i tried pouring one through a filterpaper which didn't work one little bit, so i left a bottle for a couple of days in the fridge. as long as i open them very slowly the sediment stays at the bottom. it's a nice brew.

[George Zip]

Check the gravity and ensure it is close to the stated final gravity before bottling. The priming sugars in addition to any residual sugars due to incomplete fermentation can result in over carbonation, gushing and (when using glass bottles), bottle bombs.

When I initially said that I followed the instructions to the letter, i wasn't being exactly truthful. i don't use a hydrometer (even though i have one ) and usually bottle when the bubbles have virtually stopped rising. I think that there's an outside chance that in my haste to get it all bottled I might have done it too soon, and that might be at the root of the problem.

I have found one system which works pretty well: i pop them in the freezer for half an hour after being in the fridge all day. I have to time it carefully so I don't get lumps of ice in the brew, but when it works they come out crystal clear, ice cold and lovely to drink.