I cracked open a bottle of Barley Wine that was bottled on 29th Oct. It foamed up and wouldnt stop until it had deposited about a quarter of the bottle over the kitchen work-surface.
Its obviously over-carbonated. I used half a teaspoon of sugar in each 500ml bottle and the TG was 1015 (not too high for a barley wine I'm sure). I'm worried about a bottle blowing, bearing in mind they were bottled at the end of Oct. could this happen? (the bottle has been in the warm after a month in the garage, I thought the yeast would be inactive now)
Am I sitting on a timebomb?
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mysterio
To be honest I would put a pair of goggles and gloves on and put them back in the garage. The yeast probably went dormant while outside then started working on the residual sugar. It's usually best to give high gravity beers a long primary or transfer to a secondary vessel to make sure they have completely fermented out.
Another option is to crack each lid off carefully to let out excess pressure then re-seal. Might take a few goes to get the carbonation down. Be careful!
Another option is to crack each lid off carefully to let out excess pressure then re-seal. Might take a few goes to get the carbonation down. Be careful!
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booldawg
Thanks Mysterio. Theres only a few bottles left, I put 4 in the loft to try and forget about, will remove them whilst I still have a roof 
The rest are still out in the cold.
As a footnote; has anyone actually witnessed an exploding bottle. I should imagine you wouldnt want to be in the vicinity due to the flying glass. Apart from being messy what kind of explosive power is it capable of?
The rest are still out in the cold.As a footnote; has anyone actually witnessed an exploding bottle. I should imagine you wouldnt want to be in the vicinity due to the flying glass. Apart from being messy what kind of explosive power is it capable of?
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booldawg
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steve_flack
I think David Edge has had it happen - fortunately when no one was around judging by the holes in the surrounding ceiling/walls.booldawg wrote: As a footnote; has anyone actually witnessed an exploding bottle. I should imagine you wouldnt want to be in the vicinity due to the flying glass. Apart from being messy what kind of explosive power is it capable of?
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CyberPaddy66
My GF's Nana was making Ginger Beer years ago bottling them in glass Pop bottles with the metal screw top lids, they used to store them under the kitchen cupboard.booldawg wrote:As a footnote; has anyone actually witnessed an exploding bottle. I should imagine you wouldnt want to be in the vicinity due to the flying glass. Apart from being messy what kind of explosive power is it capable of?
She tells me one night they heard a loud bang and rushed down to find bits of glass embedded in the walls all over the kitchen and the door was no longer on the cupboard.
She stopped making it soon after that
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booldawg
All my beer is stored in garage in metal filing cabinets. I only bring them in for drinking and left one in the house for week. Just as well I opened it last night! I remembered at about 3am this morning that I'd given 2 bottles of the same brew to a mate up in Daventry. I phoned him up this morning to warn him and luckily he's left them in the boot of his car since I gave them to him last Friday!
It just goes to show that even a few points of the desired gravity can produce what was basically a beer hand grenade.
It just goes to show that even a few points of the desired gravity can produce what was basically a beer hand grenade.
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Relax
Been there ...done that..
I once had a couple of bottles ( plastic) explode on my bathroom where they were left for a few days after bottling...
It requiered heavy washing afterwards and lots of flowers to my wife to make her smile again ........
When I get bottles that foam like that, I put them in the freezer fora while before open it. That usually reduce the "foam" dramatically and I can still drink them..
I once had a couple of bottles ( plastic) explode on my bathroom where they were left for a few days after bottling...
It requiered heavy washing afterwards and lots of flowers to my wife to make her smile again ........
When I get bottles that foam like that, I put them in the freezer fora while before open it. That usually reduce the "foam" dramatically and I can still drink them..
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anomalous_result
The worst I've had was 2ltr pets of elderflower champagne. They never blew, just all swelled up around the middle like stupid balloons. We were holding them like nuclear warheads as we put them in the fridge.
It sounds like you might have bottled a few points early as I wouldn't have thought half a tsp should give it that much life. Maybe you shook it like you'd won a grand prix before opening
It sounds like you might have bottled a few points early as I wouldn't have thought half a tsp should give it that much life. Maybe you shook it like you'd won a grand prix before opening
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booldawg
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Curious Brew
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Dan
