Dumb bottling question

[verno]

I have bottled my first batch (eventually) and after only a few days the bottles are getting quite hard (PET bottles) which is good news. However I am slightly worried if they get rock solid. Is there any remedy except just opening them and letting some gas out?

Will this affect the flavour and make the beer flat?

I primed with 6g table sugar per litre if that makes a difference.

[grumpysod]

Is there any remedy except just opening them and letting some gas out?

Well, you could drink some

PET bottles can withsatnd some serious pressures, though if you move the bottles somewhere cooler, CO2 will be absorbed and the pressure will drop.

[anomalous_result]

However I am slightly worried if they get rock solid.

It's what happens after they go rock solid that you want to worry about, here's some of my elderflower. They're (both) in (the same) 1L PET bottles and are outside as I don't want any room in the house covered in sugary elderflower scented water. I think a controlled explosion with an air gun is called for tbh.



To answer the question, they'll probably be fine. Think PET can take 100psi in bottles although 6g per litre is a huge amount. It's normally 50 - 80g per 25 litre batch, so 2 - 4g per litre.

[Jim]

If you're worried that they're getting too hard, you can very gently ease open the cap just enough to let some gas out, then retighten them.

As long as you don't let too much out (or let the beer foam up excessively) flavour won't be affected and the beer won't be flat.

[verno]

Thanks all. I actually got the 6g from a calculation website I got from somewhere on here. It suggested that amount for lager. Though maybe that assumes I used a lager yeast?

However for lager at 21 degress fermentation it suggested 130g for 5 gallons. I actually only used 120g.

http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

[mooj]

Did you let it ferment out completely before bottling? If so, I wouldn't worry too much. Release the pressure if you need to after a couple of weeks. Think about how hard any full pop bottle feels. 6g/L is a good priming rate for lager IMO, some people on this site advocate a tsp per bottle (10g/L approx). Remember if you're drinking these fridge temperature you do need that extra carbonation otherwise they'll seem flat. The worst thing I've had happen with over-carbonated beer is a sort of 'yeast snowstorm' in a bottle.

[Shoit]

If using spraymalt - is it possible to dissolve this in water before adding to the bottles?

Kev

[Curious Brew]

Think PET can take 100psi in bottles although 6g per litre is a huge amount. It's normally 50 - 80g per 25 litre batch, so 2 - 4g per litre.

I believe PET bottle can actually take somewhere in the region of 150-200 psi.

[anomalous_result]

Thanks all. I actually got the 6g from a calculation website I got from somewhere on here. It suggested that amount for lager. Though maybe that assumes I used a lager yeast?

However for lager at 21 degress fermentation it suggested 130g for 5 gallons. I actually only used 120g.

http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

Oh well I don't brew lagers so wouldn't know, and on reflection it doesn't seem that much and seems appropriate for lagers and belgian styles.

Think PET can take 100psi in bottles although 6g per litre is a huge amount. It's normally 50 - 80g per 25 litre batch, so 2 - 4g per litre.

I believe PET bottle can actually take somewhere in the region of 150-200 psi.

I didn't say they couldn't, it's just if you want to keep reusing them I wouldn't stress their upper limits. Also the subject isn't that unknown as bottle rocketeers use them. A 1.5L bottle got 138psi before blowing here and a 3L bottle got 125psi here. Your mileage may vary.

[sparky Paul]

Yes, PETs can take some serious pressure before deforming.

If you think that your PET has too much pressure, open with a tea towel or similar over the cap. This is not to catch the overflow, but to stop the cap hitting you in the eye if it blows the threads, which is a possibility if the pressure is way too high.

Having said that, you would be doing something seriously wrong to get that sort of pressure up from homebrew.

[maxashton]

I seriously want to see a video of that bottle being airgunned. That would be awesome.

[Bongo]

lol i remember doing that with glass coke bottles and a catapult,dad was not happy.