Homebrew Explosion

Homebrew beer can be dangerous. Wait until primary fermentation is over before bottling!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• homebrew
• beer
• explosion
• blowup
• home
• brew

[joerassic5]

yeah we had a huge explosion last night, 3 large 3 litre glass bottle exploded spectacularly embedding glass in wall, ceiling and boxes.

We can only thank God none of us were in the room at the time as it would have caused some serious injuries. there was shrapnel as far a 5 metres away .

they went off like a nail bomb.

Plastic bottles only for future brewing.

The bomb disposal gear is highly necessary

[davdaw]

Glad there were no casualties. After 9 years, over 30 brews and one big bang, I've learnt to always wait for bubbling from the airlock to stop to mark the end of primary fermentation, and then to use only half a teaspoon of sugar per 375 ml "stubbie" beer bottle for the final fermentation. Plastic bottles are OK if you intend to drink the results within a few months after bottling.

[millieanne]

Why did you de cap them and waste all that beer. If you apply slight pressure to the lift the caps and break the seal you can release the pressure from the beer, its takes a few goes and a couple of days but it works. Just keep releasing the pressure when they had died down a bit.

[davdaw]

Good idea - wish I'd thought of it. Hopefully there won't be a next time.

[TheBrianshirley]

lol

[bluebird1422]

what a waste of nice beer :(

[TruthBeKnown2]

I have been Brewing for years I Say between the two fermenters I usually do 14 days 7 in each and I have never had a problem....

[NCC74913]

It looks like you added to much priming suger to the bottle. This looks like the same thing that happens when I buy a Heineken Mini keg. The only thing I get is foam and very little beer.

[kyral210]

Use a hydrometer to tell you when fermentation has truely finished...

[piccanninni]

Why didnt you open the beers in the cooler, let them go flatter then DRINK them! :)

16 days is a very very long time for primary, what yeast are you using, bread yeast? Mines usually done in around 3-5 days then i leave it in the fermenter for min 10 days more to let the yeast clean up THEN bottle it. Half a teasoon per bottle max. Good luck next time.

[davdaw]

1 kg of sugar, a 1.7 kg can of homebrew wort concerntrate topped up to 22 litres with water is the usual starting point for a brew here in Australia. Adding more sugar increases the final alcohol level. So long as primary fermentation is completed before bottling, there is no reason to expect an explosion. The extra sugar can increase the time for primary fermentation to end.

[PrairieStubbleJumper]

1 kg is way to much and if you used another 0.5kg of brown sugar then it is going to explode.

I have used Papazian's recommendation of 3/4 CUP (not pounds or kg) of corn sugar or 1.25 cups of dried malt extract (DME) with good carbonation after 1 month after bottling in 12 years of brewing. The last 4 years have been kegs and if you can afford it ... do it.