Often, when first learning how to make beer, new brewers will be in too much of a rush to get to taste their first batch of brew. The fermentation process should not and cannot be rushed. It is possible that in the rush, beer can be bottled too early--before fermentation is complete. This can lead to bottle bombs, literally exploding bottles of beer.
When it comes time to bottle your beer, you must be absolutely sure that fermentation has completed. You do not want to bottle before this happens, ever. This is one of those lessons that if it happens to you once, you will likely never make the same mistake again. Bottle bombs can still happen even if your beer has finished fermentation. So, here are some tips to help you avoid this big mess.
First, the most important lesson for those learning how to make beer: Patience is a must. You can't rush the process, you must allow it to happen at its own pace. Waiting is hard, especially for your first batch of beer, but patience is rewarded with great tasting brew. A common rookie mistake is to rely on visual cues to tell when fermentation is complete. Looking for the krausen to fall or lack of activity in the airlock could be indicators that fermentation is complete, but these are not 100% guarantees!
The only certain way is to check with a hydrometer. Sometimes, stuck fermentation occurs. This is a fermentation that dies off before completing, and must be restarted in order to finish properly. Bottle a beer that has stuck fermentation, and you could wind up with bottle bombs.
Another cause of bottle bombs is overpriming the bottles--too much sugar added. If you use sugar tablets, you could put too many in a bottle. If adding sugar to the bottling bucket, overpriming can occur by adding too much sugar. It can also happen because you don't stir the sugar well enough to completely dissolve it. As a result, the sugar settles to the bottom of the bucket, and does not get evenly distributed.
Some bottles will not receive enough sugar, others will get too much and produce bottle bombs. Keep in mind that the yeast feeds of sugar. The yeast also gives off CO2. Excessive sugar leads to excessive CO2, and as you guessed, bottle bombs. Even in the case of stuck fermentation, the sugar may reawaken the yeast enough to create a bottle bomb.
Finally, it is possible that the beer may become infected. Some bacteria produce sugars that yeast can't ferment. If these bacteria find their way into your beer, your beer can become contaminated no matter how hard the yeast works. This is why thorough cleaning and sanitation are so important in learning how to make beer.
It is also important to keep in mind the things that can lead to overcarbonation and bottle bombs. You want to make sure you take the necessary precautions so you will be able to enjoy the delicious beer you worked hard for, as opposed to learning a hard lesson and having to clean up a big mess. This is one lesson you don't want to have to learn the hard way when you are learning how to make beer.
Get a free e book showing you how to make beer
Visit my blog to learn more about how to make beer
When it comes time to bottle your beer, you must be absolutely sure that fermentation has completed. You do not want to bottle before this happens, ever. This is one of those lessons that if it happens to you once, you will likely never make the same mistake again. Bottle bombs can still happen even if your beer has finished fermentation. So, here are some tips to help you avoid this big mess.
First, the most important lesson for those learning how to make beer: Patience is a must. You can't rush the process, you must allow it to happen at its own pace. Waiting is hard, especially for your first batch of beer, but patience is rewarded with great tasting brew. A common rookie mistake is to rely on visual cues to tell when fermentation is complete. Looking for the krausen to fall or lack of activity in the airlock could be indicators that fermentation is complete, but these are not 100% guarantees!
The only certain way is to check with a hydrometer. Sometimes, stuck fermentation occurs. This is a fermentation that dies off before completing, and must be restarted in order to finish properly. Bottle a beer that has stuck fermentation, and you could wind up with bottle bombs.
Another cause of bottle bombs is overpriming the bottles--too much sugar added. If you use sugar tablets, you could put too many in a bottle. If adding sugar to the bottling bucket, overpriming can occur by adding too much sugar. It can also happen because you don't stir the sugar well enough to completely dissolve it. As a result, the sugar settles to the bottom of the bucket, and does not get evenly distributed.
Some bottles will not receive enough sugar, others will get too much and produce bottle bombs. Keep in mind that the yeast feeds of sugar. The yeast also gives off CO2. Excessive sugar leads to excessive CO2, and as you guessed, bottle bombs. Even in the case of stuck fermentation, the sugar may reawaken the yeast enough to create a bottle bomb.
Finally, it is possible that the beer may become infected. Some bacteria produce sugars that yeast can't ferment. If these bacteria find their way into your beer, your beer can become contaminated no matter how hard the yeast works. This is why thorough cleaning and sanitation are so important in learning how to make beer.
It is also important to keep in mind the things that can lead to overcarbonation and bottle bombs. You want to make sure you take the necessary precautions so you will be able to enjoy the delicious beer you worked hard for, as opposed to learning a hard lesson and having to clean up a big mess. This is one lesson you don't want to have to learn the hard way when you are learning how to make beer.
Get a free e book showing you how to make beer
Visit my blog to learn more about how to make beer