Tried making my own ginger beer from scratch and it exploded in the closet

I followed some old recipe my neighbor gave me and bottled it after 3 days. Woke up to glass everywhere and sticky goo on my winter coats. I guess I didn't let it ferment long enough or used too much sugar. Has anyone else had a homebrew project go sideways like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliot_johnson313mo ago

Not sure I agree with under-fermenting being the main issue, over-carbonation from too much sugar is usually what gets me.

joelt703mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, I've been there with a batch of bottle-conditioned beer that turned into glass grenades in my garage. In my experience, under-fermenting is usually the culprit since the yeast keeps eating and building pressure. Your best bet is to use a hydrometer next time and make sure fermentation is really done before you bottle.

the_robert2mo ago

Jumping off what @joelt70 said, a hydrometer is a lifesaver but I'd also recommend using thicker bottles meant for carbonation like the flip-top kind. I lost a batch of hard cider because I used old soda bottles and the bottoms just blew right off. The mess in my basement smelled like vinegar for a month.