Belgian Beer Gushing

I always open any corked beer with the bottle sitting in a bowl so I don't waste beer if it overflows...I've had some corks pop pretty loud, but only had a few overflow, and they were all belgian styles. I'm not really sure what can be done to prevent it, other than perhaps opening them at a colder temperature and letting them warm up before drinking?

 

Belgians across all styles are more highly carbed. If they were beers with Brett in them your chances are quite high

 

Were these bottles corked and did you keep the bottle stationary while pulling off the cork with a gentle twisting motion? I could see how a violent uncorking could shake the bottle enough to make it gush, kinda like champagne.

 

Are you letting them sit for a few days before opening?

 

I once had a bottle of Houblon Chouffe gush mightily on me. A biblical, geyser-like column of foam that came forth. FWIW, it had been chilled, the bottle had been stored upright prior to opening, and the cork was removed gently (it didn't pop out with any great force), so I'm not really sure what caused it other than to say it's just a characteristic/caveat that comes with the style.

 

sounds like you might just had a string of bad bottles.
As for what causes this:

• depending on the style belgian beers are typically in the upper levels of carbonation more yeast and sugar used to bottle condition.
• depending on the temp of beer ( the colder the beer ) the higher amount of dissolved CO2
• possible wild yeast infection (depending on style it might be hard to tell, taste remaining beer and cross reference with other reviews if they don't match up this might be your issue.
  
• incomplete ferment (least likely)

As for how to prevent in my opinion:

• chill you beer for a day let it absorb the CO2 that the yeast worked so hard to make.
• open carefully, 45degrees is ideal for corked and caged as the gas helps push the cork out as you twist but crown caps just go straight up and down and pry off
  
• if it is an infection not much can be done
• incomplete ferment is also not much can be done ( you didn't brew it)

 

A lot of this has to do with the transportation of these beers from Belgium I would imagine. We like to think that all beer is packed well and temperature controlled when being shipped but this isn't the reality. The temperature in ocean containers can get pretty warm even when extra precautions are taken such as adding insulation. Higher temperatures lead to more active yeast causing secondary fermentation and excess carbonation.

 

Had this happen a very few times. In my experience it usually happens within a day or two of chilling. Best I can tell it is wise to let them get "comfortable" for a few days at serving temp and then cross your fingers and pop the cork!

 

Sometimes it just happens, but I've found that storing them on their side makes it far more likely. I tend to try and store anything with live yeast upright for at least a day before opening. Beyond that, slow and steady and twisting the cork helps a lot.

 

I think it's unlikely both bottles were infected. Since you bought them from the same store, my guess is they were stored hot enough to release a lot of the CO2 from the beer into the neck. If you refrigerate them for a week at 34F, the CO2 will get back into the beer where it belongs. If you get a gusher after a week in the fridge, the beer is likely infected, but still could be drinkable. Duvel is highly carbonated, but it shouldn't be a gusher.

 

I would let them sit in your fridge for a week or so to let the yeast settle down a bit and rest at the bottom of the bottle. From what previous posters have said, warmer temperatures get the yeast active, and if they were jostled around a lot that can have something to do with it. I've had gushers with quite a few belgian beers, and yea... it sucks. Alvinne's Podge Belgian Imperial Stout was the worst. I lost almost 2/3 of the bottle due to gushing, and it got all over the couch and carpet.

 

A lot of Alvinne's beers will do that. I have opened a lot of Morpheus tripels and about half of them have been gushers, while the other half was almost flat.

 

Not for anything but doesnt have to be a true Belgian to be a gusher... Belgian styles seem to come forth with the ease.. Rayon Vert comes to mind and Allagash Trippel
Whether or not it is the Méthode Champenoise invvolved I cant say..
Just have to have a glass ready or open over the sink as gentily as possible

 

Belgian styles and German Hefs. usually foam up more than other styles. Opening the top while still very cold vs. warm usually helps both with gushing from bottle as well as making the glass pour without being 100% head and waiting forever to drink it.

 

As has already been discussed it is common for Belgian Abby Ales to be very highly carbonated.

Some suggested strategies to @humuloner22:

· Cold beer (e.g., 40°F) will retain more CO2 in solution (it’s a physics thing), Maybe chill your Belgian beers down further to hold more CO2 in solution and permit the beer to warm up in your BIG glass before drinking

· Open your bottles right next to the sink with your BIG glass in the sink. After popping the cap quickly pour the gushing beer slowly down the sides of the BIG glass.

· Pre-wet the BIG glass with water. This reduces nucleation sites on the side of the glass and manages the foam better.

And most importantly, keep drinking those delicious Belgian Ales!!

Cheers!