Is there a limit?
Only if you’re entering a comp;)
In my case, I’m pretty sure all the beers are beers that were packaged cold, then went to stores and sat on warm shelves (I cringe) for weeks then purchased, refrigerated and opened.
We thought we had solved the problem, then on the last batch of IPA I packaged I gave a case to a friend who had helped me with stuff. He left them warm for several weeks and came back to me and told me every one was a gusher. A few others complained of same issue. My personal stash was always kept cold and never had a problem.
This is something like 3 out of 7 batches of IPA with the same issue and the only thing I can see they share is switching over to dry yeast. All reached terminal gravity. I did not do a forced fermentation test, but as far as my experience tells me they were good to go.
Anyway, my advice to OP is to ALWAYS keep your packaged beer under 50 degrees or colder. I have never had problems with bottle gushers on any beer that was stored this way and I have had some stored for years. That said, I have also had undercarbonated barley wines that were stored for years at room temp and they remained undercarbed for years.
[quote]This is something like 3 out of 7 batches of IPA with the same issue and the only thing I can see they share is switching over to dry yeast.
[/quote]
Keith,
If it’s an IPA thing, is there a chance it has to do with the dry-hopping? Consider this a noob question, but it does seem the chance of contamination is increased with the introduction of hops - especially whole leaf. I understand the alcohol should take care of most contaminants, but it seems there’s always a chance. Just a thought - waiting for the barrage…
Keith,
If it’s an IPA thing, is there a chance it has to do with the dry-hopping? Consider this a noob question, but it does seem the chance of contamination is increased with the introduction of hops - especially whole leaf. I understand the alcohol should take care of most contaminants, but it seems there’s always a chance. Just a thought - waiting for the barrage…
[/quote]
there is a chance, but between the alcohol and the hops themselves which have pretty potent preservative effects it’s unlikely.
Keith,
If it’s an IPA thing, is there a chance it has to do with the dry-hopping? Consider this a noob question, but it does seem the chance of contamination is increased with the introduction of hops - especially whole leaf. I understand the alcohol should take care of most contaminants, but it seems there’s always a chance. Just a thought - waiting for the barrage…
[/quote]
I would doubt it is from contaminants in the dry hopping. Between the pH, ABV, and hops themselves it is not likely, and if it happens in multiple batches then it is even less likely I think.
Or in other words, what mort said. 
I have thought about dry hopping being an issue but I’m still sticking with my story that it’s the yeast. 
The weird thing is it doesn’t taste “off” once the foaming settles, so I don’t feel like it is an infection. But it does taste drier. No, I didn’t take a hydro reading though I know I should have. Hope it’s not ever going to be an issue again to check in future. It’s pretty embarrassing. :-[
Are these beers filtered? I find certain dry hopped beers of mine are more sensitive to high carbonation levels. My working theory is that the residual hop material in the bottle is creating nucleation points leading to gushers.
I’d suppose the high levels of hop oils could provide a challenging environment for the yeast, and they aren’t quite finishing completely and its taking a long time to eat that last couple of points? It’d be worse with a low floc yeast like US05 since it hangs around trying to finish.
No, I own a plate filter but almost never use it. I actually don’t even fine my IPA.
Tom might be on to something.
First off, I have read the many comments and suggestions and many of the suggestions do make sense…Thank you.
So to give more detail to the conversation…I brew alot of Ales, but I also like brewing Lagers and even though my stuff can use some fine tuning, my equipment gets me to that final result with some really good and consistant results, the majority of the time. The Gusher is occasional to a few bottles out of the batch, NOT the batch itself.
I did a 10 gallon all-grain batch, along a Vienna Lager Style.
OG 1.062, FG 1.014
Step Mash Infusion: Mash-in @ 132 for 10 min. (Protien Rest), 144 for 20 min. (Sugar Rest), 154 for 40 min. (Detrin Rest), Mash-out @ 168, Sparge @ 170.
Water Treatment: 2 1/2 Tsp. Gypsum, 1 1/2 Tsp. Chalk, 1/5 Tsp. Calcium Chloride.
Malts: 16 lbs. German Pilsner, 2 lbs. German Pilsner (Toasted 20 min. @ 350), 4 lbs. German Munich, 3 lbs. Carapils, 1 1/4 lb. Caramel 60, 3 Oz. Accidulated.
Hops: 1/2 Oz. Saaz (FW), 1/2 Oz. Hallertau (FW), 2 Oz. Saaz (60 min.), 1 Oz. Hallertau (60 min.).
Late Addition: 2 Tsp Irish Moss.
Yeast: WLP 810 S.F. Lager (Good Options WLP 830, WL 2206 OR WL 2308).
Bottled: 2 Cup priming sugar for 10 gallons.
Fermentation: 5-7 days @ 162-164, Rack to secondary & increase to 168-170 for 7-10 days, cold starge @ 134 for 1-3 month’s.
Pretty sure you aren’t fermenting at 164 or lagering at 134.
Suggestions as have been given already: Either you are not mixing your priming sugar thoroughly or you are not cleaning/sanitizing individual bottles properly.
One thing you also ,ay check is the spigot on your bottling bucket. Those things are not even close to sanitary and you can disassemble them but they never go back together correctly afterward.
Ironically, the best bottling solution is using your corny keg (assuming you have one) to fill bottles. You can thoroughly mix priming sugar by rolling keg on floor (purge head space w/co2 first) and fill over kitchen sink rather than on kitchen floor.
2 cups of priming sugar for 10 gallons is a lot of sugar. I think you would be better off using less priming sugar and making sure that the priming sugar is adequately mixed.
I’m no lager expert but racking to secondary after 5-7 days seems premature
it’s not that much priming sugar, certainly a bi thigh but after that many temp changes and that long in storage there isn’t going to be much dissolved co2 left so it might need that much.
I am sticking with one or two contaminated bottles.