Beersplosion in Texas

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Two injured in beer explosion at Franconia Brewing Company in McKinney

Worker suffers back injuries in McKinney brewery blast

Explosion at McKinney brewery injures two

Two people were injured Saturday when a container of beer exploded at the Franconia Brewing Company in McKinney.

People were touring the microbrewery around noon when a kettle of beer exploded and the canister ripped through a wall. McKinney Fire Department spokeswoman Stacie Durham said paramedics took one victim by ambulance to Medical Center McKinney and another was flown to Medical Center Plano.

Durham said she didn't know their conditions.

Winston Edwards, who was touring the brewery, said he saw paramedics remove two Franconia employees with cuts. About 100 others were also taking tours but none were injured, he said.

I've spent the last two days trying to figure out how one of the fermenters could have exploded.

[Tamas]

America cannot into beer?

[jimmy olsen]

At least it wasn't as bad as the great molasses disaster of 1919

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Molasses_Disaster

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

At least it wasn't as bad as the great molasses disaster of 1919

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Molasses_Disaster

Yeah, I don't think the walk-in cooler would have saved me from that.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Too much sugar & yeast? That'd give you a larger than expected gas build-up. One of my dad's homebrews was stronger than usual, and the top of the container blew off during fermentation. No damage and the top could pop right back on, but it made a pretty big mess. Even got some beer on the ceiling.

[CountDeMoney]

Too much sugar & yeast? That'd give you a larger than expected gas build-up.

Particularly if the refrigerant is off.  Check the thermostat, investigators.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Too much sugar & yeast? That'd give you a larger than expected gas build-up. One of my dad's homebrews was stronger than usual, and the top of the container blew off during fermentation. No damage and the top could pop right back on, but it made a pretty big mess. Even got some beer on the ceiling.

Franconia doesn't use sugar, but this is my leading suspicion.  It had to be a runaway fermentation reaction somehow.

[CountDeMoney]

Reminds me of when I was in my first apartment, and my mother gave me one of those Pillsbury cinnamon bun (with icing!) tubes.  Blew up the whole fucking closet.  Fucking Cheerios box had an exit wound the size of a barn door.

Nobody said anything about putting it in the refrigerator.

[Ed Anger]

 

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I think that was tank 3 that exploded, which they had kolsch in at the time.  That's a warm-fermenting, and I believe higher-carbonation, beer.  Makes loss of temp control and failure of the bung more likely.

[Admiral Yi]

failure of the bung

I hate it when that happens.

[Ed Anger]

failure of the bung

I hate it when that happens.

That happens after Taco Bell.

[Caliga]

I've spent the last two days trying to figure out how one of the fermenters could have exploded.

Very easily.  I've had bottles of homebrew explode on me, too.