Troweling the glue on with thin wooden sticks and dowels is the best application method. The applicators can be thrown away. The literature provided by the suppliers recommends coating only one surface because the glue expands on contact with water and, therefore, spreads itself. Such large quantities of glue were not at all necessary when edge-gluing. Depending on the dampness present, the glue turns itself into a sort of gooey yellow foam that oozes out of the joint.
Damp joints begin to foam within minutes.
It's at this point that you'll be sorry if you used too much glue. Too much glue means tons of foam and that you'll get slimed, like Bill Murray in Ghostbusters. The best thing to do at this point is to leave the room because it's very hard to resist grabbing a wet rag and trying to clean up the foam. Cleanup is near suicidal until you allow the foam to dry. Then it scrapes right off and is easily sandable without gumming up sandpaper.