# Is A Bottling Bucket *really* Needed?



## icarussound (5/12/09)

Hello all! I made my first batch using the Coopers kit with very old (expired) ingredients according to the instructions and ended up with... OK beer. My next batch was the Coopers IPA kit and it turned out excellent. Both of these I fermented in the Coopers fermenter and bottled straight from it using the Coopers priming drops, one batch I also used a party pig keg and added priming sugar directly to it. I did not use a bottling bucket.

I am about to bottle my latest creation, not Coopers at all. It is an APA with a bit more hops than is typical. Tastes great un carbonated! I am considering bottling it just like I did the last two batches using the Coopers priming drops and adding priming sugar directly to the party pig keg. Since I am not mixing priming sugar into the fermenter I am assuming, like the last two batches, this will be fine. Or am I fooling myself? I do, FWIW, have another fermenter I can use as a bottling bucket but it seems unnecessary.

What do you think?!

Steve


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## Goofinder (5/12/09)

steve da sleeve said:


> Hello all! I made my first batch using the Coopers kit with very old (expired) ingredients according to the instructions and ended up with... OK beer. My next batch was the Coopers IPA kit and it turned out excellent. Both of these I fermented in the Coopers fermenter and bottled straight from it using the Coopers priming drops, one batch I also used a party pig keg and added priming sugar directly to it. I did not use a bottling bucket.
> 
> I am about to bottle my latest creation, not Coopers at all. It is an APA with a bit more hops than is typical. Tastes great un carbonated! I am considering bottling it just like I did the last two batches using the Coopers priming drops and adding priming sugar directly to the party pig keg. Since I am not mixing priming sugar into the fermenter I am assuming, like the last two batches, this will be fine. Or am I fooling myself? I do, FWIW, have another fermenter I can use as a bottling bucket but it seems unnecessary.
> 
> ...


Since you're not mixing up sugar in the fermenter (bulk priming), it won't make all that much difference. But if you want clearer beer, you could rack to the second fermenter and leave it for another week or two, then bottle from there. This will let the yeast drop out a bit more and it should come out a bit clearer.


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## petesbrew (5/12/09)

As long as you know how much sugar to put in, there's no problem. I find the priming bucket's best used when you've got lots of different sized bottles.


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## Bribie G (5/12/09)

I personally don't bulk prime as I nearly always keg nowadays, but when using the brown PET bottles I have long abandoned the rip-off carb drops. For a quarter of the price and total ease of use and perfect consistency, just pop one of these in each brown bottle and you are sweet.


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## Bongchitis (5/12/09)

Genius Bribie!

Going out shopping.


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## icarussound (5/12/09)

Goofinder said:


> Since you're not mixing up sugar in the fermenter (bulk priming), it won't make all that much difference. But if you want clearer beer, you could rack to the second fermenter and leave it for another week or two, then bottle from there. This will let the yeast drop out a bit more and it should come out a bit clearer.



Hey thanks for the info all! I just finished bottling. Wow I still do not have a good system as this took FOREVER with many spills and curses. I am making up two batches tomorrow morning as I have the day off. Brilliant idea about the sugar cubes - I'll pick some up!

Here is a follow up question: If I rack this stuff to another fermenter, a pail fermenter not a carboy, how long would you suggest is a safe amount of time? I was actually thinking I might do this and dry hop in the pail for a week but I am obviously concerned about the possibility of ruining the beer - over oxygenating it or infecting it perhaps? I am not terribly interested in getting a carboy & siphon gear.

Steve


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## icarussound (5/12/09)

I think I have to move to Australia. I post questions periodically to American lists and responses always seem to be a bit pedantic. Here I get the impression most people are quite laid back and generally less fetishist about this stuff!

Steve


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## drew9242 (5/12/09)

steve da sleeve said:


> I think I have to move to Australia. I post questions periodically to American lists and responses always seem to be a bit pedantic. Here I get the impression most people are quite laid back and generally less fetishist about this stuff!
> 
> Steve




Why thankyou, in the end it is simple really. If you worry about everything to much you can do your head in and your beer might improve marginally. So why not take the laid back easy way, and you can still brew better beers then mainstream megaswills, sounds good to me.


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## hazz20 (5/12/09)

BribieG said:


> I personally don't bulk prime as I nearly always keg nowadays, but when using the brown PET bottles I have long abandoned the rip-off carb drops. For a quarter of the price and total ease of use and perfect consistency, just pop one of these in each brown bottle and you are sweet.
> 
> View attachment 33611



What size are the PET bottles you guys use? I've only ever used normal glass stubbies with carbo drops. Can you make a straight swap drops for cubes?

Hazz


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## harry72 (6/12/09)

Stupid question, but i have been adding the sugar after i have bottled the brew and when i used sugar rather than carb drops they all just frothed over the top. Should i put the sugar in first? Does it really make any difference (i wouldn't think so - apart from the excess frothing and mess!!!!).

Cheers,
Hazwald


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## manticle (6/12/09)

Adding before will prevent the frothing.


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## bum (6/12/09)

hazz20 said:


> What size are the PET bottles you guys use? I've only ever used normal glass stubbies with carbo drops. Can you make a straight swap drops for cubes?
> 
> Hazz



Never tried it but my understanding is that they don't fit down the narrower necks of glass bottles. The necks of all PET bottles I've come across are pretty comparable.


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## harry72 (6/12/09)

manticle said:


> Adding before will prevent the frothing.



Thanks Manticle- had a feeling that was the case, but wasn't sure if putting the sugar in first would just cause frothing whilst filling.

Cheers,
Hazwald


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## Bribie G (6/12/09)

For some amazing industrial reason, all PET bottles seem to have the same opening size that will take a sugar cube exactly. Glass tallie or stubbies will need normal sugar or bulk priming.


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## Pete2501 (7/12/09)

manticle said:


> Adding before will prevent the frothing.



Quoted for truth. 

:lol: I found this out the hard way the first time I bottled. I thought it was normal and kept going. Fun times.


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