Bottling

[time01]

Im looking to bottle my first batch today (previously been kegging), and just wondering after i bottle them where should i store them, at what temp etc. for how long?


ive read up on bulk priming and will give that a go.

cheers!

 

[pk.sax]

Roughly ferment temp works ok. If you aren't drinking them soon then just leave at ambient for a couple of weeks, there should be enough warmth to let the carbing happen. Or sit them with a heatpad or something in a big box for a few days to let the yeast go happy quickly.

Then store cool, in a fridge if possible, in a dark cool box at least.

 

[Roscoe]

Store them around 18 - 20 deg C for a few weeks to encourage a good second fermentation.

 

[time01]

cool, thanks for the tips!


20 deg wont be a problem, but how do you get around it in summer in QLD?

 

[Ivan Other One]

20 deg wont be a problem, but how do you get around it in summer in QLD?

Same as the pubs mate, we dont really worry aout it, all my botled beers are stored in a dark place, inside a cupboard downstairs in the brewhouse. Store temps can average 30deg in summer in Townsville but have not noticed any adverse affects.

 

[bowie in space]

Me too, in covered boxes under the house. At the moment, in Brisbane the temps are steady around 16-19C so I'm trying to get stocks up.

Just don't fluctuate temps, ie. put in fridge then take out, then put back in again. Keep it steady. In summer I try to squeeze as many in the fermenting fridge. I pretty much brew ales all year round, and can fit a couple dozen longnecks in the fridge around the fermenters.

With bulk priming, the most important advice I can give is stir constantly, but carefully so that all the priming sugar dissolves properly into the entire batch. (yes I boil on stove beforehand).

When I whirlpool, I stir at the same time with a plastic paint stirrer until the fermenter is fully drained. You don't want to run the risk of having a couple of bottles getting all the priming sugar and exploding, and then having the rest of your beers dead flat. It's heartbreaking, trust me!

 

[time01]

do you boil some of the wort on stove with sugar? if so how much?


I dont quite understand your point about whirlpool? im planning on draining wort from fermenter into a cube where i will add sugar, then drain into bottles, does that sound right?

 

[Fat Bastard]

With bulk priming, the most important advice I can give is stir constantly, but carefully so that all the priming sugar dissolves properly into the entire batch. (yes I boil on stove beforehand).

When I whirlpool, I stir at the same time with a plastic paint stirrer until the fermenter is fully drained. You don't want to run the risk of having a couple of bottles getting all the priming sugar and exploding, and then having the rest of your beers dead flat. It's heartbreaking, trust me!

Sounds like a bit too much of an infection risk to me, to leave the fermenter open and stirring like that.
I tip my sugar solution ( a cup or so of water not wort) in hot, so it's nice and runny, open the tap slowly until the end of the hose is submerged, then crack it fully to get a nice whirlpool going. I let it sit for 10 minutes or so and commence bottling. Never had uneven carbing from this method. The boiling sugar probably kills off some yeast and raises the temperature by a minute amount, but I'd rather that than risk an infection by leaving the bucket open for long periods of time. I normally cover the hole in the lid with a sanitised saucer so nothing can drop in too.

 

[time01]

success in carbing my beers with bulk priming!

ive asked some mates to collect some empty stubbies for me, despite me telling them to just rinse out after use one of the boys has done the following;

"Left them to soak in hot water and dish soap straight after boozing. Then drained them upside down until dry and stored them."

can anyone see a problem with this?

i rinse out the stubbies in starsan before bottling.

Time.

 

[glenwal]

"Left them to soak in hot water and dish soap straight after boozing. Then drained them upside down until dry and stored them."

The soap may affect the head retention of your beer, especially if he just drained and stored upside down without rinsing (you'll have soap residue left in the bottle)

 

[time01]

will it make the beer taste funky or anything?

 

[Bidtfaun]

I have been bulk priming for ages now and have never had any issues-main thing that I find is important is to try not to splash the beer or get too vigorous a vortex occurring whilst stirring as you can oxidize the beer which is bad. I do cover the fermenter I bottle from when bottling and don't stir through the process-only before i start to ensure even distribution of dextrose solution (which I make by boiling approx 300 mls water with the dextrose and pour straight into the sanitized fermenter.

in respect to bottles- detergent isn't necessary if you rinse with hot water straight after draining the bottle-I just store them in boxes until needed then sanitize just before bottling.

 

[1974Alby]

success in carbing my beers with bulk priming!

ive asked some mates to collect some empty stubbies for me, despite me telling them to just rinse out after use one of the boys has done the following;

"Left them to soak in hot water and dish soap straight after boozing. Then drained them upside down until dry and stored them."

can anyone see a problem with this?

i rinse out the stubbies in starsan before bottling.

Time.

just give them a quick rinse in tap water before the starsan..this will get rid of any soap residue.

 

[Edak]

in respect to bottles- detergent isn't necessary if you rinse with hot water straight after draining the bottle-I just store them in boxes until needed then sanitize just before bottling.

I agree, immediately after pouring a beer I rinse the bottles with hot water and a good shake (a couple of quick rinses is good) then drain and store covered up. I store in plastic bags (about 6 to a bag) and put them into boxes so not spiders and little creatures (mind the pun) get into my bottles.

When it comes to bottling again, I starsan then with bottle rinser, put on the bottle tree and put fresh beer in them.

 

[Bidtfaun]

spiders and little creatures (mind the pun) get into my bottles.

yes....spiders.....had a 5 year break from home brewing as i didn't have the space-got back into it about a year ago, made a batch, bottled it, gave a neighbour a bottle...he comes back says the beer was great but next time he wanted a bottle without a daddy longlegs corpse in it-obviously the sanitizing didn't dislodge it. has never happened before and will never happen again! out of all the bottles I had -he gets the one with the spider

 

[time01]

cheers boys!

have told my mate to just rinse them in the future (which is what i do). i will give the ones he rinsed with soap another quick rinse before using star san.