Bulk Priming And Racking

[manticle]

I bulk prime but I do not rack to do so, despite every instruction manual or step by step telling me to do so.

I understand there's a slight risk of infection but supposedly there's also one when racking. I've not yet had a problem stem from doing it this way.

Has anybody here actually experienced a problem bulk priming the one vessel or know anyone who has?

I do rack to secondary (again never any issues) but racking a third time seems a pain and a waste of time (as well as the last bit of beer). Is this one of those do it this way because everybody says so things or am I deluding myself?

 

[smollocks]

I think the main reason for racking when bulk priming is to get the beer off the yeast cake. If you bulk prime in your primary fermenter, you would stir up the yeast when you stir in the priming sugar.

If, however, you've already racked to secondary and there's no appreciable yeast cake, I don't see a problem with what you're doing. I also don't see that one approach has a greater or lesser infection risk than the other.

 

[geoffi]

I tend now to skip racking to a secondary fermenter and just let the brew sit an extra week in primary. Then rack to a fermenter for bulk priming.

I wouldn't bulk prime in either primary or secondary fermenter for the stated reason that you will rouse the yeast cake. Defeats the purpose a bit, don't you think?

 

[manticle]

I tend now to skip racking to a secondary fermenter and just let the brew sit an extra week in primary. Then rack to a fermenter for bulk priming.

I wouldn't bulk prime in either primary or secondary fermenter for the stated reason that you will rouse the yeast cake. Defeats the purpose a bit, don't you think?

Well I rack to secondary, leaving behind most of the yeast cake, then crash chill and condition for several days with finings, then bring up to ambient temp, bulk prime, leave to stand for 30 mins to resettle, then bottle. I don't get much sediment in the bottles.

 

[ianh]

I bulk prime but I do not rack to do so, despite every instruction manual or step by step telling me to do so.

I understand there's a slight risk of infection but supposedly there's also one when racking. I've not yet had a problem stem from doing it this way.

Has anybody here actually experienced a problem bulk priming the one vessel or know anyone who has?

I do rack to secondary (again never any issues) but racking a third time seems a pain and a waste of time (as well as the last bit of beer). Is this one of those do it this way because everybody says so things or am I deluding myself?

I bulk prime but rack to do so. Racking is how I mix the dex or sugar into the beer by having the racking tube curled at the bottom of the fermenter.

My question is how you ensure uniform distibution of the dex or sugar without stirring and disturbing the sediment on the bottom of the fermenter.

cheers

Ian

 

[Renegade]

I would be more comfortable in racking for priming to ensure an even distribution of sugar.

Unless of course you stir the crap out of your fermented wort in secondary when you add the sugar - but that's going to stir up the yeast cake, even if it's a lot smaller than the primary trub.

But hey, whatever works for you......

 

[geoffi]

Well I rack to secondary, leaving behind most of the yeast cake, then crash chill and condition for several days with finings, then bring up to ambient temp, bulk prime, leave to stand for 30 mins to resettle, then bottle. I don't get much sediment in the bottles.

Like most things in brewing there are several ways to arrive at the same destination. If it works for you, have at it.

 

[ianh]

Well I rack to secondary, leaving behind most of the yeast cake, then crash chill and condition for several days with finings, then bring up to ambient temp, bulk prime, leave to stand for 30 mins to resettle, then bottle. I don't get much sediment in the bottles.

Answered before I asked the question. :huh:

 

[muckey]

Well I rack to secondary, leaving behind most of the yeast cake, then crash chill and condition for several days with finings, then bring up to ambient temp, bulk prime, leave to stand for 30 mins to resettle, then bottle. I don't get much sediment in the bottles.

not a criticism, just trying to understand.......

Just wondering if there is a particular reason you allow the brew to come up to ambient before priming?

I've not primed for some time (kegging) but the I cant see that it would make any difference if you primed while still chilled as long as you prime for the correct level of CO2.

 

[chappo1970]

not a criticism, just trying to understand.......

Just wondering if there is a particular reason you allow the brew to come up to ambient before priming?

I've not primed for some time (kegging) but the I cant see that it would make any difference if you primed while still chilled as long as you prime for the correct level of CO2.

+1

Waste of time bottle cold. If your using dex it will dissolve cold.

Cheers

Chappo

 

[Guest Lurker]

When I used to do this I found letting the beer warm up again to bottle made the process much harder as you get a bunch of foaming in the bottle, the beer hasnt reached equilibrium with CO2 so it wants to come out of solution. Bottling cold was less hassle and worked fine.

 

[muckey]

+1

Waste of time bottle cold. If your using dex it will dissolve cold.

Cheers

Chappo

that was my take on it too chappo. I cant see that wasting a heap of time allowing the brew to come to ambient is worth it when it will work just as well straight out of the fridge but curiosity gets the better of me sometimes

When I used to do this I found letting the beer warm up again to bottle made the process much harder as you get a bunch of foaming in the bottle, the beer hasnt reached equilibrium with CO2 so it wants to come out of solution. Bottling cold was less hassle and worked fine.

that's what my thinking is, why warm the beer and allow CO2 to come out of solution when you only have to up your priming sugar to replace it

 

[WitWonder]

Although I keg, the brewing partner Bulk primes by boiling (about 10 mins, covered pot with foil) the required amount of dex in water, allow to cool, then add to crash-chilled primary fermenter. Gentle stir and bottle. No sediment issues.

 

[Yeldarb]

One of the first big improvements I found when I was starting out was racking to a secondary and leaving for another week. Before this, I was simply following the Kit instructions and bottling straight after primary fermentation had completed. The difference was significant.

I recently did a double APA...basically after 2 weeks in the primary I bottled half and moved the other half to another fermenter for secondary fermentation...I am certain secondary fermentation is now a waste of time for me...I simply leave everything as is in the primary for an extra week and then bulk prime.

I have only bulk primed once and still experimenting with this...basically boil up the required amount of priming sugar, allow to cool a little with the lid on the saucepan, drop into priming fermenter then add the finished beer from the primary.

 

[Bribie G]

Slightly off topic because this is a bulk priming thread but:

I have religiously waited till the last gasp of primary, racked to secondary with a little bit of sugar (less than 20g) to ferment out thus flushing the headspace to avoid prolonged air contact, then cold conditioned for a week or more and bottled.

With my last 2 beers - an Aussie Old and a quite big UK Golden Bitter I have simply run them on in Primary for a few days longer than normal, fined and Polyclared and bottled out of the primary fermenter and both are crystal clear in the bottle after only five days. I've decided now that winter is here to do that for all brews except genuine lagers (really goes without saying) which I will rack for prolonged cold conditioning and clearing.

 

[Renegade]

Why are people boiling their dextrose ? I just throw it straight into the racking barrel. Dont even mix with water first. Although I do add it in four stages, as the barrel is filling.

WHile on the topic, and to save a new thread. Im out of dex and need to bottle very soon. I have only ever used dextrose, but is plain old white sugar OK (I assume the rules of NO SUGAR IN BEER dont apply with such small quantities). Its either going to be that or those carb drops, as i cant get to a home brew shop before I need to bottle.

 

[muckey]

(I assume the rules of NO SUGAR IN BEER dont apply with such small quantities). Its either going to be that or those carb drops, as i cant get to a home brew shop before I need to bottle.

I used to think the same way until butters set me up with a blind tasting without telling me. the priming sugar definately gave a 'fruity' note that wasnt detected in the dex primed 1

 

[Bizier]

I have been fining and cold conditioning in the primary fermenter and racking to bulkprime from there. This is working an absolute charm, and I figure it is a good medium. Dry hopping has not been overly successful, and I am thinking of secondary for these beers (even if I use this step somehow for priming).

 

[WeaselEstateBrewery]

I have been fining and cold conditioning in the primary fermenter and racking to bulkprime from there. This is working an absolute charm, and I figure it is a good medium. Dry hopping has not been overly successful, and I am thinking of secondary for these beers (even if I use this step somehow for priming).

What finings are typically used?

 

[muckey]

you can use commercial finings (usually isinglass)

some members simply use gelatin

it's used to help the yeast to flocculate

have a look at Here