Bulk Priming Issue

[jmnug2]

Hey guys,
Just a quick question about bulk priming. I just gave it my first go and I think something has gone wrong I dissolved 150g of sugar in 200mL of water and put this into a fermenter once it was fridge temp. I then racked my brew on top of it and bottled.

The problem is that once I'd bottled the brew I tasted the little bit in the bottom that was left over and it was very sweet, indicating that the priming solution hadn't mixed adequately by just racking my brew on top of it. I think I'm now going to have some bottle bombs and some under carbonated beers unfortunately. Has anyone else had this problem and is it normal to give the brew a stir after racking and before bottling? I know I will be stirring in the future.

Cheers

 

[Wolfy]

How did you transfer your beer into the bottling bucket?

The general theory is that by creating a gentle whirlpool type effect as you transfer the beer, that it will mix the priming sugar in adequately.
Myself I do a tap-to-tap transfer, just connect up the two taps with a small amount of hose and then open both taps, it usually creates enough turbulence (without too much oxidation) to sufficiently mix it all up.
I also don't bother to cool it down, just transfer a few L of beer then tip it in, it cools virtually instantly and shouldn't harm the beer or yeast that way.

 

[bum]

I know I've trusted the racking to mix the solution like you did in the past and I don't remember any noticeable lack of or irregularity in carb levels. Stirring is a good idea though.

How certain are you you've reached proper FG? Bottling early could also account for that sweetness.

In any case, if it is simply your priming solution you're tasting the beer will just be under-carbed. Better than the opposite.

 

[jakub76]

I think the cooling was the problem. I always dissolve my priming sugar (dextrose) in around 600ml of the beer I'm bottling and boil it for a minute or two. Then it goes straight into the bottling vessel (another fermenter with tap) and I pour the beer via a hose straight onto the sugar solution. I've never had to stir it and I've enjoyed consistent results.

 

[felten]

The first time I bulk primed, the last bottle out of the bottling bucket was very sweet, and I was worried I had fucked it up. However it turned out fine, the carbonation was consistent through all of the bottles that I kept, and no complaints from family members that received the others.

YMMV of course but the only way to find out for sure is to wait and see, crack a few open early if you are unsure (if you remember what order you bottled them in)

 

[bum]

How is cracking them open early going to tell him if they are under primed? Surely there will be little carb and higher sweetness either way?

 

[felten]

It was more in regards to him worrying about the over priming/exploding aspect

 

[bum]

Oh yeah, fair enough. My apologies.

 

[manticle]

Rough guess - you added 150 g of sugar solution to your beer and it tasted sweet. The beer at the bottom was part of that beer. I reckon if you'd had a sip from elsewhere in the mix that it probably would have tasted sweet too.

I always let mine sit for 10-30 minutes to diffuse before bottling but many people don't bother and swear it's not an issue.

I reckon you'll probably be fine -if worried about bombs then wrap each bottle tightly in several layers of cling film. In a few weeks, check to see if any are over or undercarbed. If over, refrigerate to chill then de-gas for a minute or so and reseal.

 

[Ivan Other One]

Bump.

Brewers, just curious as to the amount of time to leave a bulk primed brew before bottling.

Would an hour or even two hours be to long? (All equipment thouroughly sanitised of course.)

All brews here are fermented for fourteen days before Kegging/bottling, and was hoping to have a little bit more of a clearer beer.

Ivan.

 

[Hatchy]

I bottle straight away after bulk priming.

 

[manticle]

Bump.

Brewers, just curious as to the amount of time to leave a bulk primed brew before bottling.

Would an hour or even two hours be to long? (All equipment thouroughly sanitised of course.)

All brews here are fermented for fourteen days before Kegging/bottling, and was hoping to have a little bit more of a clearer beer.

Ivan.

I have left mine half a day without issue. If refrigerated, I imagine you culd leave it even longer if necessary.

 

[bcp]

I reckon you'll probably be fine -if worried about bombs then wrap each bottle tightly in several layers of cling film.

That's a piece of elegant simplicity.

 

[Ivan Other One]

I have left mine half a day without issue. If refrigerated, I imagine you culd leave it even longer if necessary.

Bonza Manticle,
Just what we thought here, especially chilling the wort would of course help drop out at bit more sediment.

First and only time we tried a bulk prime here used 170g Dex for a 23 litre batch of Coppers Draught by following a linky found on this sight. Brew turned out well carbonated and with little sediment.

Plan on doing about three or so variations of Coopers Cervesa, all bottled instead of the usual kegging here, and to get a consistant regieme for bottling is a must.

Thanks Ivan.

 

[radearling]

Last week I bulk primed a 27lt pilsner, boiled up 175g dextrose in 500ml water, cooled to room temp (I pulled the fermenter out until the temp was up to room temp also), racked to second vessel, added dextrose water and gently stirred. I was worried about the dex amount as beersmith gives you the amount at bottling temp, but in the bulk priming calculator it talk about Entering the beer temperature. This is actually the maximum temperature that the beer reached between the end of active fermentation, to the time of bottling, which would put the dex at 130g ?????? after 8 days everything seems OK. Only time will tell