Disturbing trub when moving FV for bottling

[robfromdublin]

Hi all,

Total beginner here. This morning I stuck a Mangrove Jack kit (Pale Ale) into the fermenter as per the instructions. This was then put in the fridge in the garage, which is set to 21 degrees C. All good so far (barring an OG reading of 1.090. I think I screwed up the reading though).

My question is around bottling. I intend bottling using the dishwasher in the kitchen as per a guide I read somewhere, but the garage is a bit away and I'll have to haul the fermenter up a few steps. I expect this to slosh around and disturb the trub. How can I avoid this and avoid lots of sediment in my beer? I'm sure this is faced by others so what are my potential options here?

I could bottle in the garage but its under the house and not a very sterile environment. There's also nowhere for spills to go so I'd like to avoid this if possible.

Any help appreciated!

Rob

 

[Droopy Brew]

HI Rob. Bottle in the garage. If you use a bottling wand you wont have many spills and any you do have can easily be solved by laying an old towel down.
I dont know what you mean by using the dishwasher- sounds odd. anything that will get you FV high enough to attach a bottling wand and get a bottle under it will do- the fridge it is fermenting in will do nicely- you may even be able to bottle from where it is sitting?

There aren't many sterile places in a house hold- the kitchen being one of the worst. As long as you have a decent surface to put the bottle onto then it should be alright. If you can get your hands on some start san or Idophor (any brew shop) put some in a spray bottle and spray all surfaces, hands, bottles etc. and you should have no infection issues.

Make sure you cold crash your beer. Seeing as you have a fermenting fridge, after it is done (8 days should do it or when you have a steady gravity reading) turn the fridge down to about 1C or as low as you can for a couple of days. This will drop most of the yeast out of suspension making for a clearer beer. It will also make the trub cake reasonably solid so if you do move the fermentor, it will tend to stay on the bottom rather than re-suspend.
Your high reading would have been due to taking it straight from the tap. The sugars sit in there when you pour all the ingredients in so next time draw out 30ml or so to clear the tap, toss it and then take another sample.

 

[wereprawn]

I don't think that much crap will be stirred up Rob. If a bit is stirred up you could it will probably stay near the bottom. Doubt it will make that much difference to the finished beer anyway.

Edit- If you are using PET bottles do not use the dishwasher. All the bottles will be ruined due to heat.

 

[JDW81]

G'day Rob.

The first brew is always a bit of a learning curve, but it does get easier from here. For you next brew I'd consider dropping the temperature of the fridge down to about 18 degrees. 18 is the sweet spot for most of the yeasts that come with the kits.

As far as you OG of 1090, you may well have just drawn off a sample of poorly stirred wort, giving you a falsely high reading. Are you sure the brew has finished fermenting? I wait until i've got 2 hydrometer readings that are the some over a 48 hour period before I even consider bottling. My beers stay in the fermenter for at least 2 weeks before I take a hydro reading. The can probably says 7 days, but a lot of good happens in the 7 days beyond "fermentation time", i.e. the yeast clean up after themselves and give you a cleaner tasting beer (there are lots of by products of fermentation that aren't ethanol and CO2).

Sanitising bottles is a common question, and a lot of people ask about using a dishwasher for this. Personally I don't think it is such a great idea. I know they get to pretty high temps while running, but have a good look inside of it and I'll bet it isn't as clean as you think.

What sort of bottles are you using? The best bet is to get yourself a jet bottle washer and some no rinse sanitiser (i.e. starsan). It doesn't matter that your garage isn't as sterile as an operating theatre, you just want to make sure all of your gear is clean and sanitary, the environment you brew in is less crucial to your beer not getting an infection (FWIW I brew outside).

It also doesn't matter if you stir up a bit of trub in the fermenter, but I'd avoid trying to lug it into the house. The garage will be fine, providing your gear is clean. Spills are also inevitable, and the garage is a better place to deal with them that inside your house (talking from experience here).

JD

 

[BrosysBrews]

Should be fine to move it just go slow and careful, may end up stiring a bit of turb up but it will settle in the bottles when you age them anyway

 

[droid]

it settles back down pretty quick doesn't it?, dropping the temp right down sounds good

i ferment in fridges in the shed and bottle in the laundry, don't make the mistake I did once, cleaned all my bottles out with piping hot water and bottled when the bottles were still hot, talk about thermal shocking the yeast eh, give em a chance to cool down if you are pulling them out of the dishwasher

 

[GNU]

Bottle squirting pump as above and a bottle tree for me with no rinse sanitizer.

Quick and easy. Just make sure you store your bottles in a dust free area, rinse them after pouring your beer and drain upside down til dry.

A baking tray on the floor under the bottling wand will catch any spills.

 

[robfromdublin]

Thanks for your responses everyone.

The garage is under the house and very dirty, with cobwebs etc. and the potential bottling bench is a workbench with plenty of sawdust etc all over. Spraying starsan on that wouldn't make much sense to be honest, hence why I want to do it in the kitchen (also more comfortable). Having said that maybe if I just throw a towel down and get a wash basin out then it wouldn't be too bad. How do people dry the bottles after adding the no-rinse sanitiser? Bottle trees? Or do you just shake out the few drops and don't worry about it? The jet washer looks like a labour saver alright.

The dishwasher thing was more to do with the ability to place the fermenter over the open dishwasher to catch drips. Also to place bottles upside down on the plastic prongs to drip dry after spraying the no-rinse stuff. I read a guide online and it seemed pretty sensible! Will be half PET bottles/half glass ones so using the dishwaster to sterilise isn't the go.

Yes I took the OG reading straight from the tap so tonight I'll do it properly and hopefully it'll give a more sensible answer and won't be too far along the fermentation process.

Re cold crashing the beer: how long should I do this for? I have a bit of time pressure as I'm going away for Christmas on 18th Dec and won't be back until NYE. Would I be best trying to bottle before leaving? I do like the idea of trying the first bottle in the New Year so this would be preferable

Also, can I just turn the fridge down to 18 degrees now? What effect might that have on the final brew?

Thanks for your tips all, greatly appreciated.

 

[wereprawn]

18c next time. To late now as the yeast has already done its thing. 21c is okay and you will still get a decent beer. For cold crashing get your fridge cold. ie- 0-4c for 4-7 days and bobs your uncle.

 

[BrosysBrews]

Thanks for your responses everyone.

The garage is under the house and very dirty, with cobwebs etc. and the potential bottling bench is a workbench with plenty of sawdust etc all over. Spraying starsan on that wouldn't make much sense to be honest, hence why I want to do it in the kitchen (also more comfortable). Having said that maybe if I just throw a towel down and get a wash basin out then it wouldn't be too bad. How do people dry the bottles after adding the no-rinse sanitiser? Bottle trees? Or do you just shake out the few drops and don't worry about it? The jet washer looks like a labour saver alright.

The dishwasher thing was more to do with the ability to place the fermenter over the open dishwasher to catch drips. Also to place bottles upside down on the plastic prongs to drip dry after spraying the no-rinse stuff. I read a guide online and it seemed pretty sensible! Will be half PET bottles/half glass ones so using the dishwaster to sterilise isn't the go.

Yes I took the OG reading straight from the tap so tonight I'll do it properly and hopefully it'll give a more sensible answer and won't be too far along the fermentation process.

Re cold crashing the beer: how long should I do this for? I have a bit of time pressure as I'm going away for Christmas on 18th Dec and won't be back until NYE. Would I be best trying to bottle before leaving? I do like the idea of trying the first bottle in the New Year so this would be preferable

Also, can I just turn the fridge down to 18 degrees now? What effect might that have on the final brew?

Thanks for your tips all, greatly appreciated.

A big green shed bucket for 90c will probably be easier then walking into the open dishwasher 30 times while you bottle.

 

[robfromdublin]

18c next time. To late now as the yeast has already done its thing. 21c is okay and you will still get a decent beer. For cold crashing get your fridge cold. ie- 0-4c for 4-7 days and bobs your uncle.

I only pitched the yeast this morning (about 11 hours ago). Surely there's still plenty of time to go?

 

[robfromdublin]

A big green shed bucket for 90c will probably be easier then walking into the open dishwasher 30 times while you bottle.

You make a good point actually. My shins could cop a hammering. And I do have a baby bath that has been gathering dust for a while. Is it ethical to use baby equipment for brewing?

 

[wereprawn]

I only pitched the yeast this morning (about 11 hours ago). Surely there's still plenty of time to go?

Hahaha. Yep,my bad, plenty of time to go.

 

[GNU]

With a no rinse sanitizer, you don't have to worry about drying the bottles really. The bottle tree does this, but for me it's more about having the bottles neatly organised whilst bottling. As I bottle to fermenters at a time, with one person filling and the other priming/capping.

The bottle squirter is amazing, I was hesitant at first, but now don't know why I didn't get one sooner. Should be able to grab one and tree for $70 at a brew shop.

Other option for moving beer, would be to make your self a bottling bucket or grab a second fermenter and syphon from the first fermenter then transport to the kitchen without the trub. Can easily bulk prime then as well.

With any moving of the beer including syphoning, be careful not to air rate the beer.

 

[Droopy Brew]

Is it ethical to use baby equipment for brewing?

Not only ethical but recommended practice.
Just make sure the bub is not using said equipment- they are unhygienic little buggers.

 

[TheWiggman]

I always move my vessel from the fridge to bottling/kegging location each brew. Normally I move it a few hours beforehand so it gives the trub some time to settle. Just go slowly and carefully a few hours prior to bottling and you should be right.

 

[superstock]

Other option for moving beer, would be to make your self a bottling bucket or grab a second fermenter and syphon from the first fermenter then transport to the kitchen without the trub. Can easily bulk prime then as well.

With any moving of the beer including syphoning, be careful not to air rate the beer.

As GNU said.

 

[Neanderthal]

Get a spray dont and fill with Star San Solution.

Sray this into the bottle and give a roll. Star san is fin to leave in the bottle and the foam is a good thing as it means its clean.

Dont Fear the Foam.

 

[TheWiggman]

Was that meant for this thread?