New Guy Question

[NewBeerBoss]

Hi this will probablly sound stupid but i have just got myself a home brew kit and im getting prepared to begin. My only problem is i havent got the empty bottles yet and would rather not buy them but will if need be.
My question is as i understand the final stages of the process require cleaning/ filling your empty bottles up with your new brew and leaving it to sit the longer the better.
My question is does it have to be in bottles or is there some technique i could use to store the whole batch and still complete its process and once ready bottle it as i need it. Only a very minor problem really any help would be appreciated? and if they need to be in bottles to finish off why is this? whats is called?Cheers

 

[PostModern]

Sure, there's a solution, and it's actually recommended anyway Grab a second fermenter and rack your beer into it once fermentation has finished. Search here (and the rest of the web for that matter) for the term "racking". You'll get clearer beer to boot! The thing is, you'll need to buy a second fermenter or 20 litre food grade plastic bottle. Observe excellent sanitation!

The beer needs to be in bottles to carbonate. When bottling, you "prime" the bottles with a little extra sugar. This ferments, releasing CO2, which gives the beer its bubbles. Storing your beer won't carbonate it.

EDIT: another option is kegging. You could just get a keg system and by-pass the whole bottling routine.

 

[volcano]

another option is kegging. You could just get a keg system and by-pass the whole bottling routine.

I can vouch for that!
I am also relatively new to this whole scene, and got sick of cleaning bottles.
I spent a few hundred bucks on a 2 keg system and after 8 days am drinking delicious (albeit murky) beer! If it lasts another week apparently it'll clear up, but I doubt it will last that long!

1 vote here for kegging!

 

[Wreck]

The Coopers kits come with 30 PET bottles, which are good enough while you scrounge around for empties. They go alright for short term storage.

 

[gazza]

NewBeerBoss,

I can highly recomend that whether you go for kegging, or bottling, that you have the equipment prepared well before the brew has finished the primary stage. As already suggested, racking is a good option, as it readily lends itself to either option for the final brew. BTW, there is a lot less cleaning involved with kegging. For my first brew, I actually had to end up borrowing some bottles off of a mate, as I hadn't though about the issue prior to fermentation. Since then, a bit of experience has tought me not to worry. The best tasting beers are the ones that are left to their own devices without any stress from the brewer. For racking, I primarily use a 25Ltr poly vinyl water drum from KMart. These are handy and cheap, but for better flavour the use of a glass fermeter apparently provides a better solution (no toxins leaching into the beer).

Don't worry, relax, have a home brew.
Cheers,
Gazz

 

[deebee]

When my boat comes in I may buy a kegging system. Until then I bottle and I don't find it a hassle. So long as your bottles are clean first (rinse thoroughly straight after use) it's easy. One quick rinse with one-shot and upend them.

If they are not clean, soak them in bleach solution for a few days then get to them with a bottle brush. Thomas from the grumpys site fits his bottle brush to his cordless drill and zaps his bottles that way.

New beer boss, do a search on bottles and similar. There are a few posts on sourcing 2nd hand bottles. Restaurants are good for stubbies. Classifieds are good for king browns because the person who has given up brewing is usually selling other brewing products for cheap at the same time. You can get some bargains. Worst comes to worse, use PET soft drink bottles (easy to find) but store them in the dark because your beer hates UV.

One tip though: buy one-shot from grumpys or use some other no-rinse sanitiser. Makes your bottling a lot easier.

 

[therook]

Just curious, does everyone steralise/sanatise there bottles after drinking.
Why i ask is, I use to do this but have found as long as you give them a good rinse after use then you will not have any problems. I have never had an off beer doing it this way

Rook

 

[RobW]

They don't need to be sterilized, the alcohol takes care of bugs as long as they are clean. I rinse well after use and store them in a clean, dry place, then when I am ready to bottle just rinse again in hot water & dry on the bottle tree. It doesn't have to be difficult.

 

[Wreck]

I usually just give them a rinse, then sterilize them when I'm ready to bottle.

 

[Wasabi]

Same here, I just rinse after use, store them upside down on the bottle tree and then sterilise before use.

 

[Wozza]

Welcome aboard NewBB.

'Is there some technique i could use to store the whole batch and still complete its process and once ready bottle it as i need it?'

If I read that last part right, you may be proposing to just bottle a few at a time. Assuming that you've got close to, say, 20L of beer in a 20L jerry, if you bottle just some of it, you're going to end up with a lot of air just sitting on top of the beer, which isn't a good idea. All that lovely amber liquid will go off. If you're going to bottle the stuff, you need to do it all in one hit.

 

[Moray]

I clean/rinse my bottles when emptied, then store until needed for my next brew.
when ready to bottle I fill the dishwasher with the bottles, and give them a quick wash. While waiting for the cycle to finish, I bulk prime the brew, and get everything else ready for bottling.

I then fill the bottles straight from the dishwasher, with bulk primed brew and cap, couldn't be easier.