Wiki Artical On Bulk Priming

[Brewtus]

I could not get the Wiki topic forum to work so the Moderators can sort it out.

I have written an article on bulk priming. I know it does not deal with atmospheres and volumes of CO2 and ignores temperature and pressure etc but when you use these calculators and decipher all the terms you still use about 180g of sugar for the typical 23l batch. The idea of this article is to get beginners bulk priming without scaring them off. It took me a week of search this site to find that out. It was like a mason's secret, every one else seemed to know but I could not find out. When I asked I was referred to calculators that are just to damn tough on the beginner. I use a 1 to 10 scale for carbonation as the volumes of CO2 takes a while to sus out and remember.

Please add any more tips you have but please don't make it more complex. If you do not agree with the table than discuss it here and I may adjust it.

 

[buttersd70]

Pretty good, Brewtus. It's always a difficult decision how much info is too much for the newbies, without doing their head in.

Just a couple of points, if I may....perhaps you can mention volumes of co2 without going into too much detail, perhaps as something a newbie can look further into once they are comfortable with the basics and are looking at refining their practices?

Also, I don't know whether I would even mention filtering at all. Surely the people who will benefit from this article will not have moved on to filtering at this point? And anyone that is filtering is beyond the level of knowledge of this article? Also, medium-fine filtering (ie one micron) leaves ample yeast for bottle carbonation. It just takes longer. (true. It looks clear, but its not. before kegging, I filtered maybe 10, 15 brews at 1 micron in order to reduce sediment in the bottle. It carbs up fine.) My concern is that the statement not to filter can be misinterpereted as filtering being a bad thing if bottling, which its not. It just requires a bit more patience.

Just my 2c.

 

[peas_and_corn]

If you want to start a new article for the wiki, you do it from within the wiki, by clicking the new topic button. Topics for each article are supposed to be created automatically in the wiki forum (though there have been some issues with that). Always check that it will post in the right section

 

[Swizzle]

Question from someone who is yet to bulk prime - am I correctin assuming that you need your beer in a bottling fermenter? So if I ferment in a primary then rack - which is a good thing in my rather limited experience - I'll need to move it a 3rd time to bulk prime?

 

[peas_and_corn]

yes.

 

[mwd]

Question from someone who is yet to bulk prime - am I correctin assuming that you need your beer in a bottling fermenter? So if I ferment in a primary then rack - which is a good thing in my rather limited experience - I'll need to move it a 3rd time to bulk prime?

I presume you could rack it back into the clean primary again along with the priming sugar.
Good point I have been meaning to start BP but only have the one fermenter. All my bottles are the one size so haven't bothered yet. Priming 30 bottles is not really that much extra work I don't really do that many brews a year to justify the extra gear.

 

[Steve]

I presume you could rack it back into the clean primary again along with the priming sugar.

Thats what I used to do.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Swizzle]

BP seems like a good call in some ways but so far I've leant towards sugaring 30 bottles as it seems more expedient than cleaning the fermenter - again!

Thanks chaps.

 

[Steve Lacey]

yes.

No.

While it might be desirable or safer, it is certainly not essential to move the beer off the yeast to bulk prime (especially not for hefeweizens, hey?). Just stir very gently and then let it sit for 20 minutes or so after this gentle stirring before bottling ... about how long it takes to sanitize the bottles!

 

[Brewtus]

BP seems like a good call in some ways but so far I've leant towards sugaring 30 bottles as it seems more expedient than cleaning the fermenter - again!

Thanks chaps.

After racking to prime and bottling it only takes a quick rinse to clean the fermenter. The big clean is after using it as a primary.

 

[dr K]

Racking the finished beer, unless (doh) under CO2 pressure may introduce oxygen at the wrong time, which in turn can increase the possibility of diacetyl production and eventual oxidation of the beer. Certainly the added sugar will be of great benefit in scavenging the oxygen but you are better with less to scavenge.
If I choose to bottle more than a couple of extras, usually in stubbies (bloody cold in a Canberra winter but..) I will weigh the required amount of priming sugar (with a bit to spare) and dissolve it in boiled water at the rate of 5ml per bottle with a bit to spare. I fill the bottle using one of those little bottler devices to the spillway, extract the tube and inject the sugar solution, this allows about 10ml of headspace, about 3mm, if you feel this is too little stop before flowover.


K

 

[barls]

here is where i get my info
http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Methods/...mpleGuide.shtml

 

[Brewtus]

Pretty good, Brewtus. It's always a difficult decision how much info is too much for the newbies, without doing their head in.

Just a couple of points, if I may....perhaps you can mention volumes of co2 without going into too much detail, perhaps as something a newbie can look further into once they are comfortable with the basics and are looking at refining their practices?

Also, I don't know whether I would even mention filtering at all. Surely the people who will benefit from this article will not have moved on to filtering at this point? And anyone that is filtering is beyond the level of knowledge of this article? Also, medium-fine filtering (ie one micron) leaves ample yeast for bottle carbonation. It just takes longer. (true. It looks clear, but its not. before kegging, I filtered maybe 10, 15 brews at 1 micron in order to reduce sediment in the bottle. It carbs up fine.) My concern is that the statement not to filter can be misinterpereted as filtering being a bad thing if bottling, which its not. It just requires a bit more patience.

Just my 2c.

Thanks for the 2c. I have edited the article. :icon_cheers:

 

[peas_and_corn]

No.

While it might be desirable or safer, it is certainly not essential to move the beer off the yeast to bulk prime (especially not for hefeweizens, hey?). Just stir very gently and then let it sit for 20 minutes or so after this gentle stirring before bottling ... about how long it takes to sanitize the bottles!

Of course, since this is the internet and you have disagreed, I must hate you now

I personally find it easier to put it into another vessel, mainly because it encourages the whirlpool action that helps ensure a more even blending of the sugars. However, it's all a matter of preference.

 

[Brewtus]

Ask 3 brewers, get 7 answers....

 

[peas_and_corn]

Indeed.

You totally shouldn't have to rack.

 

[buttersd70]

You totally shouldn't have to rack.

Of course you shouldn't rack. The oxygen introduced whilst racking will without doubt ruin your beer, and it will give you cancer as well. If you get enough oxygen in, your children will die of the plague, and the sky will fall.
:blink: <_<

Can someone tell that butters is getting sick of the whole 'racking will cause oxidisation' argument? Bad science disturbs my mojo.

 

[kook]

I put my bulk priming sugar in a pot on the stove with around 100-200ml of water. I boil this for 10 mins with a lid on, then pour it straight into a sanitised corny keg. The beer is then racked onto this, and the keg burped.

I then attach a length of 10mm tube onto a picnic faucet/tap, and apply gas to the keg at low pressure (pretty much as low as my reg can go).

This is a breeze for bottling. Just stick the tube into a bottle, press on the tap till full, remove the tube and cap. No stuffing around with dripping bottler wands and minimal oxidisation risks.

edit - I mentioned it here last year. I've changed my technique slightly though, just reducing the amount of liquid used, and boiling a little longer.

 

[buttersd70]

Not having a go, but just curious.....if you bottle out of a keg, why not carb first, and then bottle? Or why bottle a full batch, why not just bottle a couple for going out with etc?

 

[peas_and_corn]

Your last point is a fair one, and many people who bottle from the keg do this. Your first point, I don't know, I bottle the old fashioned way.