1st Bottling Day - checklist.

[fbsf]

Hi all, it's finally arrived - the day I get to put my first brew (a Coopers APA) into bottles!
It's been at FG for a week now, but has been clearing nicely in that time.

My plan is:
Fill the bath with cold water and the correct amount of thin bleach, then soak the bottles in there, along with my bottle tree for at least half an hour (the bottles have already been cleaned and rinsed).
While this is happening, add 120g sugar to 1/4pt of water and dissolve, then add to my 2nd FV. When cool enough syphon the beer from FV1 to FV2 making sure the sugar solution is well but gently mixed.
Rinse the bottles in v.hot water, and put on bottle tree.
Use the little bottler on FV2 to fill the bottles
Crown-cap the bottles, label them, then put them in cardboard boxes in the internal garage (which is currently about 19deg) for a week, then try and find somewhere cooler to put them (not entirely sure where at this point, as the garage is probably the coolest place I have...) for another 3 weeks before sampling.

Does this sound about right? Is there anything I've missed or got wrong?

Cheers, fatboyslimfast.

 

[graysalchemy]

That sounds about right but don't forget to sterilise your crown caps as well. :thumb:

 

[The Goatreich]

Personally I rinse with cold water, but then I don't use bleach as the steriliser (yet). Otherwise that all sounds good.

As GA mentions, sterilise the caps too, just a quick dunk in your steriliser solution of choice, a rinse if necessary and you're good to go.

I'm also struggling with cold conditioning at the moment, the coolest place I have is the shed, and it's probably nowhere near the recommended cellar temperatures, but you can only do what you can. It'll be fine.

 

[fbsf]

Sterilising the crown caps - cheers for that, would have missed that one.

 

[graysalchemy]

:thumb: :thumb:

 

[jonnymorris]

Biggest problem you'll have is the last bit... waiting 3 weeks before sampling. I'll put money on you cracking one open after 2.

 

[graysalchemy]

:lol: :lol:

 

[Barticus]

Just realised I've never sterilised any of my crown caps!!!! Fingers crossed.

Only other thing I would say is do you know how much space to leave in the bottles?

I have filled just to the bottom of the neck but am not sure if this is right or not!

 

[BrotherMalice]

I used a little bottler to fill mine, filled them almost to the top and then pulled the bottler out leaving the perfect amount of space in the bottle :)

 

[Baz Chaz]

I used a little bottler to fill mine, filled them almost to the top and then pulled the bottler out leaving the perfect amount of space in the bottle :)

+1 :thumb:

Biggest problem you'll have is the last bit... waiting 3 weeks before sampling. I'll put money on you cracking one open after 2.

He's got some willpower to last that long, I'll wager half a dozen used crown caps that he's in there after a week :drink: :rofl:

 

[fbsf]

I reckon I might last two weeks at a push for the first bottle! But once my curiosity has been sated, I reckon the next week should be ok!!

 

[anthonyUK]

As you are using bleach it is a good idea to put a bit of campden in your rinsing water to ensure any chlorine is removed.

 

[fbsf]

And here is the finished article - ta for all the tips. Just have to decide whether to do a mexican cervesa or coopers real next...

 

[jonnymorris]

Nice job. Keep the ones in clear bottles in the dark.

 

[RokDok]

Nice job. Keep the ones in clear bottles in the dark.

I wrap a black paper napkin around each bottle just to make sure they don't skunk.

RD

 

[fbsf]

They're all in sealed cardboard boxes at the moment, and will probably stay that was until they are ready - that way they stay out of daylight, and also if one goes bang, I only have to clean glass up from a box rather than my whole garage!!!