A question of bottling

[thegoatboy]

Hello!

Just wondering about bottling.

what are good time frames for the bottling process?

as in, it seems I need to keep the bottles in the warm for a bit, then in the cold.

how long should I keep them in the warm?

And finally, the priming calculator.

do I just need to guess the volumes of Co2?

And i was planning on using some fancy priming sugar. it states add 10% more.

is that a good idea?

 

[Speccy]

About a week at room temperature is normally enough for the yeast to eat your priming sugar and carbonate the beer, then a couple of weeks somewhere cool to clear and condition the beer.

The amount of priming sugar depends on the style of beer, but I normally go with around 85g of sugar for a standard 40-pint batch of bitter or stout, up to maybe 140g for the same amount of lager. That's assuming you're batch priming (i.e., mixing all the sugar with the beer first, then bottling) rather than priming the bottles individually.

Just ordinary granulated sugar works fine - no need for anything fancier.

 

[thegoatboy]

well I have the fancy priming sugar now, so may as well use it. :-)

still trying to decide what method I want to try first (prime the bottle or the beer)

 

[Racinsnake]

The general opinion is batch prime for bottling, although Iv got to admit I can't get my head round why it's best.
Iv done both, batch and half teaspoon in a bottle and both have been spot on. Personally I'd go 2 weeks in the warm, conditioning..... as long as you can resist lol.

 

[Leon103]

Batch is a lot easier and quicker in my opinion.

 

[Antony]

The general opinion is batch prime for bottling, although Iv got to admit I can't get my head round why it's best.
Iv done both, batch and half teaspoon in a bottle and both have been spot on. Personally I'd go 2 weeks in the warm, conditioning..... as long as you can resist lol.

Personally i find it easier to sanitise and syphon, a fv with some sugar in it, than to pour sugar into 40 bottles. It gives a more even amount of carbonation across the bottles

 

[ManseMasher]

2 + 2 + 2 is a good rule of 2 weeks fv, 2 weeks somewhere same temperature as you fermented at, 2 weeks somewhere cooler (around 12°c is good). I always batch prime, a lot less faffing than putting sugar into every individual bottle. As for how much to use, if you go into the calculators tab at the top of the page you will find one that tells you how much to use for the style of beer you are brewing.

 

[brumbrew]

I've done both too and never noticed the difference except maybe as you say time.

But when SWMBO wants to join in were bottling :-) keeps her quiet. And makes her feel like she's done something too.

I just use kegs now. (Little 5ltr ones) and dregs goes in swingtops.

Carb drops are a waste of money.

What is this fancy priming sugar?

 

[thegoatboy]

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Brewing_Sugar_1kg.html#a101109

Fancy sugar

 

[Racinsnake]

Personally i find it easier to sanitise and syphon, a fv with some sugar in it, than to pour sugar into 40 bottles. It gives a more even amount of carbonation across the bottles

That's what I don't understand Antony, surely exactly half a teaspoon placed in each bottle will give more even carbonation than stirring it into 21 litres of liquid then pouring into individual bottles?
Or am I missing the point because easier = better. Which I totally understand!!

 

[thegoatboy]

the sugar debates ensues!

 

[Cwrw666]

I've tried both methods and can't see any advantage to batch priming. Main dissadvantage is getting the sugar totally dissolved and mixed in evenly - without splashing a lot of air into your brew. Me, I'm gonna stick to half a teaspoonful per bottle.

 

[AdrianTrace]

I'm the opposite - I much prefer batch priming for simplicity, and mostly for control/repeatability :ugeek:. My half teaspoon may not be yours (or the manufacturers), or even the same as next week or the next spoonful. I don't know about you, but we have about a dozen different types of teaspoon, all different sizes.

Weighing out 60g per 23l is much more of a standard process, and easy to tweak for more or less carbonation or for different batch sizes.

 

[thegoatboy]

I have a measuring spoon that holds exactly a tea spoon.

doesn't everyone?

 

[AdrianTrace]

So how do you judge half that? Heaped or flat? Are you using caster or granulated or crystals, as these will give slightly different amounts for volume?

Too many variables for me, but as always, go with what works :

 

[thegoatboy]

I also have a 1/2 tea spoon and a 1/4 tea spoon measuring - well spoon.

I was under the impression that level of that is the required amount.

any more I guess would be classed as "heaped"?

damn physics and standards!

why is it so difficult!

I just want to get drunk on something I brewed myself! :drink:

 

[Covrich]

Do whatever works for you.. I find batch priming so much easier and much more consistent than faffing around and measuring trying to get a spoon per bottle.. (I still found it a little bit hit and missand it got stuck to the sides of the wet bottles just a bit messy, but thats me..

I also find boiling it helps dissolve it and gives you an extra belt and braces steralising of it.. (you should be okay but why not if you're doing it anyway)

Put the sugar solution in my bottling bucket put solution in and then rack beer on top and with no need to stir whatsoever the solution is mixed in perfectly , think of it like this.. when you make orange squash imagine you put the squash in the bottom (your priming solution) then add your water (beer) all mixed in right?

That and a bottling wand just gives me a universal even primed bottle every time and its easier for me to bottle off the yeast cake. Main disadvantage is washing two vessels but I find that more than worth it.

But like I say do what works for you.

 

[Leon103]

There is no issue with dissolving sugar if it's heated in the hob in some water or wort. The good thing about batch priming so you can vary the amount of sugar for each brew depending on style.

 

[thegoatboy]

I'm sure at some point I will try both methods.

priming before the bottling barrel sounds like less effort.

 

[Racinsnake]

That's my exact problem Cov.
When I pour water on my orange squash and look through the glass it seems cloudy in some parts and dark in others! unless I stir it. Scale it up and half a pint of boiled water versus 36 pints of ale.....?
Iam being devils advocate though :whistle: as I use both methods (mainly teaspoon method) and not really had any problems.

Rob.