Best way to add priming sugars to bottles

[ni9e]

My beer has finished fermenting and I want to bottle this brew do I transfer to a secondry for a couple of days then transfer to a bottling setup FV and add priming sugar and bottle.

Or do I transfer to a bottle setup FV out of the primary FV?
I usually transfer from the primary FV into a KingKeg with 50g of priming sugar will I need to alter this for bottling? :wha:

 

[Moley]

Well personally, and I couldn't care if it's right or wrong, as I don't fancy lifting my FV onto a worktop so I can syphon (or don't trust the handle), I bottle the top 4 gallons by carefully jugging out 2 litres at a time and bottling with a funnel. Half a tsp of sugar goes into each bottle first while the funnel is still dry, then I crown cap and give 'em a shake.

I then lift the FV, syphon the last gallon to a DJ and let it stand for a couple of days before bottling that.

 

[dandan]

I do same as moley (Half a tsp) except i use a little bottler.

 

[ni9e]

Half a tsp of sugar goes into each bottle first while the funnel is still dry, then I crown cap and give 'em a shake.

This is the step I want to miss out I thought by mixing x amount of priming sugars into boiled water to a FV then syphoning the beer from one FV to another and then bottling that way the sugars would be mixed evenly and save me the hassle of trying to put the priming sugars into the bottles.

 

[llannige]

Work out what sugar is needed,(I use D.M.E.)boil with water in saucepan.Allow it to cool (Usually do this before rinsing bottles)add to bottling bucket along with contents of F.V.I also add a tsp of slurry from the bottom of the F.V. mixed with a little cooled pre-boiled water.

I then fix the bottling stick to bucket to fill bottles and then use a bench capper to finish it off.

As you say the bottles are primed evenly this way.

 

[Moley]

This is the step I want to miss out I thought by mixing x amount of priming sugars into boiled water to a FV then syphoning the beer from one FV to another and then bottling that way the sugars would be mixed evenly and save me the hassle of trying to put the priming sugars into the bottles.

Like I said, I know your way is probably more correct but my way suits me, I bottle from the Primary, am methodical in my individual bottle priming so I've never missed or double-primed a bottle, and I don't have to lift a full FV to syphon it into another. I've had a top chunk rip out of an (admittedly old) brewing bin before now. Fortunately it wasn't full of beer at the time but I wouldn't want to risk a split or a handle giving way while lifting a precious cargo.

 

[brewersdroop]

I used to put the sugar into each bottle and then syphon direct from the FV into the bottles.

However got board with the extra stage of adding sugar to each bottle. I also got a little paranoid that the sugar might not be clean.

So now I boil the sugar in water, top up with cool clean water from the tap and add the look warm mix the FV with a little (shallow) stir. Then I syphon to bottles. I have done this half a dozen times now and no problem.

 

[topconker]

I always rack off into demijohns and allow to rest/clear for a week.
The beer is ready to bottle when it's clear at the rate of ½ teaspoon sugar to the pint bottle.
I just prepare the sterilised bottles with the priming sugar using a small funnel which is kept for the job then syphon into each bottle being sure to keep the outlet end below the surface of the beer to avoid fobbing and more importantly no absorbtion of air.
Then I just crown cap the bottles with a capper double checking each is correctly fitted, give each bottle a good shake then leave in a warm place for 5 days before storing in a cool place.
IPAs are normally ready in 3 - 4 months and continue to improve for up to 6 months before starting to break down.
TC

 

[topconker]

Forgot to say, bottling cloudy beer ends up with a cloudy pint when the yeast sediment rises with the bead.
Even slightly opaque beer should not be bottled, (IMHO), and there is enough yeast suspended in the green beer to produce a secondary fermentation required for bottle conditioned beers.
TC

 

[jamesb]

Sounds like someone hasn't got the "Brewers Knack" of pouring bright beer without disturbing the yeast. I don't bottle my beers bright and always end up with a good pint. Most yeasts will clear down given enough time.

 

[topconker]

Got the "knack" 20 odd years ago Jamesb, had to when judging 30 odd bottles of poorly made beer on the National judges table and people didn't listen to sound advice.
Seriously, the less yeast lees in the bottle, the less chance of autolisation of the final taste as I'm sure we'll all agree.
TC

 

[topconker]

Sorry, typo there, should read "autolysis" off flavours that we can all detect in a badly bottled/cellared beer.
You're absolutely right jamesB, most if not all beers will clear down except those with protein hazes due to poor hot or cold breaks, but any with excess yeast deposits will most certainly end up with off flavours.
TC

 

[jamesb]

Agreed, you shouldn't bottle an excessively cloudy beer. My point was however, that a cloudy beer can be bottled with no problems.

In this temperature though, unless you've got a cold place or chilling facilities, getting the yeast to clear down to an acceptable level is a nightmare.

 

[ano]

In this temperature though, unless you've got a cold place or chilling facilities, getting the yeast to clear down to an acceptable level is a nightmare.

Agreed!

 

[topconker]

Good enough reason not to brew in this weather or just rack off and store under airlock until things cool down and the brew can clear down.
As long as it's kept under airlock green beer can be stored for a surprisingly long time and still have live yeast availble for the secondary fermentation, you dont have to bottle a week after racking off and indeed barley wines improve by keeping like this for at least 12 weeks which helps to develop the flavours.
TC

 

[topconker]

Forgot to mention even if the green beer does throw the live yeast there's always Krausening to fall back on.
TC

 

[ano]

It's just knowing if it's gone 'too' quiet which remains a bit of an unknown. Maturing beer is something I'd like to do (with the space) and Wheeler talks of barreling high gravity beers for up to a year before bottling.

 

[topconker]

Keith is absolutely right and as I've said there's no reason why lesser strength beers are not handled the same.
It really is surprising just how resilient brewing yeast is and given the right conditions can and will stay dormant ready to spring into action as soon as it's given the fuel,(primings), to work on. (Try opening a ten year old Hardy's Ale and using the deposit as a starter if you doubt it).
If anyone has a microscope put a drop of stored green beer on a slope and take a look and you'll see what I'm banging on about.
One of the top competion brewers in the country from Cornwall always stored his beers like this under the stairs in his unstairs flat and blended several batches prior to bottling to get his entries just right, and I know of at least 4 more throughout the countries top brewers who do the same.
TC