Bottle conditioning

[RobWalker]

I've got a brew on but it seems to be having some trouble keeping pressure, and it's sucked the water from the airlock! odd. Fermentation will be done in about 1-2 days as it's been doing a day or two already.

Anyway, I'm bottling this batch, my usual method is to clear it out in the bucket and then bottle with priming sugar. Obviously I'd rather not keep it in a non pressurized environment, so what's the crack here? Shall I still add priming sugar if I bottle at the point where fermentation just finishes or shall I give it time?

 

[oldstout]

Bizzarre :wha: :wha:

I look forward to an answer to this one :hmm:

Hope it turns out ok for you Rob

:

 

[graysalchemy]

I would leave it so it can under go a diacetyl rest for a few days then move it to somewhere cool for a week. It will be fine as the co2 will form a protective layer. Non of my beers are ever under airlock it isn't necessary. I had a barley wine left in a clean fermenter for 3 months before i bottled it, mind you it was winter a nd it was a 9% beer.

I would batch prime as well.

 

[RobWalker]

That's good to know. What I'm really worried about is how much gas I may be losing through a leak in the fermenter, its a 2 gallon food safe bucket, the kind you get bulk mayo and stuff in, our lhbs sells then. How long would a rest take then? I reakon I can have it clear just shy of a week, so that time would be ideal.

 

[graysalchemy]

Co2 is heavier than air so it will just sit above the beer as long as you don't fuss. Leave it at fermentation temp to 2-3 days after fermentation has stopped (diacetyl rest) then put it somewhere cool until it clears. Putting it in a clean FV is also a good idea, but beers below 5% are best bottled as soon as they are cleared. I have lost a few brews from not getting round to bottling and leaving them for 2-3 weeks :nono: :nono: So I tend to have a beer in the bottle 2 weeks after start. Higher gravity beers are like wine the alcohol protects them but you need a higher abv.

 

[RobWalker]

Aah, this is only a 4.5 as usual so I'm happy with 3 days. I'll get it sorted and bottled as soon as possible then, cheers.

 

[oldstout]

Aah, this is only a 4.5 as usual so I'm happy with 3 days. I'll get it sorted and bottled as soon as possible then, cheers.

Good old GA! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

Aah, this is only a 4.5 as usual so I'm happy with 3 days. I'll get it sorted and bottled as soon as possible then, cheers.

Good old GA! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumb:

Less of the old I'm only 43 and talk of age only makes my midlife crisis worse. :lol:

 

[oldstout]

Aah, this is only a 4.5 as usual so I'm happy with 3 days. I'll get it sorted and bottled as soon as possible then, cheers.

Good old GA! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumb:

Less of the old I'm only 43 and talk of age only makes my midlife crisis worse. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well your only as old as the woman you feel :grin: come to mention it, I'm not old, or even stout :shock: :shock: and I don't drink Old Stout either :wha: :wha:

First thing that popped into me head whan I signed on, dunno why :wha: :wha:

I'm actually a young Robert Redford lookalike



Anyway, I digress..... I knew you'd be able to help :thumb:

:

 

[graysalchemy]

Thanks :thumb: :thumb:

Now back to my midlife crisis