Bottling time tips and tricks.

[Gerryjo]

Thought I would post this method again for newbies or anyone as I know it can be messy at times bottling.
My trick is to keep it contained so it doesn't spill all over the floor.
Feel free to add your own tips/tricks.

 

[Clint]

Hang the bottling bucket tap/wand over an open dishwasher...to clear up afterwards...shut the door!

 

[JonathanMSE]

Hang the bottling bucket tap/wand over an open dishwasher...to clear up afterwards...shut the door!

Oh that's far cleverer than mine... I just put a towel down.

Not a trick for mess, and in fact not much of a trick at all... but invest in a decent bottle capper, it will pay for itself many times over compared to a cheap piece of junk where you struggle to get the caps on and spend an age trying to get things bottled.

 

[jof]

I'm not sure I would trust my dish washer door with more than 6 full bottles.
My technique is to line all the bottles up and just fill them one after the other. Then cap them at the end

 

[Clint]

...the door just catches the drips.

 

[DocAnna]

I fill the bottles while they are in a crate, peeling off the cling film 1 row at a time ( I use cling film over the crate after cleaning and sanitising), though it is necessary to take them out a few at a time for bottling, keeping them in a crate means they don't fall over and any overflow just goes through the bottom. As for keeping the floor dry - sometimes I use a large animal food mat - they are rubber and have a lip to contain spills from pet food bowls.

Anna

 

[Clint]

Bottle tree full of sanitised bottles and the bottle wash,after sanitising the bottles is filled with the bottle caps,both on the work top above the dishwasher alongside the bottling bucket. I pull up a chair and fill each bottle over the open dishwasher and pass the bottles over to the table until there's "enough" then I swap chairs and crack on with the bench capper.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hang the bottling bucket tap/wand over an open dishwasher...to clear up afterwards...shut the door!

Don't fancy getting the wains pished....

 

[Gerryjo]

Oh that's far cleverer than mine... I just put a towel down.

Not a trick for mess, and in fact not much of a trick at all... but invest in a decent bottle capper, it will pay for itself many times over compared to a cheap piece of junk where you struggle to get the caps on and spend an age trying to get things bottled.

Have a bench capper and flip tops which are great when bottling..

 

[Gerryjo]

Bottle tree full of sanitised bottles and the bottle wash,after sanitising the bottles is filled with the bottle caps,both on the work top above the dishwasher alongside the bottling bucket. I pull up a chair and fill each bottle over the open dishwasher and pass the bottles over to the table until there's "enough" then I swap chairs and crack on with the bench capper.

Had my bottle tree out tonight for the first time in over a year and fantastic. Quite enjoying my bottling but sampling is starting to work as they are between 8 and 9%....

 

[dad_of_jon]

Clints other tip about filling the bottles further after removing the spring loaded bottling wand - great simple and effective . Now I dont overflow anybottles trying to get up to the rim when the wand is still inserted (ooh matron) I now have far less head space in the bottles - Genius.

 

[Gerryjo]

Clints other tip about filling the bottles further after removing the spring loaded bottling wand - great simple and effective . Now I dont overflow anybottles trying to get up to the rim when the wand is still inserted (ooh matron) I now have far less head space in the bottles - Genius.

I must have missed that one so you shall have to divulge....

 

[Mavroz]

Bottling wand .... No spillage, no waste, no mess, no faffing.

 

[chopps]

Hang the bottling bucket tap/wand over an open dishwasher...to clear up afterwards...shut the door!

Genius!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I put a newspaper under my bottles when using my Syphon with little bottler attached when finished the paper goes in the recycling bin.

 

[Galena]

After washing and sanitising I keep the bottles in a couple of these, it means nothing goes inside the bottle with the potential to contaminate and it drains to its own tray.

 

[jMac]

Everyone does this, but I didn’t pick it up until a couple of brews in and found putting the correct amount of beer in the bottle a faff:

Fill the bottle to the rim with your bottling wand/syphon tube in the bottle and on removing the wand/tube, voila, headspace!

Maybe useful for those very new to brewing!

 

[Gerryjo]

Everyone does this, but I didn’t pick it up until a couple of brews in and found putting the correct amount of beer in the bottle a faff:

Fill the bottle to the rim with your bottling wand/syphon tube in the bottle And on removing the wand/tube, voila, headspace!

Just leaves the right amount of headspace in the bottle..

 

[Nidger]

Bottle tree full of sanitised bottles and the bottle wash,after sanitising the bottles is filled with the bottle caps,both on the work top above the dishwasher alongside the bottling bucket. I pull up a chair and fill each bottle over the open dishwasher and pass the bottles over to the table until there's "enough" then I swap chairs and crack on with the bench capper.

Are those bottle trees sturdy enough for glass bottles Clint ?
I'm about to order one along with a bench capper.
I've only seen them with pet bottles on.
Cheers.

 

[DocAnna]

Personally I find a sink drainer works just fine for glass bottles, and I did just a wee few yesterday to get ready for a mammoth bottling session...

Now all sanitised and covered in cling film.

Anna