I'm brewing beer for the first time.

[Davina]

I had no activity in the airlock at all. However I checked the hydrometer and it hit the yellow marker for bottling so I did. Now I'm a bit worried. Also as the beer clears I'm getting sediment at the bottom of the bottles. Not sure if this is okay.

 

[DocAnna]

A very warm welcome to the forum. It sounds like your fermentation was very much done and fine for bottling. As for the sediment, that's just the yeast that was left in suspension at the time of bottling settling down and is absolutely fine. Normally you'd leave just a little beer behind when pouring so that the yeast doesn't end up in the glass, but there's no harm if it does and you end up drinking it.

You haven't mentioned if you primed the bottles with sugar before bottling. Even if you bottle what appears to be perfectly clear beer, there will be some yeast left that in consuming the sugar will create a sediment.

Anna

 

[Davina]

Thanks Anna. I was finding it a bit fiddly to put the sugar in the bottles so I used a jug. Put the correct amount of sugar into the jug and poured the beer into the jug ( which I sterilised) then poured into the bottles. It certainly smells like beer!!

 

[Cwrw666]

Hi Davina, for future brews. There's basically 2 ways to prime the beer - putting sugar in each bottle, or batch priming.
For the first you just need a cheap small plastic funnel and drop in half a teaspoonfull of sugar for a 500ml bottle. Bit less for a 330ml bottle.
For batch priming weigh out or measure the correct amount of sugar and heat it in a pan to boiling point and then dribble it into your fermenting bin. Give the beer a gentle stir with a sterilised spoon being careful not to disturb your yeast sediment. Then bottle your beer. For measuring I just spoon the correct number of spoons of sugar for the number of bottles I expect to end up with.
Personally I prefer the first method, but each to his own.

 

[fuggled]

Well done Davina. It sounds like it’s all going very well, in another week or so you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
You’ve done nothing wrong as far as I can see.
I would also recommend batch priming next time, it’s way easier and ensures an even level of carbonation throughout the batch.

 

[chrisb8]

Thanks Anna. I was finding it a bit fiddly to put the sugar in the bottles so I used a jug. Put the correct amount of sugar into the jug and poured the beer into the jug ( which I sterilised) then poured into the bottles. It certainly smells like beer!!

Welcome to the forum @Davina and congratulations on getting your first brew done In addition to what has already been advised it is important post-fermentation to ensure as little oxygen as possible is mixed with the beer. If I understand your post correctly then you poured the beer into a jug and then poured again into the bottles. This is likely to have introduced unwanted oxygen into the liquid as it poured and splashed. This may mean that it becomes oxidised ('goes off') quicker.

For your next brew it may be a good idea to look into equipment which can help with bottling such as a bottling bucket with tap and a 'bottling wand'. These are cheap and simple to use and will make the process a lot easier. Cheers and good luck

 

[DavieC]

Hi Davina, as all above regards advice but I'm interested to know ,what did you brew?

 

[Davina]

A Brazilian style cerveza. Bizarrely I have a brewing bucket with a tap but I didn't have the means of getting the sugar into the bottles without it being fiddly. I'm not concerned about the shelf life right now as I'm sure it's not going to need one. My family have the date it's ready in their calenders.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum.. Congratulations on getting your beer brewed and bottled and you'll find as you progress on your journey things will get easier.
Been brewing myself for quite a while and whilst I keg mainly so I can pour from the tap I had a few bottles to sort for friends and whilst reaching for the teaspoon to measure the sugar I found the nozzle for a piping bag the wife uses and was perfect.Schoolday everyday.

 

[Redwulf]

If you are bottling a whole batch try batch priming, you'll need a siphon and a 2nd bucket.

The process is dead simple:-

1. Sterilise the 2nd Bucket, the siphon tube, a pan and a bottling wand if you have one.
2. Bring 200ml of water to the boil and add the full amount of Priming sugar. Simmer for 5-10 mins
3. Pour this into the sterile bucket.
5. Siphon the beer from the FV to the bucket with the sugar in without splashing
6. Cover and leave it for 5 mins
7. Bottle

The process of siphoning the beer onto the priming sugar should mix it nicely and you should get an even amount in each bottle.

I've tried carbonation drops, sachets and adding solution to each bottle and I've gone back to even batch priming the 5 litres or so I bottle because it won't fit in the keg.

 

[iz_g]

Or even simpler, just pour the sugar solution directly into your fermenter and let stand for half an hour or so to allow it to diffuse evenly throughout the beer, then bottle.

Brewer's Friend priming sugar calculator is a good tool Beer Priming Calculator | Brewer's Friend

 

[Redwulf]

Or even simpler, just pour the sugar solution directly into your fermenter and let stand for half an hour or so to allow it to diffuse evenly throughout the beer, then bottle.

Brewer's Friend priming sugar calculator is a good tool Beer Priming Calculator | Brewer's Friend

Witchcraft!