Introduction + Questions

[djskinner]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to home brew but have been enjoying a good beer for a while now!

I've done about 5 kits, and keen to make some good light golden ales, bordering on lager. I'm trying to get the actual fermentation/bottling process worked out first before trying any extract brews, just so it's easier to pin down where I'm going wrong.

Here's my refined process so far:
- 1 week in primary FV (plastic bin)
- Switch to secondary FV for 1 week
- Add priming solution (brewing sugar - glucose?) Siphon into bottling bucket.
- Bottle using a Little Bottler.
- 3 weeks at least before enjoying.

The kits generally turn out clear and taste good. I might save my pennies for a conical fermenter so I don't need to risk moving the beer to a secondary (and save time of course). I read the How to get the best from your beer kit guide and I'm going to try popping in a campden tablet with the water next brew (our tap water is very hard).

To the questions then:
1. Bottling day pains me. What can I do to either fill bottles faster or bottle two/three at a time? Pumps, CO2?
2. What's the general agreement on a good, hassle free sanitizer? I want one that I can spray into a bottle (using a vinator on top of my bottle tree) and not have to worry about rinsing my bottle before filling with beer.
3. I'm thinking about upgrading the priming sugar. Is there anything else I can do to improve these pale ales?
4. Everything is currently done at RT. Is there any merit in lagering or storing the bottles in a fridge?

Cheers :drink:,

Daniel

 

[unclepumble]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to home brew but have been enjoying a good beer for a while now!

I've done about 5 kits, and keen to make some good light golden ales, bordering on lager. I'm trying to get the actual fermentation/bottling process worked out first before trying any extract brews, just so it's easier to pin down where I'm going wrong.

Here's my refined process so far:
- 1 week in primary FV (plastic bin)
- Switch to secondary FV for 1 week
- Add priming solution (brewing sugar - glucose?) Siphon into bottling bucket.
- Bottle using a Little Bottler.
- 3 weeks at least before enjoying.

The kits generally turn out clear and taste good. I might save my pennies for a conical fermenter so I don't need to risk moving the beer to a secondary (and save time of course). I read the How to get the best from your beer kit guide and I'm going to try popping in a campden tablet with the water next brew (our tap water is very hard).

To the questions then:
1. Bottling day pains me. What can I do to either fill bottles faster or bottle two/three at a time? Pumps, CO2?
2. What's the general agreement on a good, hassle free sanitizer? I want one that I can spray into a bottle (using a vinator on top of my bottle tree) and not have to worry about rinsing my bottle before filling with beer.
3. I'm thinking about upgrading the priming sugar. Is there anything else I can do to improve these pale ales?
4. Everything is currently done at RT. Is there any merit in lagering or storing the bottles in a fridge?

Cheers :drink:,

Daniel

Sounds like your pretty much there, for secondary you could transfer to a keg, so as under slight pressurised CO2.

If its an improvement on taste your after, AG might be worth a try, as its a big step up on end quality wise, most AG brews surpass what u can buy commercially, and its not hard to do once you find your feet.

Failing that Partial mash with extract is an option.

UP

 

[prolix]

dj welcome to the forum mate, hope my answers don't offend too much sampling done today.

with a kit brew is there any need to primary then secondary? I don't actually know the answer thats why I ask.

Anyhow you should drop to secondary at about 48hrs not a week.

Personally I don't bother dropping at all to much risk of infection or oxidation compared to percieved improvment.

Now with that conical you mentioned, I wish I had one :thumb:

Campden tablets remove chlorine not hardness. Use them they are great and easy. the hardness is only an issue with AG as it effects the acidity and therefore the mash rate.

Oh yeah and welcome mate.

 

[evanvine]

Welcome to the Forum DJS.
I always double drop, gets rid of a load of rubbish.
Keg versus bottles, no contest, bottling too much trouble!

 

[31bb3]

Welcome to the forum i prefer the corny keg then i can force carb that way you dont end up with a lot of sediment on the bottom and you can transport it without worry of stirring it up.I usually end up bottling a couple of bottles cos the corny doesnt hold 23 ltrs give you the chance to see how its clearing

 

[Sean_Mc]

Hi and welcome to the forum Daniel :

 

[Tony]

Hi
Nice to meet you!

Couple of things that haven't already been mentioned. For sanitizing - do a search here for VIDENE... stuff is fantastic and will save you time.
As far as sugar is concerned, I always use 'brewers sugar' Nice fine powder and easy to use, I was planning to do the latest brew with honey, but it seems that its too difficult to gauge the exact amount of fermentables in there so I've forgotten it. Seems like everything else you are doing is bang on! As UP said earlier, next step is All Grain .. then you'll be lost to the craft for life!

:

 

[djskinner]

@prolix: I found that dropping to a secondary helps to clear the beer and reduces bottle sediment.

Thanks all for the warm welcome and tips.

It looks like the general consensus is to keg instead of bottle. I would also need something to chill it and serve it which is not going to be easy (space and money). As an interim solution, is it possible to keg beer and then transfer it to a some bottles for refrigeration and consumption. It might seem a little pointless to keg it in the first place then but I need to start somewhere I guess!

I remember seeing something called a beer gun and it looked like they were using it to fill bottles from a keg - it used CO2 as I recall. Does anyone do this?

Dan

 

[unclepumble]

@prolix: I found that dropping to a secondary helps to clear the beer and reduces bottle sediment.

Thanks all for the warm welcome and tips.

It looks like the general consensus is to keg instead of bottle. I would also need something to chill it and serve it which is not going to be easy (space and money). As an interim solution, is it possible to keg beer and then transfer it to a some bottles for refrigeration and consumption. It might seem a little pointless to keg it in the first place then but I need to start somewhere I guess!

I remember seeing something called a beer gun and it looked like they were using it to fill bottles from a keg - it used CO2 as I recall. Does anyone do this?

Dan

Its generally better to transfer to keg let the beer condition for a few weeks then bottle it, you shouldn't need any finings then, and can prime at your desired level when ready to bottle., generally 1/4tsp per bottle should be ample.

A little bottler will be just fine, the beer gun is only really a stainless handheld little bottler, with a gas flushing facility!

You can then bottle in a few runs if you find doing 40 a pain, as the stuff not bottled in the keg can be covered in CO2 as long as the keg has an s30.

UP

 

[djskinner]

OK - So I am simply switching out my secondary (plastic bin) for the keg?

 

[QED]

1. Bottling day pains me.

Quite the opposite, I actually like the bottling process. It's almost like it's a de-stressing therapy for me! It helps me unwind.
Do I lead a too stressful life :hmm:

 

[unclepumble]

OK - So I am simply switching out my secondary (plastic bin) for the keg?

In a word yes.

UP