Nearly Newbie still puzzled - Help please

[garylewis1966]

I'm about to start my 2nd brew of lager. I want to stick with bottling but found syphoning a bit of a handful. So, I've brought another plastic fermenting barrel (this one with a tap) and intended to syphon the whole brew into the 2nd barrel once the hydrometer reading levelled off, batch prime in the 2nd barrel, use the tap to fill the bottles without spillage and seal with metal caps. My questions are:

1. Does this make sense?
2. How long should I leave in the 2nd barrel (once primed) before bottling?
3. Am I likely to get good carbonation this way i.e without a pressure barrel?

I learnt the hard way first time round! Every plastic re-seal popped of it's bottle at one time or other so have invested in a capper - stupid idea using re-seals. Made several other mistakes along the way but have really enjoyed the home brewing experience, particularly as my 19 year old daughter has shown an interest - a bit of father/daughter bonding via home brew.

 

[eggman]

When you say a fermenting barrel with a tap did you mean a fermenting bucket with a tap? If so that all makes sense, the only thing i would add is a little bottler which should fit straight onto the tap and will make your life alot easier.
Once into the other fermenter and batch primed, bottle straight away. I would use 1 teaspoon per pint as you're doing a lager.
After you've bottled make sure to leave it somewhere warm for at least a week before transfering somewhere cooler to condition.
Good luck with your brew :

 

[RobWalker]

With the tap that comes on the keg it wont work well. Theres no pressure so itll glug around, and that will oxidize your beer. A little bottler, as mentioned, will solve the problem.

Other than that you can get a syphon valve attachment which will take any spillage out of the equazion, best quid i ever spent. A clip for your bucket will free up a hand, easy peasy.

 

[garylewis1966]

Thanks for the replies. Yep, I meant a bucket not a barrel. When you say a bottler I'm thinking this is a plastic tube that fits onto the tap and into the bottle? Syphon valve sound a good choice too.

 

[eggman]

Yeah it just a small tube that can fit directly to the tap. It has a valve in the bottom so you just push the little bottler against the bottom of the bottle and then lift it again to stop the flow when the bottle is full :thumb:

 

[garylewis1966]

Eggman, a bottler sounds like a good gizmo - I'll look out for one of those. This Forum has been of great help. Thanks :

 

[lovelldr]

as egg man says, the little bottler I found to be really useful when bottling... One thing ... with lager, I would probably suggest a little more sugar, altho it all depends on where you're bottling to. I bottled to pet plastic bottles, and I primed to 90g sugar for the whole 21 litres. Think I should've gone to around 120g personally...

I'm sure you'll be fine :)