New Brewer. The secrets of perfection in a bottle.

NJBiggles_BrewStar · Mar 13, 2012

Hey all,

Have done a few home kits over the past 2 years, most significantly Scottish Export Ale and have dabbled with Light ale and lager in the past. Using a standard fermentation kit and follwing instructions to the word on all kits im having trouble maintaining a correct pressure when syphoned into the bottles. Found in the first batch that after cracking open the cap it frothed to the top; the sediment rising with the beer leaving me us with a cloudy end product.

Most recently have found that leaving this darker ale to rest works better but still getting some dodgy-frothy ones. Can't afford a pressure barrel yet; wondered whether standard granulated sugar was the issue here?

Cheers.

johnnie · Mar 13, 2012

Welcome to the forum. I think you'll find most people prime with granulated sugar. Maybe you're adding to much to each bottle!

graysalchemy · Mar 13, 2012

Batch priming is the best way of priming as it assures an even mix of sugar.

To do it you will need a separate fv for bottling. The best thing to do, when the beer has finished, is to rack your beer in to a clean sterilized FV and leave it somewhere cool for a few days or until the beer is clear.

Now when you are ready to bottle you need to clean and sterilize your other FV again. Then weigh out you sugar for priming at a rate of about 5-6g/l. Place this in a sterilized jug with a little boiling water to dissolve then put this in the empty FV. Now carefully syphon your beer into this FV making sure not to splash the beer as oxygen causes off flavours and try not to pick up any sediment. your sugar solution should now be mixed into the beer quite evenly but give it a gentle stir with a sterilized spoon.

You can now bottle the beer leaving about 1" of air in the top. Once they are all bottled they need to be left at the same temp you fermented 18-21c and leave for a week then transfere to somewhere cool for about a month. The fizz generated in the priming stage will dissolve in the beer during this second phase. You should only have a little build up of yeast on the bottom which with time compacts down making it harder to dislodge when pouring.

Hope that helps.

abeyptfc · Mar 13, 2012

never had any problesm fermenting beer for 2 weeks then popping in a coopers carbonation drop per 500ml or pint bottle. very easy and quick way to get even carbonation without racking from one bucket to another then adding sugar then racking to another FV then bottling.pay the extra Â£3 for a bag of drops and you will be sorted.

aneray · Mar 13, 2012

graysalchemy said:
Batch priming is the best way of priming as it assures an even mix of sugar.

To do it you will need a separate fv for bottling. The best thing to do, when the beer has finished, is to rack your beer in to a clean sterilized FV and leave it somewhere cool for a few days or until the beer is clear.

Now when you are ready to bottle you need to clean and sterilize your other FV again. Then weigh out you sugar for priming at a rate of about 5-6g/l. Place this in a sterilized jug with a little boiling water to dissolve then put this in the empty FV. Now carefully syphon your beer into this FV making sure not to splash the beer as oxygen causes off flavours and try not to pick up any sediment. your sugar solution should now be mixed into the beer quite evenly but give it a gentle stir with a sterilized spoon.

You can now bottle the beer leaving about 1" of air in the top. Once they are all bottled they need to be left at the same temp you fermented 18-21c and leave for a week then transfere to somewhere cool for about a month. The fizz generated in the priming stage will dissolve in the beer during this second phase. You should only have a little build up of yeast on the bottom which with time compacts down making it harder to dislodge when pouring.

A great explanation for the novice brewer.

Nice one GA :clap: