Pre bottling shopping

[glove81]

With much excitment I discovered a local independant home supply shop had a good aisle of brewing and winemaking supplies. As I'm about to bottle my first ever batch (Youngs bre buddy lager) I bought a capper (as the local barmaid saved me about 60 500ml bottles as freebies) and added brewing sugar and finings as these were items i'd read about here.

I then went to Tesco for groceries and low and behold the same youngs kit I have was on offer at less than 8 quid. I thought a bargain as the vessel alone was £11 in the local shop so not only did i get a second vessel but also a second kit for brewing later. MASSIVE saving i feel.

Some questions for you.

Is brewing sugar any good for priming? I'm planning on bottle priming as seems safer than batch priming for a newbie.

Are finings a good idea or a waste? They only cost a quid so thought no harm in it.

Cheers

 

[anthonyUK]

Is brewing sugar any good for priming? I'm planning on bottle priming as seems safer than batch priming for a newbie.

Hi. Brewing sugar is fine. I wouldn't say safer but maybe easier if you don't have a bottling FV yet (one with a tap on and maybe a little bottler device).

Are finings a good idea or a waste? They only cost a quid so thought no harm in it.

Do you now what type of finings they are? Where is your FV whilst fermenting and what is the temperature?
Finings can help you get a clear beer in the bottle so are worthwhile.
Somewhere with a cool temperature such as a garage floor can also help drop a lot of the yeast out of suspension.

 

[PD]

Good ol Tate and Lyle is fine for priming your bottles.
While your shopping for bits and bobs look out for a set of cooks measuring spoons and little funnels. I prefer bottle priming to batch and really is no more hassle to do. All bottles washed and sterilised lined up...go along the line funnel in half tsp of sugar move funnel to next bottle and so on.
a cooks half tsp is a boon.
Why bother with finnings ? as a normal addition. Don't bother you will find they are unnecessary for 99 per cent of brews.
In most cases if your beer is cloudy you have not left it long enough.

 

[glove81]

It's 'Harris filters beer brite' has been fermenting at room temp which has been around 18 degrees during process. Going to move it out to shed now and keep there when bottled.

Have you any opinion on using another 25 litre vessel as a secondary. Read it might leave to much empty space above beer giving oxygen a chance. Was only planning on having it in secondary with findings for a day or two before bottling.

 

[PD]

In my limited experience ( and only with kits ) I've found that a secondary fv is a necessity, certainly more so than finning's.
We brewers are impatient buggers, unfortunately yeasts need time to convert sugars into alcohol, then clean up the by products, sediment needs time to drop to the bottom of the vessel leaving a nice clean brew. So anyway we can introduce a process that gives the beer time and stops us messing about too soon is beneficial.
Ferment initially in ferment vessel 1, untill the yeast activity has almost stopped or indeed has stopped. You will determine that by the correct use of a hydrometer. The brew is then racked off the pile of dead yeasts and detritus on the bottom into a nice clean FV 2. As long as you take care with cleaning and sanitising and keep a loose lid on the top of the brew you will have no problems with air affecting the brew. Be careful and try not to splash the liquid around in the bucket...nice and steady.
I then leave the brew in FV2 for a period of at least as long as in FV1 usually a little longer. FV2 should be fitted with a tap and a little bottler device. When ready its a simple matter of bottling priming direct from here into your chosen bottles.
If you want to batch prime doing it this way means you have to rack again into FV3 fitted with little bottler. ( or a cleaned and sanitised FV1 ) but as stated I don't batch prime.
This method works fine for me, I'm not saying its the best or only way to go.
Beer brewing needs time and clean/sanitised equipment, we often do the sanitisation ok but skip on the time aspect.

Master he says " Slow down glasshopper and give your brew time."

 

[glove81]

keep a loose lid on the top

Good tip, otherwise I'd have it stuck down.

 

[glove81]

Got hold of a secondary vessel and added a tap to it to make bottling easier.

Gonna batch prime it with 150g of granulated sugar.

Been steralising all day and made a drying rack from some timber slabs I had lying around. Going to get some football or golf on the tv later and get the stuff bottled and capped.

Can't wait.