Storing beer prior to bottling?

[Chris Bolton]

Is it feasible to store beer post fermentation and prior to bottling up to a period of say 4-6 weeks? I've some containers akin to polypins that I'm thinking could be used.

 

[MrRook]

As long as you're scrupulous about cleaning and sanitation.

 

[AnimatedGIF]

Is it feasible to store beer post fermentation and prior to bottling up to a period of say 4-6 weeks? I've some containers akin to polypins that I'm thinking could be used.

Could you leave it in the fermenter? I guess that depends on your motive for wanting to store it in between fermenting and bottling.

 

[Chris Bolton]

Could you leave it in the fermenter? I guess that depends on your motive for wanting to store it in between fermenting and bottling.

I was thinking that storing in a collapsible container with a reduced volume of air would be preferable to leaving it in the fermenter? My motive is just to try and maintain a "buffer" of beer that's ready to bottle without increasing my stock of empty bottles... if that makes sense??

 

[jof]

If your fermentor has an airlock, then it could be kept in it (under CO2)
But if it's just a lid with a hole in it, th n I can understand why you might want to transfer it.

 

[clib]

I recently stored a beer in a pressure barrel for about 6 weeks, prior to bottling it. Added a bit of sugar to generate CO2 for protection.

 

[Richard_H]

Plenty of people use a secondary vessel/container to remove the beer off the yeast cake and to continue to condition for weeks or even months.

I have done this before with big, strong, malty beers with no issues. Probably not ideal for pale hoppy beers due to even more exposure to oxygen, so I guess it depends on what style of beer you would be storing in this method.

 

[clib]

Plenty of people use a secondary vessel/container to remove the beer off the yeast cake and to continue to condition for weeks or even months.

I have done this before with big, strong, malty beers with no issues. Probably not ideal for pale hoppy beers due to even more exposure to oxygen, so I guess it depends on what style of beer you would be storing in this method.

So minimise the oxygen. Use a container that you can fill as close to the top as possible and/or add some CO2, either from a CO2 source or by adding some sugar so the beer can create some.

 

[DavidDetroit]

If a polypin is like those wine bags/wine in a box things, that would do well, better than well. Following some of the advice above is indicated.
Four to six weeks is nothing in "beer time" when it comes to priming; there will be plenty of yeast suspended to carbonate the bottles.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

How akin to polypins are they and once bottled, are you giving any away? You could always rack into your 'polypin', prime and keep an eye on it and dispense from the polypin. It'll take longer to condition than bottles though.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Its just lagering the beer isn't it? When I've brewed a lager I've usually lager'd for 8 weeks so not wanting to tie up my fermenter for 8 weeks. I transfer into a fermentation bucket in as careful a way as I can and stick in a fridge in the garage for 8 weeks before batch priming and bottling. Always turned out well. No reason why it shouldn't work out for an Ale. No need to lager in a fridge.

 

[Chris Bolton]

How akin to polypins are they and once bottled, are you giving any away? You could always rack into your 'polypin', prime and keep an eye on it and dispense from the polypin. It'll take longer to condition than bottles though.

Well, similar to a polypin in that any air can be expelled after filling and that they collapse when dispensing. I took a punt and bought 6 of them in the sale, Regatta Water Carrier. I was aware that they may taint the beer but following a trial after sanitising them and filling with water there seems to be no discernible plastic taste. They seem to be pretty robust and the wooden dowel handles are handy when it comes to filling and storing.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

Regatta Water Carrier. I was aware that they may taint the beer but following a trial after sanitising them and filling with water there seems to be no discernible plastic taste.

You might find some taint if beer is in them for some time. I don't know if beer will react with them in a different way to water and these are probably only designed to be used for a no longer than a long weekend at most.

I'd dispense from them (gravity or with a handpull) assuming they're strong enough to withstand priming pressure, but the only thing similar I'd to bottle from is bag-in-a-box, as you've no way of stopping it moving around all over the place and disturbing the trub. Even then it would be tricky as you wouldn't be able to see how thick the layer of trub is. There's bound to be some.