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Option · 11-28-2012, 07:02 PM

So for some background I have always keg'ed my brews and forced carbonated. I have a diy bottle filler that I use to run off a few bottles here and there when I need them, but the carbonation has never been good in the bottles.

I have to bottle a entire batch for a trade so I am looking for the best technique. I am planning on adding priming sugar to a keg, then racking the beer from secondary on top. Then hooking it up to about 4psi and filling all the bottles using the filler and let them naturally carbonate in the bottles.

I feel like this method with minimize the o2 contact to the beer, and hopefully make it easier. Also this is for a weizenbock so I want to have good carbonation. Also wheat beers are supposed to have some sediment there, I am not sure how much of a yeast cake is left in secondary. Should I take the tip off the siphon and try and suck some yeast into the keg? My end game has always been getting the cleanest beer possible in the end.

Thank you for the insight! This will be my first time bottling a whole batch and first time making a wheat beer so just trying to get it right since I have to trade them all.

**Golddiggie** · 11-28-2012, 07:22 PM

I've found that if you don't crimp the caps onto long neck bottles (or any you cap) quickly, you lose a good amount of carbonation from tap. If you cap them fast, it's all good. To that end, I normally bottle in the flip/swing top style bottles. I simply fill and seal each one in turn.

Option · 11-28-2012, 07:26 PM

You are referring to bottling from keg that has been force carbonated right? In this situation the beer will not be carbed yet. I want them to carb in the bottle, basically just using a keg as bottling bucket and using co2 to push it instead of gravity. Does this sound like it would work fine?

**Golddiggie** · 11-28-2012, 07:42 PM

I was, mainly since I've faced pretty much the same issue when filling bottles from keg, when using long necks.

If you're just looking to use the keg instead of a bottling bucket, I don't think you'll need even 4psi to do the job. I typically do transfers with 2-3psi (tops) be that from fermenter to serving keg, or other vessel.

I've used the Bowie Bottler as well as the Blichmann Beer Gun to fill from tap/keg. I like the Beer Gun better. If your DIY is closer to that, then I don't see where you'll have an issue. Just be sure to get the priming solution mixed well. You could pour it into the keg, then rack right onto it (I'd use the liquid post of the keg for that to prevent oxidization and seriously reduce contamination/infection risks/chances). With the keg being stainless, you have even less to worry (for high temperature solutions going into it).

Once you're done, and they've had enough time to carbonate, post up.

BTW, I'm planning to force carbonate my BIG brews from last year and early this year (a 12% wee heavy and 9% old ale). I'll be setting them into the basement, where it's cooler and just leave them on gas until I'm ready to bottle (2-4 weeks from now). Of course, I'll have to pull a sample first.

I'm also only looking to bottle a small part of those brews. Since I have some small (2.5 and 1 gallon) corny kegs, I can simply take a small amount with me where I want to bring it. With the lower temperatures in the basement, I can even serve it right from there.

Option · 11-28-2012, 09:43 PM

I will be trying this in about a hour and will deft follow up after the carbonation also. I would also be very interested in your experiment with those big beers. I want to brew a big kbs inspired stout and have been wondering how to carb and condition it for long term storage.

**Golddiggie** · 11-28-2012, 10:07 PM

I'll probably only bottle as needed, and only a few at a time. I'll be more interested in pouring a small glass, as needed.

I seriously doubt you'd want to drink a whole pint at a time. I might rig up something with my 'spare' faucets to have in the basement so that I don't need to use the picnic taps.