Critique my newbie bottling method

FSumac · 08-10-2008, 04:44 AM

Bottled my first batch today.

Started off by sanitizing all of my equipment with star san.

Meanwhile, I boiled 3/4 cup of dextrose with 2 cups of water (per How to Brew) and let it cool.

I poured the sugar solution into the sanitized bottling bucket, and then siphoned the beer from the carboy into the bucket while keeping the tubing submerged.

Once that was ready, I started sanitizing my bottles (previously cleaned with oxyclean) by drowning them in a bucket of star san along with the caps.

Once I began bottling, I took a bottle out one at a time and drained out the star san solution in the bottles and let as much liquid drip out as possible for 5-10 seconds. (I don't have a bottle tree)

Once it was drained (there was still some foam left), I filled it up with beer, grabbed a cap from the bucket, and stuck it on top. After I had about 12 bottles done, I would stop and go clamp on the caps.

So what say ye? I'm hoping I followed the correct steps.

**BigKahuna** · 08-10-2008, 04:53 AM

You Totally F**ked It up!

Imidiately send all beer to me for proper Disposal!

Actually...Sounds pretty solid. A bottle tree (Or sanitized Dish Washer Rack) will Make your life MUCH easier. And DUNKING in Starsan is a bit overkill....Get an $8 Weed Sprayer from Wally World and make your starsan in it....WET + 30 Seconds = Good 2-Go with Starsan. This will pay off $$$$ Wise in about 2 brew sessions.

Other than that....Your are Golden.

FSumac · 08-10-2008, 07:40 AM

Good idea with the weed sprayer.

boo boo · 08-10-2008, 11:56 AM

Actually a better way would be for you to bottle all the brew first before capping them to allow some air to be vented from the bottles by the co2 reaction from the sugar and wort in the bottles. The bottle caps will bounce on top of the bottles letting you know it is working. When you finish bottling all the brews, start capping the ones you filled first until you are finished.

dzlater · 08-10-2008, 12:27 PM

That's exactly what I did for my last two batches, and it seemed to work fine.
I was a little concerned about having so much starsan left in the bottles when I filled them. I just got a bottling wand and will try just the spraying the bottles with starsan and capping them all at the end of filling next time.

FSumac · 09-23-2008, 12:09 AM

6 weeks later and half of the batch is gone (into my belly). Very good for a first try.