N00B Bottling question

First off I would just like to say thanks to everyone here for all of the helpful info I have read and learned. I started out like alot of other people with the Mr. Beer And did that for about three years but then a deployment overseas made me take a break from brewing. Once I returned I knew of some one that was brewing and that re-fueled my desire to brew.

So I grew up threw away my Mr. Beer kit and bought the big boy stuff. I am loving it agian. My first batch is a true brew red ale extract kit. I had some hicups as I knocked the dust off of my brewing skills(cough, cough) but everything is going good I am just about ready to bottle and was wondering once i rack from my secondary carboy to the bucket adding the priming sugar how long should I wait until I bottle? Can I do it instantly or wait about an hour for it to settle before bottling?

This brew sat in the primary for 2 weeks which I think was a little long because it was done fermenting at 1 week by my hydrometer, and now it has sat in the secondary for a week.
I think this weekend I am going to order a AHS Texas Blonde Ale for my next batch. Thanks for the Help, Brady

You can rack to the bottling bucket and bottle right away.

I usually boil up the priming solution and let it cool while I finish lining up the bottles and things. Then, I rack from the carboy to the bottling bucket, with the tip at an angle laying at the very bottom of the receiving bucket. Then it "swirls" as the beer enters the bucket, so the priming solution and beer mix well. Then I just put the bucket up on the island and bottle right away.

Welcome to HBT!

+1 to all of the above. And two weeks in primary is absolutely fine. Contrary to the usual advice for beginners, I believe a lot of people on here intentionally leave their beer in primary for longer - up to four weeks - and are getting very good results.
As Yooper says, as long as you make sure you mix the beer with the priming sugar well, you should have no problems.

I have found that the more I brew, the more patient I get. Usually allowing about 3 weeks now for fermentation in a primary for 1 and a secondary for 1.

I have the AHS Texas Blonde in a primary right now and am looking forward to trying it out when it's ready. It was my first extract kit that had no specialty grains. Will be nice an Golden in color based on the malt and corn syrup used in the recipe.

Good Luck

Alabama Brewer said:

I have found that the more I brew, the more patient I get. Usually allowing about 3 weeks now for fermentation in a primary for 1 and a secondary for 1.

I have the AHS Texas Blonde in a primary right now and am looking forward to trying it out when it's ready. It was my first extract kit that had no specialty grains. Will be nice an Golden in color based on the malt and corn syrup used in the recipe.

Good Luck

Click to expand...

Hey Bama Brewer! Just read where home brewing is illegal in AL. Fortunately for you they said the law is not enforced. I hope you don't live in a dry county however.

Ok Thanks for all of the help guys.

Well I took a hydro reading last night an it is as 1.020. Is that to high to bottle FG should be 1.012-1.014 as per the recipe. It was at 1.020 a week ago when I racked to the secondary so my gravity has not changed. I tasted it and it tasted like flate beer maybe a little cider after taste. Will I have any bottle bombs if I bottle it that high or should it be ok? Thanks Brady

I think you're fine to bottle - I've had a couple of batches where I bottled at slightly higher than the one fourth method for final gravity and had no issues with overcarbing. What was your O.G.?
Do make sure you mix the priming solution in very well though. I always sanitize my long spoon and stir well before bottling. I forgot to once and had some flat bottles and some gushers.

by OG do you mean the beginning gravity if so it was 1.054. sorry still new at this

Yep, OG is original gravity. SG is specific gravity, and FG is final gravity.

You should be fine to bottle if your gravity has been that steady for over a week. Was your carboy/fermenting bucket at fermentation temps or at lower temperature? If it was lower, you may have put the yeast to sleep. If it was fermenting temperatures, they've probably done all that they will and it's time to bottle.

Boil your priming sugar in some water. Dump it into your sanitized bottling bucket, then rack your beer gently into the bucket. I just give my tubing a swirl or two and then lay it near the bucket wall. No need to wait, just bottle away, and get that next batch started.

2 weeks primary and 1 week secondary isn't that long at all. I've had brews sit in primary over a month that are great!