Newbie mistake...not enough bottles

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slinglings

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I am bottling my fourth batch of beer and ...I ran out of bottles. I didn't actually run out of bottles, I have some bottles that I was told would work with my capper but they actually don't. So I have less than a gallon of beer ready to be bottled with nothing to put it in. Other than drinking 10 beers quickly and reusing the bottles, what are my options? Will it keep a day or two until I can get some bottles, or is it trash? I have a growler, can I do anything with that?
 
I had a friend who tried the growler route. It turned out a little flat, but it was still beer and it still tasted good. To paraphrase jakenbacon - Growler > Drain.
 
Seal up the beer in something and get some more bottles. You will need a new priming solution then bottle the rest. Or you can drink a gallon of flat beer.
 
Put it in a smaller vessel for the moment, to reduce air space, and then bottle it in a couple days.
 
It has priming sugar in it already, ..so I should put more sugar in it right before bottling?

Put it in a smaller container with airlock now, then bottle in a few days with more sugar?
 
If you do go the 'bottle in a couple days and re-prime' method, you'll want to be cautious with how much sugar you add, since there will likely be some left and you don't want to over carbonate and have some bottle bombs on your hands. Mind you, that usually doesn't happen unless you really overcarb, but it's something you'll want to be aware of.
 
It has priming sugar in it already, ..so I should put more sugar in it right before bottling?

Put it in a smaller container with airlock now, then bottle in a few days with more sugar?


Yes. The yeast will ferment out the priming sugar in a day or so. To carbonate the bottles, without waiting a long time, you will need to re-prime. After a day or so I would use a calculator to determine a new amount. I use this one:http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/
 
Not sure about how much sugar needs to be added when you get ready again to bottle the last gallon. I doubt all the priming sugar will be eaten in a few days, particularly when stored cool. And you don't want to add too much and create beer bombs in the end.

I don't think you should refrigerate though. It may crash all the suspended yeast.

As usual, keep sanitation standards high. Beer been sitting out in the open, in a bottling bucket for some time, scares me. I always keep the lid on loosely, but there's always air exposure.
 
OK~ thanks for all the help.

I filled the growler. Had some beer left. So poured a beer in a glass to drink. Washed bottle quick, sanitized, filled it. Had a tiny bit of beer left and dumped it.

The beer hadn't been sitting in the bottling bucket for more than 1/2 an hour. I figured out the problem and immediately came here :) I have been lurking for a while but just registered to ask this question.
 
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