First attempt at batch priming

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syst3mfailur3

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I am going to be bottling in a bit, and figured I would give batch priming a try. I am using a Wilko's Light Golden Lager kit I picked up in the UK, and the instructions say 1/2 tsp per pint, which works out to about 100grams altogether. I feel like that is a bit low, as my last batch was a Coopers Lager, and with the carbonation drops it worked out to 200grams.


I tried one of the calculators, and using European lager it said 166grams, so should I go with that? Or should I go with something else?
 
Thanks. Think I got the right amount in. Now just waiting on the sediment to settle, as I only have the one bucket.
 
This is confusing. You should be bottling immediately after adding priming sugar.

Hmmm... yes. You should rack onto the sugar in the bottling bucket and leave the trub and sediment behind in the fermentor. If some gets in, no big deal. (A little bit will *always* get in.) Just bottle anyway. Maybe your last bottle will have a lot of sediment in it. That's okay. Just mark it some how as the trubby bottle.
 
Thanks. Think I got the right amount in. Now just waiting on the sediment to settle, as I only have the one bucket.
Oh, wait. you mean you added priming sugar directly into the fermenter?

Ooh, not a good idea in general because of the sediment and difficulty in mixing the sugar. I did that once during a particularly awful bottling day. It'll be okay but you beer will have more sediment than it should. But you should continue with carb tabs or sugar directly into bottles until you get an actual bottling bucket.

The beer I did tastes fine (I was really lucky and had no oxidation) but I need to pour it through a strainer as each bottle has nearly 1/2 of silt on the bottom.
 
Hmmm... yes. You should rack onto the sugar in the bottling bucket and leave the trub and sediment behind in the fermentor. If some gets in, no big deal. (A little bit will *always* get in.) Just bottle anyway. Maybe your last bottle will have a lot of sediment in it. That's okay. Just mark it some how as the trubby bottle.

I was following what it said in John Palmer's How to Brew guide. It said if you only had the one bucket, add the sugar water, stir gently, and wait for any sediment to settle.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html
 
I was following what it said in John Palmer's How to Brew guide. It said if you only had the one bucket, add the sugar water, stir gently, and wait for any sediment to settle.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html

That would be in the bottling bucket and the wait would be only, IMO 5 - 10 minutes at the most. I don't wait and by the time I finish bottling what would settle is already at the bottom.

I suppose that if you are bottling straight from primary you could stir in the sugar solution then siphon VERY carefully. If you don't have one I suggest you get a bottling bucket.
 
If you wait for more than 10-15 minutes, the yeast will start eating that added sugar. The CO2 they produce prior to bottling will simply escape. Please get a bottling bucket for the next time.

If you have a Lowes store nearby, they have food-grade 5-gallon white plastic buckets and lids in the paint dept. They are very inexpensive. Add an Italian spigot and you are good to go. If you're not into DIY, buy an already-built bucket at the brew store.

Also, when using a priming calculator, measure the sugar by weight, not volume. It's much more accurate.
 
That would be in the bottling bucket and the wait would be only, IMO 5 - 10 minutes at the most. I don't wait and by the time I finish bottling what would settle is already at the bottom.

I suppose that if you are bottling straight from primary you could stir in the sugar solution then siphon VERY carefully. If you don't have one I suggest you get a bottling bucket.

There is a part for those without. Worst case, I get a learning experience out of it.

2b. If you don't have a bottling bucket, open the fermenter and gently pour the priming solution into the beer. Stir the beer gently with a sanitized spoon, trying to mix it in evenly while being careful not to stir up the sediment too much. Wait a half hour for the sediment to settle back down and to allow more diffusion of the priming solution to take place. Use a bottle filler attachment with the siphon to make the filling easier.
 
I think half an hour before bottling is no big deal. After all it takes at least a week or two to carbonate.

But picking up a second bucket is a very cheap upgrade that will have several advantages. Even when you're not bottling, an extra bucket always comes in handy.
 
I was following what it said in John Palmer's How to Brew guide. It said if you only had the one bucket, add the sugar water, stir gently, and wait for any sediment to settle.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-4.html

Mmmmm.... okay. But still really not a good idea. I did it once and I really didn't *like* it.

I realize carb tabs or a teaspoon of sugar per bottle is looked down upon, but given a choose between adding sugar directly to a bottle and batch priming in the fermenter, I'd choose direct bottle priming.
 
I will definitely get a bottling bucket for the next batch, as over all the batch priming was much easier and cheaper too. That and better sanitizer will be the next additions to my equipment.
 
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