A bottling question....

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RJRobb2

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I am ready to bottle my first batch and just noticed something about my instructions that came with my kit.

My kit came with a bottling bucket and that is what I have been using for fermentation.

My instructions state that for priming and bottling that I should transfer my beer to the bottling bucket and add priming solution to the bottling bucket as well.

Well, I obviously cant transfer to the bottling bucket because it is already there.

So my questions is - what is the best way to do this? Can I just add the priming solution to the beer and then bottle using my racking cane and tube?

I dont think I can use the spigot since the sediment and yeast is at the bottom.

Any help would be appreciated.

PS - I plan on getting a second container for my next batch to avoid this.
 
Can your boil pot handle the volume of beer(assuming 5 gallons)?
You can rack to that, add priming sugars and then bottle out of it if you sanitize it properly. I've done it in the past.
 
Is that the only bucket you have? Most kits come with two.
 
I would just go buy another bucket with spigot. It would really suck to have a problem with your first batch for the sake of ~$10 worth of bucket.

That said you can definitely bottle with your syphon (it's how I started) but you don't want to add your priming solution to the primary. You would have to stir it to mix it and that would put a ton of the trub on the bottom into your bottles.
 
blacklab said:
Can your boil pot handle the volume of beer(assuming 5 gallons)?
You can rack to that, add priming sugars and then bottle out of it if you sanitize it properly. I've done it in the past.


No, my pot is 2.5 gallons. A 5 gallon pot is on my list of things to upgrade.
 
Find as many large pots and pans as possible and santize them. Rack to the various vessels, then clean out your bottling bucket and sanitize. You can either bottle from the various vessels or go back to the bucket and bottle from there.

A big hassle, but you really don't want to disturb all that trub in the bottom of your primary.
 
Assuming 1) no local homebrew shop, and 2) you don't want to wait, then buy a five gallon [edit: food grade] bucket from Wally-world or similar; probably $5 or $6 bucks. Rack to the bucket, clean the bottling bucket, rack back.

If a local homebrew shop, buy another bottling bucket or fermentation bucket (or carboy); if no LHB shop but you can wait, order one.

Good luck whichever way you go.

Rick
 
rickylr said:
Assuming 1) no local homebrew shop, and 2) you don't want to wait, then buy a five gallon [edit: food grade] bucket from Wally-world or similar; probably $5 or $6 bucks. Rack to the bucket, clean the bottling bucket, rack back.

If a local homebrew shop, buy another bottling bucket or fermentation bucket (or carboy); if no LHB shop but you can wait, order one.

Good luck whichever way you go.

Rick


There is a homebrew shop by my work but I dont really want another bottling bucket. I was going to buy a carboy for my second container soon.

I will probably just buy a regular 5 gallon bucket and do what you mentioned.

I am at 22 days so I need to bottle very soon.
 
There is a homebrew shop by my work but I dont really want another bottling bucket. I was going to buy a carboy for my second container soon.

I will probably just buy a regular 5 gallon bucket and do what you mentioned.
Buy a carboy and do what I suggested; then you'll have a carboy. :)

I am at 22 days so I need to bottle very soon.
I've got a porter in the primary (see below) that I won't be moving to secondary until this weekend, three weeks, after which I'll let it sit two weeks prior to bottling. I'm still new at brewing but I've already learned that patience is rewarded.

Rick
 
Buy the bucket elsewhere....even the Lowes/Home Depot 5 dollar 5 gallon white buckets are food grade. But pick up a spigot from your Homebrew shop. They're only a couple of bucks. Then you can drill a hole in your buvket, add the spigot and you're good to go.
 
RJRobb2 said:
There is a homebrew shop by my work but I dont really want another bottling bucket. I was going to buy a carboy for my second container soon.

I will probably just buy a regular 5 gallon bucket and do what you mentioned.

I am at 22 days so I need to bottle very soon.
Just so you know, there's an Old Time Pottery store in your town:
Map on Yahoo!
They have 5 gallon carboys for $14.99, which is pretty cheap compared to most LHBS. Of course if you want a bigger one, or a better bottle then you need to go by your LHBS.
 
Thanks for the info on Old Time Pottery! Happen to live in KC and was checkin out this thread. Was going to buy a new carboy for about $25 at the LHBS tomorow.
 
ma2brew said:
Just so you know, there's an Old Time Pottery store in your town:
Map on Yahoo!
They have 5 gallon carboys for $14.99, which is pretty cheap compared to most LHBS. Of course if you want a bigger one, or a better bottle then you need to go by your LHBS.


I actually just passed that the other day. Unfortunately, it is like 35-40 minutes from me. Not sure if driving all that way is worth saving 10 bucks.
 
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