Bottling large quantities

Hey,

This is a prob a dumb question (I know the answer I will get is to keg) but I am gonna ask anyways. We are moving to AG and want to do 10 gal batches. How do you all bottle this much? We did a 12 gal Apfelwein a month ago and just siphoned it out of the fermenter into our bottling bucket 5 gal at a time. It worked well in that we didn't want to carb any of it so it was easier, but when it comes to carbing it would be a PIA. Also, we were able to situate our carboy on top of a few 2x6 to elevate it so we could get a siphon out of it and just fill it there. With beer, I expect to have our fermenter (converted sanke) on a hand truck to pull into the basement to ferment. Is there a good way to lift this up onto 2x6 for draining (planning on bulkhead on it) or what do people do if you don't have the cash to drop on kegging equip? Thanks!

For bottling, I would just batch prime in a bottling bucket as I usually do, but I'd buy a second bottling bucket. I guess it would be pretty much just like bottling a 5 gallon batch, except it would take twice as long.

Bottling 10 gallons sounds like pretty much the exact opposite of a good time in my book, but good luck with it. I've done 15 gallons in a day before, and I still have nightmares about it.

Oh, trust me, I do not like bottling at all. LOL, but we are delving into AG and trying to do it correctly so it is quite an output of money and I don't have the money for a kegging system atm. Just thinking, I suppose to fill the fermenter, I could run a REALLY long tube down the bulkhead into the basement to the fermenter. I don't see why that wouldn't work and then aerate there. Haha, just thinking about all the bottles that need to be cleaned and sanitized makes me shake my head. This would definitely be a two day process. We still have about 1/2 gallon of Apfelwein left at bottom of carboy for that very same reason...

Stock up on bombers?

Why brew 10 gallons if you're not set up for packaging 10 gallons?

wendelgee2 said:

Why brew 10 gallons if you're not set up for packaging 10 gallons?

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This is what we have decided on for the time being. I have been reading (which makes sense) that it takes no more work to brew 10 gallons as it does 5, but that is taking into account kegging systems. 5 gallon batches for the time being for us. Thanks!

I just started doing 10 gallon batches, and also started kegging. I actually just tapped my first keg this evening. I never thought I minded bottling that much. But man, kegging is sweet. I can't imagine bottling 10 gallons, at least without child labor (or swmbo labor). I'd start buying kegs and watch Craigs List for a used fridge. It will be money well spent.

Edcculus said:

Stock up on bombers?

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+1.......................

I can't help you much with moving your very heavy fermenter but bottling 10 gallons doesn't have to be that much work. It really only takes an additional 20 to 30 minutes to bottle a second 5 gallon batch. You mention "we" so I will assume you have a bottling partner like I have with my hubby.

Get all your bottles rinsed (if needed), using a vinator and a bottle tree it only takes about 10 minutes to sanitize enough bottles for 5 gallons which you do while racking. Then repeat with a second set of bottles as you are racking you second batch.

Once you have the bottling bucket sanitized, you don't have to redo it between the first 5 gallons and the second. A quick re-sanitizing of the auto siphon and tubing can be done with a spray bottle.

I keep the spray bottle of sanitizer next to the wand and give the tubing and wand some sanitizing sprays every dozen or so bottles.

I fill the bottles and hubby caps them. With a little planning ahead, it only took us an hour and a half to bottle 15 gallons. (Yes, we keg too but bottling just isn't the big issue that folks make it out to be.)

My girlfriend and I brew together We don't have a vinator or bottling tree so what we normally do is make up a big tub of oxiclean and soak the bottles there, then rinse then have a separate tub of starsan and rinse in that then fill. I think a vinator and tree is a lot faster. That may be a cheaper road to follow that will make bottling less painful. The kegs/fridge don't worry me on cost, it is more the co2 tank/regulator/lines etc that seem to add up quick. I saw that a decent kegging setup costs like 180-200. If I am way off please let me know! Thanks for all your help! Some great ideas here! We talked about siphoning the wort 5 gal at a time out of BK and carrying it down to our fermenter as well. Dumping into a funnel and pouring should give it plenty of air too!

Do it in stages. Here is a post I made a couple of days ago:

BioBeing said:

Having a system sure does help. I bottled 10 gallons of stout last night: was quite cathartic really.

I rinse used bottles and put them in a small plastic box in the pantry. When it gets full (about a case worth) I wash them and store them in covered rubbermaid totes in the garage (where I ferment and bottle anyway). This way, I don't have to wash 100 bottles at a time (which is a REAL pain, as I have done this before!). I have a several cases of dirty empties I got off a guy on CL too, so if I need more, I'll work some of these in too. Just a good soak in oxyclean first.

On bottling day, I just squirt starsan up in them with the vinator and stick them on the tree. I do one 5 gallon batch at a time: I got the first done while dinner was simmering on the stove; and the second after the kids went to bed. All together, it took 2, maybe 3 hours.

That said: I'd love to keg!

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Sounds to me the hardest part for you is going to be getting the keg to where you can siphon from it. Can you get a pulley set up in the ceiling somehow to lift it? Someone had a video on here the other day where they did this in their garage to move their hot liquor and wort around.

Yea, I saw that thread. Think it was the brew sculpture one. I think what we will end up doing (if we decide to do 10 gal batches) is to move the beer in 2 5 gal buckets and just dump it in the keg. Thus aerating it and making it manageable. I will build a stand that will elevate the keg to a good height for our bottling bucket. I do like your idea though of spreading it out (yes, the whole oxiclean before bottling sucks the most and takes the most time). Maybe next batch, we can mix up a tub with the IC water and let our bottles soak. Thanks for all the help! Great ideas and methods.

bottle into 22s.

Also a great point. Haha, I mean who really only has one anyways! I only have a few of those but I think you can get them pretty cheaply or we will have some drinking to do! :rockin:

Sounds like the simplest solution is to just brew 5g batches until you are ready to start kegging.