Bottling advice -- thanks Revvy and Grinder

Bottled off my second batch tonight (a Cooper's bitter kit), and decided to try the instructions in Revvy's bottling thread. The first time, I sat on the floor and ended up making quite a mess.

My neck has recently been giving me troubles (probably from throwing my 3yr old around while wrestling), and I had not been looking forward to bottling on the floor. After reading the thread, I thought, "Hey... It might not be so bad if I were sitting in a chair instead of on the floor". It was perfect! I didn't spill much, and that which I did spill ended up in the door of the dishwasher!

I just wanted to post a BIG THANKS to both Revvy (for his bottling advice), and Grinder (for his dishwasher idea)! If anyone out there dislikes bottling, then that thread is a must-read. After my first bottling session I said, "I've gutta pick up some kegs -- bottling sucks". I'm not so sure about that now! Kegs = less money for more buckets to keep the pipeline going!

So... Thanks! Drinking a nice, flat, green, bitter that was leftover after I ran out of bottles (around 1L left... tastes good, so it certainly won't go to waste!).

Thanks I'm glad it could help!!!

I don't know if grinder has seen this...Nor do I know if he saw that I credited him and used his pic of the dishwasher bottling set up in the bottling tips thread!

He's not been on too much lately...

I also used the same technique last night with great success. I spilled very little but what did flow over the bottles when I wasn't paying attention fell into the dishwasher.

Being my first batch it wasn't too bad. Cleaning the primary fermenter out was definitely not the highlight of the brewing process.

Aye, three cheers to the good reverend! I bottled my first batch a couple days ago, and it was an experience best described as anticlimactic . . . thank goodness. You can bet I studied that thread more'n once, and everything just went off without a hitch.



I have a trip down the coast coming up I'm really looking forward to, gonna take a semi-private saltwater fly fishing clinic from a top hand in the field. My bottles will be three-and-a-half weeks old by then, so I'm thinking to toss a couple in the ice chest for the trip and experience my first home brew EVER while down there in Aransas Pass. They may be better after three additional weeks, but what the heck, can't wait forever!

Hopsalong said:

Aye, three cheers to the good reverend! I bottled my first batch a couple days ago, and it was an experience best described as anticlimactic . . . thank goodness. You can bet I studied that thread more'n once, and everything just went off without a hitch.

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I forgot to ask, did the dip tube end up working for you??????

Yes, as a matter of fact I was going to add a reply to your bottling thread that the wand's siphoning action is what makes the dip tube work, but wasn't sure if I should. Anyway, if you try to test the dip tube without the bottling wand installed, with just an otherwise unadorned spigot, the flow will be less than spectacular because the level of the inlets and outlets are nearly equal. But add the bottling wand, and presto!

Thanks again -- bottling was not one little bit unpleasant.

Hopsalong said:

Yes, as a matter of fact I was going to add a reply to your bottling thread that the wand's siphoning action is what makes the dip tube work, but wasn't sure if I should. Anyway, if you try to test the dip tube without the bottling wand installed, with just an otherwise unadorned spigot, the flow will be less than spectacular because the level of the inlets and outlets are nearly equal. But add the bottling wand, and presto!

Thanks again -- bottling was not one little bit unpleasant.

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Go ahead and add it so people know!

Thanks!!!

I would love to take credit for the dishwasher thing but it was handed down forum knowledge.

Here is a trick I learned last week. When racking your beer INTO the bottling bucket make sure the spigot is not OPEN. Or if you plan on not paying attention put some tin foil on the floor so it will make noise and alert you that the spigot is not CLOSED.

Grinder12000 said:

I would love to take credit for the dishwasher thing but it was handed down forum knowledge.

Here is a trick I learned last week. When racking your beer INTO the bottling bucket make sure the spigot is not OPEN. Or if you plan on not paying attention put some tin foil on the floor so it will make noise and alert you that the spigot is not CLOSED.

Click to expand...

Now THAT should go into my "mistakes you made" thread...or is that the one you added?

I also read Revvy's bottling thread between my first and second batches. What a difference it made.

Excellent info all around. Thanks.

Wow, old thread. I, unfortunately, did not find Revvy's ingenious bottling thread until AFTER I had bottled. I'm changing my entire setup now. Thanks, Revvy!

Another mistake/advise. Make sure your bottling wand is emptied of sanitizer before you turn your spigot on and start bottling....