Beginner needing pointers on the next steps...

Hi all, my first ever home beer is currently brewing, but despite following the instructions and watching loads of youtube videos, I'm a but confused as to what to do next:

I have a couple of more days until the lager is done fermenting, at which point, am I supposed to put it into the beer pressuriser/barrel and then bottle it all immediately? OR can I transfer it into pressuriser/barrel, add some sugar to carbonate it (?) then draw on it when I want it??

Thanks in advance?

If its a real lager you will need a diacetyl rest at an elevated temp. That is if you haven't used ale yeast. You might was to reply with the yeast you used. Then it would need to be lagered either in bulk or in bottles. Once again that's if it is a real lager, not an ale (except kolsch strains can be lagered for good results after primary).

Next is you want to check with a hydrometer the gravity of the beer when you think it's done fermenting. Do this 3 days in a row, if the gravity changes it is not done. If it shows the same reading all 3 days you can bottle.

Next you need to bottle. Go to northern brewers priming sugar calculator (google that) and you can get the correct amount to add. Table or corn sugar will work. Boil it in a cup of water for 10 minutes, pour that into bottling bucket and drain beer from your fermenter on top of it. Then stir gently and bottle.

If using a keg you can skip the priming sugar if you are force carbonating with co2.

Hi Mojzis, thanks for this. I will check the yeast..

Ref using a keg - is this the bottling bucket with the tap on? Can I keep it in there with co2 only or is adequate sugar enough?

PS do I also need to put sugar in every bottle if I am putting sugar in the bottling bucket?

This is what I have to put it in from the fermenter - is this just for bottling from or can I leave the beer in there and draw on it when I want it? If I can, does it have to be forced with CO2 or will the sugar do the trick?

That is a bottling bucket. It is used to mix the priming sugar with the green beer and provide a conveinent method of filling the bottles. If you wish to keg, you need a stainless steel vessel designed to hold pressure. Cornelius is a manufacturer that makes 5 gallon "keg" containers for the fountain soda industry. It's what most home brewers who choose to keg use. A keg would not have a spigot at the bottom. It would have 2 valves in the top. One for applying pressure (CO2) and one to draw the product out from the bottom of a long dip tube. BTW, in addition to the vessel above, you need a filling wand to ensure you fill the bottles from the bottom without splashing. Splashing beer causes oxidation, which tastes like wet cardboard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_keg

Ahh yes I've seen those, I will get one...

Bit annoyed as this ''kit'' I purchased claimed it had everything I needed, yet none of these things, just the fermenter, the bottling bucket, a spoon and a syphon!!

Thanks!

william_shakes_beer said:

That is a bottling bucket. It is used to mix the priming sugar with the green beer and provide a conveinent method of filling the bottles. If you wish to keg, you need a stainless steel vessel designed to hold pressure. Cornelius is a manufacturer that makes 5 gallon "keg" containers for the fountain soda industry. It's what most home brewers who choose to keg use. A keg would not have a spigot at the bottom. It would have 2 valves in the top. One for applying pressure (CO2) and one to draw the product out from the bottom of a long dip tube. BTW, in addition to the vessel above, you need a filling wand to ensure you fill the bottles from the bottom without splashing. Splashing beer causes oxidation, which tastes like wet cardboard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_keg

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WRONG!! That's a pressure barrel that they get in kits in the UK typically. they usually look like a barrel. You prime the beer in there after racking from primary. After a couple weeks,you serve from it. It is def not a bottling bucket. It's just not something sold or used over here.

unionrdr said:

WRONG!! That's a pressure barrel that they get in kits in the UK typically. they usually look like a barrel. You prime the beer in there after racking from primary. After a couple weeks,you serve from it. It is def not a bottling bucket. It's just not something sold or used over here.

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Does this mean I can literally serve from it (straight to a glass) once I have syphoned the beer into it?

and if I can, do I need the CO2 thing or will the sugar carbonate it enough?

unionrdr said:

WRONG!! That's a pressure barrel that they get in kits in the UK typically. they usually look like a barrel. You prime the beer in there after racking from primary. After a couple weeks,you serve from it. It is def not a bottling bucket. It's just not something sold or used over here.

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Thank god for that, I've got the same barrel, thought I'd been robbed for a minute lol

PeterPumpkinhead said:

Does this mean I can literally serve from it (straight to a glass) once I have syphoned the beer into it?

and if I can, do I need the CO2 thing or will the sugar carbonate it enough?

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I think u just put it in with the sugar primer leave it and serve from it or bottle from it

You should give the beer some time in the primary before you transfer it. I usually do a couple weeks at least. Even when the fermentation is complete, the yeast still have some duties to do which will improve the flavor of your beer. Before you transfer it, try and cool it for a few days first. This will help clarify the beer. Then 2 weeks in the secondary (plastic barrel) at room temperature should do the trick (although lagers typically take longer).

PeterPumpkinhead said:

Does this mean I can literally serve from it (straight to a glass) once I have syphoned the beer into it?

and if I can, do I need the CO2 thing or will the sugar carbonate it enough?

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I am not familiar with that vessel but if it has a co2 hook up you will need it to serve or you will end up with flat beer after a short time. As you serve the pressure will keep escaping from solution to equalize eventually resulting in flat beer.

Balue said:

I am not familiar with that vessel but if it has a co2 hook up you will need it to serve or you will end up with flat beer after a short time. As you serve the pressure will keep escaping from solution to equalize eventually resulting in flat beer.

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Those barrels do allow the injection of co2 if needed

unionrdr said:

WRONG!! That's a pressure barrel that they get in kits in the UK typically. they usually look like a barrel. You prime the beer in there after racking from primary. After a couple weeks,you serve from it. It is def not a bottling bucket. It's just not something sold or used over here.

Click to expand...

Interesting. Something I wasn't aware of. Thanks for the info. Do you put the whole thing into the frige to chill, or do people in that part of the world commonly drink their beer at room temp? Looks like it would take a lot of space in my frige, and the spigot on the bottom would pretty much preclude putting it in a Keezer.

william_shakes_beer said:

Interesting. Something I wasn't aware of. Thanks for the info. Do you put the whole thing into the frige to chill, or do people in that part of the world commonly drink their beer at room temp? Looks like it would take a lot of space in my frige, and the spigot on the bottom would pretty much preclude putting it in a Keezer.

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Mine will be going in my outbuilding, which is as cold as a fridge at this time of year anyway, not sure what to do in the summer, will probably bottle from it and then chill in the fridge

Hi all, ok so my brew has been settling in the keg(?) shown above for two weeks with the sugar I was advised to add. I have a bottling extension on order but tried a small glass today from the tap. There is very little carbonation. Will a co2 cartridge screwed in the lid remedy this and/or the sugar tablets in each bottle if I want to serve both from the keg and bottle some?

Thanks