Bottling sentiment issue?

Just bottled my first batch and added a 3/4 teaspoon of sugar to each bottle. They have been sitting for 3 days now and it looks like there as a layer of something forming at the bottom, almost like the yeast cake in the fermenter. Is this normal at this point?

yes... that is the yeast setteling out... that is why you leave 1/4" in the bottom of the bottle when you pour it

I'm very new at all this, is there a different process where you don't get this in the bottles? How do the big companies avoid this in there bottles?

HoshBrew said:

I'm very new at all this, is there a different process where you don't get this in the bottles? How do the big companies avoid this in there bottles?

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http://probrewer.com/resources/filtration/applications.php

Of course if you did that, there would be nothing left to carbonate the beer in your bottles. Yeast are you friends. Instead of trying to get rid of them, just leave them in the bottle and thank them for all the hard work to make your beer.

Awesome, thanks for the info. Im glad to hear I'm still in good shape. I thought I had an issue.

the other way to get rid of this without filtration would be to carb/ age in another vessel (like a keg, or brite tank if your a pro) and transfer to bottles (counter pressure filler) however the beer will store longer and taste better (opinion) when bottle conditioned (what you are doing).

I'll stick with why I'm doing. It doesn't bother me to leave a little in the bottom after I pour into my mug. I was just worried something was wrong, I can't wait to give it a try!

Just pour the beer until you get near the bottom then stop. Your glass will be clear and without the sediment. Then, most important, drink the end of the beer in the bottle, yeast and all. It's still good beer and the vitamin b in the yeast is good for you! I hate to waste any beer.

Billsbrew said:

Just pour the beer until you get near the bottom then stop. Your glass will be clear and without the sediment. Then, most important, drink the end of the beer in the bottle, yeast and all. It's still good beer and the vitamin b in the yeast is good for you! I hate to waste any beer.

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BOOM!

Chill the bottles for 5-7+ days before pouring and the sediment will become very compact in the bottles. You'll get more brew into your glass that way...

HoshBrew said:

I'm very new at all this, is there a different process where you don't get this in the bottles? How do the big companies avoid this in there bottles?

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Screw "big companies" - some of my favorite breweries leave it in (on purpose).

Burgs said:

Screw "big companies" - some of my favorite breweries leave it in (on purpose).

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+1...

The 'big companies' do it by force carbonating with gas, as well as ferment under pressure, so the batches are partially carbonating they ferment. Not something most home brewers either want to, or are set up to, do.

If you want to have a bottle completely free of sediment, then keg your batches (carbonate with CO2), pull a glass (or two if needed) to be sure you're just getting beer out of the keg, and then bottle from that. You'll need to wait for it to carbonate fully, and evenly (easiest using the two week methods, like the modified one outlined on this thread) before you bottle from the keg. There are a few options for how to get the brew from keg to bottle, which are posted on the boards...

Depending on how long you let the keg/brew chill, you could still get some sediment in the bottles with bottling off of keg. Give it long enough, though, and that should be a tiny amount. The only way to be 100% sure you get none is to filter your brew. I've heard of people warning about oxidizing batches by using the filter setups (without having it setup 100% correctly). I don't have one so I don't know, first hand, if they're worth it or not. Since my brews are typically very clear without either filtering, or cold crashing, I'm not really interested in filtering.