2 Bottling questions

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Guitarmike7495

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The directions that I have for brewing say this...
"Put the packet of bottling sugar into a small pot with 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Add
the sugar/water solution to the beer in the bottling bucket and stir GENTLY."

For this direction I was wondering if I have to wait for that sugar water to cool before adding because I fear that if I put it in while its hot it will kill the yeast.

And my other question

"Leave the bottles for at least 7 days at a temperature between 65 – 75F after that time they
may be moved to a cooler location. Allow to age at least 14 days"

How cold is a cooler location? Is a refrigerator okay?

Thanks guys!
 
I never cool my bottling sugar, it's only a cup going into 5 gallons. Put in the bottling bucket and rack the beer onto the sugar solution so it stirs while filling.

Do not put into the fridge until they are conditioned and ready to drink (3 weeks or more at room temp), the cold temps will put the yeast to sleep and carbonation will cease.

I will put 1 in the fridge once it's 3 weeks old to see where it is in the carbing/conditioning process. 4-6 additional days in the fridge seems to make the beer taste even better. Once they are all carbed up and ready you can move to a colder storage area or the fridge.
 
If you're going to rack the beer ontop of the priming solution (which I highly suggest), and you're worried about the hot liquid, don't be so concerned about doing anything to the beer, but rather to the fermenter itself... Personally, if I'm using a plastic fermenter to bottle, I'd be more worried about pouring something boiling onto the plastic, which isn't meant to stand boiling temperatures. It's not much liquid, admitedly, but it's something to consider.

But no, you won't need to let it get to room temperature or anything. Maybe just a couple minutes off the burner so it's not still boiling when you throw it into the bottom.
 
Not suggesting this, but I have poured 6 gallons of 200+ degree wort into my ale pails :D

The priming solution may kill yeast for about the first 10 seconds of filling, but after that temps will stabilize and not cause any harm. As extra insurance I would stir the bottling bucket with a sanatized spoon to ensure full mixture of the priming solution!

Another tip from my playbook is I bottle one 12 oz soda bottle. squeeze it until the beer is flush with the top, then screw the lid in. That bottle serves as an indicator of when the beer is pressurized by popping back out to it original shape!
 
Not suggesting this, but I have poured 6 gallons of 200+ degree wort into my ale pails :D

The priming solution may kill yeast for about the first 10 seconds of filling, but after that temps will stabilize and not cause any harm. As extra insurance I would stir the bottling bucket with a sanatized spoon to ensure full mixture of the priming solution!

Another tip from my playbook is I bottle one 12 oz soda bottle. squeeze it until the beer is flush with the top, then screw the lid in. That bottle serves as an indicator of when the beer is pressurized by popping back out to it original shape!

+1
that soda bottle trick is a pretty good idea, i like it.
 
I should add that it is not an indicator of conditioning, just carbonation. I brewed a coopers kit with my dad on fathers day. We bottled it two nights ago and less than 20 hours later, the soda bottle was popped out already :)
 
I use 2C of boiling water to mix the priming sugar into. I think it mixes more easily that way. & I cool it down to 70-80F in an ice water bath to make sure no yeasties die in the production of my ales.
I let 2-3" of beer rack into the bottling bucket,then gently pour the priming solution into the surface of the swirling beer. Then about 12 gentle stirs to make sure it's mixed.
 
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