Best methods for bottling? Do you still use bottling buckets?

[Yeast Farmer]

When I recently started brewing again after eight years off, I discovered that a lot of things have changed in the home brewing world. For one, racking to a secondary fermenter is apparently something that most people don't do anymore. When I started brewing in 2012, it was still considered necessary. The guy at my local home brew shop said that leaving it in the primary for more than 10-14 days would cause "off flavors." Now, a secondary fermenter is considered unnecessary and potentially harmful.

It seems that, generally, the trend is increased awareness of oxidation and avoiding things that could unnecessarily oxidize or contaminate our beer. Which makes me wonder, are bottling buckets still a thing? The way I used to do it, back in 2012-2013, was siphon into the bottling bucket, and fill my bottles straight from the spigot. Next week, I'm going to bottle my first batch of beer since then. I got a bottle filler, that came with my new auto-siphon, which I am planning to attach to the bottling bucket with a short piece of tubing, which I figure will reduce oxidation compared to filling straight from the spigot.

I'm also considering cutting out the bottling bucket entirely, by adding the priming sugar to the fermenter and attaching the bottle filler to the auto-siphon. I'm a little worried about getting crud in the bottles this way, though.

What is the consensus these days on best practices for bottling?

 

[AkTom]

I use and love my vacuum pump! I use it for bottling and in my wine making.
Check out allinonewinepump.com .

 

[Yeast Farmer]

I use and love my vacuum pump! I use it for bottling and in my wine making.
Check out allinonewinepump.com .

Kind of expensive, but it does look handy.

 

[Saunassa]

If i am bottling a 5 gallon batch I use my bucket with the bottling wand attached to spigot like you will be doing. So easy and fast to fill. It's the setup and cleanup after that makes bottling slow.

When I keg I do the first half into 2.5 gallon keg with the auto syphon. Then I attach a wand to the auto syphon and fill bottles directly. Fill 8, let wand hang over a bowl while I either add one domino Dots sugar cube or carb drop to each bottle and then cap and repeat.

 

[bjhbrew]

I don’t use a bottling bucket anymore; mainly because I found that often the priming sugar didn’t always mix fully leaving uneven carbonation. Now what I do is boil a measured amount of water and add all the sugar to make a concentrate. I calculate it in such a way that I can dose each bottle with a syringe (350ml bottles get 3.5ml, 650ml bottles get 6.5ml and 1L bottles get 10ml) my process is to fill the bottles directly from the primary fermenter (siphon or spigot with bottling wand) then I add the sugar solution from a syringe then I cap. I get perfect carbonation every time and works whether I’m bottling a large batch or just a few bottles after kegging the main portion. The math seemed tricky at first but I made a simple spreadsheet to help me get the water and sugar amounts right for whatever amount I’m bottling and co2 level I’m after.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Over the past couple of years, there have been a number of topics that discussed techniques for successfully bottling NEIPAs. In those threads, people provided evidence that the beer was good for 45 (maybe more) days. These topics (link1, link2, link3,) should be a good start as they consolidate/advance the ideas that appear in some of the older topics.

 

[shoengine]

I push to a keg, carbonate in the keg and then bottle using a counter pressure bottle filler. Recently I made a Belgian tripel that had to be bottle conditioned. I made a corn sugar syrup on the stove, cooled it off and then poured it into the sanitized keg. I purged the keg like normal and then racked the beer into the keg. I've had issues in the past with uneven mixing so I hope that the method of racking through the out line on the keg provided a better mixing action.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Another thread on bottling and oxidation: Limiting oxidation: effect of purging headspace O2 in a bottle conditioned IPA

Part of me wonders if oxidation is only a big issue with hoppy high protein beers (NEIPA-ish) or if oxidation is an issue with all styles of beer but the impacts are more subtle.

I typically keg all my 5-gallon batches, but bottle a number of 2.5 and 1 gallon batches. I bottle those directly from the fermenter adding priming sugar directly to each bottle. I have been either using Domino Dots (the 2.3 g cubes are a good amount for 12 oz bottles) or I will measure out a specific amount for each bottle (for higher carbonation or different size batches).

While measuring out sugar is less time/effort than I expected, I want to play with the sugar concentrate that @bjhbrew discussed. That would also make it easier to dose a measured amount of an anti-oxidant (like campden/metabisulfite and/or ascorbic acid).

 

[jrgtr42]

Over the past couple of years, there have been a number of topics that discussed techniques for successfully bottling NEIPAs. In those threads, people provided evidence that the beer was good for 45 (maybe more) days. These topics (link1, link2, link3,) should be a good start as they consolidate/advance the ideas that appear in some of the older topics.

45 days? I ithink you mean 45 minutes!!

OP, you're right in that there's been a lot of new processes that have come down the pike in the past few years, from boil / brew in a bag, to low oxygen brewing, more awareness of oxidation and water treatments.
Although I've been brewing since before that, and I've only ever done secondarys when I'm doing bulk aging, be it on wood, fruit or souring. Maybe it was my LHBS at the time, but he also said not to bother for most brews.
The off flavor thing was basically the dead yeast decomposing in there, and that's more a problem with commercial bulk fermenters - way higher pressure at the bottom than us little ale pail types. Not that it's not a bad idea to get the beer off if you're storing for a long time, but for most homebrewers, we don't bother with it for long enough to be an issue.
I mostly keg these days, but when |I do bottle, I do still use a bottling bucket - add the priming sugar solution to the bottom, then rack the beer on top of it, letting it whirlpool around, but no splashing. |Then bottle from there. I've never really had any issues with oxidation, as long as I'm reasonably careful.

 

[camonick]

I'm also considering cutting out the bottling bucket entirely, by adding the priming sugar to the fermenter and attaching the bottle filler to the auto-siphon. I'm a little worried about getting crud in the bottles this way, though.

I highly doubt that you’ll get a sufficient mixture of your priming sugar in the beer by adding it directly to the fermenter. The results will probably be randomly over/under carbonated bottles.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

45 days?

45 days. Here's one direct link.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...le-conditioned-ipa.653784/page-6#post-8877059

 

[jrgtr42]

45 days. Here's one direct link.

I was mostly joking about the complaint that NEIPAs tend to go off - the hops fade out - within minutes of packaging.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Thanks for confirming that. I wanted to make sure that people where aware that these techniques are worth investigating.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

While measuring out sugar is less time/effort than I expected, I want to play with the sugar concentrate that @bjhbrew discussed. That would also make it easier to dose a measured amount of an anti-oxidant (like campden/metabisulfite and/or ascorbic acid).

With multiple additions to the bottle, the approach that @bjhbrew mentions in #5 cetainly has appeal (repeated below for emphasis).

Now what I do is boil a measured amount of water and add all the sugar to make a concentrate. I calculate it in such a way that I can dose each bottle with a syringe (350ml bottles get 3.5ml, 650ml bottles get 6.5ml and 1L bottles get 10ml) my process is to fill the bottles directly from the primary fermenter (siphon or spigot with bottling wand) then I add the sugar solution from a syringe then I cap. I get perfect carbonation every time and works whether I’m bottling a large batch or just a few bottles after kegging the main portion. The math seemed tricky at first but I made a simple spreadsheet to help me get the water and sugar amounts right for whatever amount I’m bottling and co2 level I’m after.

 

[dtashmore547]

I don't bottle very much anymore but last time was the first time with a pressurised ferment and home made counter pressure filler, so easy, no priming just fill and cap. no problem with oxidation. no other way to do it for me anymore.

 

[Golddiggie]

Last time I filled bottles was from keg (beer fully carbonated) via the original beer gun I bought many years back. Since changing over to conical fermenters, I'm carbonating in fermenter (via a carbonation stone, with the beer chilled to about 35F) so I'm filling the [three gallon] serving keg with ready to drink beer and then filling cans with what's left. I'm using a Tapcooler with a draining base that I made (finished the base last weekend). I've pretty much figured out the amount to open the fill valve on the Tapcooler now to get a good fill each time. I have all of that setup on a wire mesh cart that I simply move into position when it's time to fill cans.

I do still have a box, or two, of swing top bottles for IF someone wants to take some beer home that I have on tap and I don't have any cans left. Not sure how long I'll keep those though.

I still have one of the counter pressure fillers that goes into a faucet that I bought before the beer gun. Haven't used it since getting the beer gun. IME, filling off faucet is more hassle than it's worth. Sure, it SOUNDS like a great idear, until you actually try it.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

People who have been taking about newer (potentially better) techniques for bottling (e.g. link in #8) have been reporting "no problems with oxidation" as well.

 

[MaxStout]

If you add the sugar solution directly to the fermenter, how do you mix it without stirring up the trub? Seems like that's trying to address one problem, and creating another.

Pour the sugar solution into the bottling bucket first, then rack the beer on top. If you set the end of the tubing along the edge of the bottom, the racked beer will make a sort of whirlpool, and mix well. You can always gently stir it, as an added precaution.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

People who have been taking about newer (potentially better) techniques for bottling (e.g. link in #8) have been reporting "no problems with oxidation" as well.

... and for those of you who keg (and fill bottles from kegs) but haven't bottled from a fermenter for a couple of years, be aware that the "best methods" for bottling (what OP is looking for) have moved forward.

 

[Beermeister32]

I bottle using two different methods:

For pre-carbonated beer, the counter pressure filler is the way to go. I usually carbonate the keg to 20 psi because you will get CO2 losses along the way when bottling, and you usually want the bottle carbed (like keg beer around 10 psi,) 2.5 volumes or thereabout for most styles. Adjust accordingly to your system.

For bottle conditioned beer, I have a picnic tap set up with about 10” of racking cane. This is hooked up to about 30” of beer line and then to a black beer out fitting on a corney keg. I run the corney keg at about 1 PSI of CO2 when bottling and use carbonation pills in the bottle. This way you can take a freshly completed keg of beer to bottling without exposing it to Oxygen in a bucket. The picnic tap adjusts the flow rate as you fill each bottle. The picnic tap shown has the plunger removed for cleaning, but this should show how to assemble one. I usually place the racking cane portion in a mug of sanitizer in between bottles.

 

[HVCBrewing]

Fantastic idea. I love the picnic tap bottle filler.

 

[GoodTruble]

I second the suggestion of just dosing each bottle with priming solution. I add priming solution to bottles first, then use picnic tap attached to a bottling wand to fill each bottle from a keg.

Also, I read a bottling tip a few weeks ago here that I liked. To purge the head space of the bottles, just make the priming solution a little stronger than needed and leave the caps sitting loosely on the bottles for awhile before tightening down. Let the carbing purge the headspace just like in the fermenter.

 

[GoodTruble]

I don't bottle very much anymore but last time was the first time with a pressurised ferment and home made counter pressure filler, so easy, no priming just fill and cap. no problem with oxidation. no other way to do it for me anymore.

Do you have a link to instructions for homemade counter pressure filler?

 

[pocketmon]

I fill bottles from fermenter directly because using a bottling bucket introduce chances of contamination and oxygen.
I add sugar solution directly into bottles by an automatic sugar dropper:


I used filler like what @Beermeister32 does to fill as full as possible to have as little headspace as possible.
Now I use my latest creation which use load cells to monitor beer filling and a servo motor to control flow by squeezing the tubing.

 

[mlfarrell]

I don’t use a bottling bucket anymore; mainly because I found that often the priming sugar didn’t always mix fully leaving uneven carbonation. Now what I do is boil a measured amount of water and add all the sugar to make a concentrate. I calculate it in such a way that I can dose each bottle with a syringe (350ml bottles get 3.5ml, 650ml bottles get 6.5ml and 1L bottles get 10ml) my process is to fill the bottles directly from the primary fermenter (siphon or spigot with bottling wand) then I add the sugar solution from a syringe then I cap. I get perfect carbonation every time and works whether I’m bottling a large batch or just a few bottles after kegging the main portion. The math seemed tricky at first but I made a simple spreadsheet to help me get the water and sugar amounts right for whatever amount I’m bottling and co2 level I’m after.

Holy ****. This is actually a great idea. I'm bottling on sat and may try this. What are the downsides if any to doing it this way? Also how much is a "measured" amount of water to add to a 5 oz bag of corn sugar?

 

[gello22]

The last thing I bottled was a neipa that held pretty well for the 6 weeks it took to drink.

Like others said I created enough priming sugar solution to be able to measure a reasonable amount in each I chose 5ml because 5ml +/- .5ml not a big deal 2ml +/- .5ml is not so good.

I dosed a bunch of bottles with sugar solution then filled and capped one at a time. Filing with the bottling wand connected directly to a spigot on the fermenter about 1-1.5" from the bottom. Some yeast in the first bottle then good after that. Not racking to another bucket greatly reduces oxygen intake. On the fermenter I just pulled the airlock but left the lid on.

The last big change from what I normally did was leaving only about 1/4" head space in the bottle touching the bottle filler to the side of the neck to add the extra. I suspect that capping on foam has a similar effect as not leaving head space.

If you are allowed to claim enough fridge space chill the whole batch when you are satisfied with the carbonation level.

 

[bjhbrew]

I can explain my process a little further If it helps anyone…

first off, no matter how much I’m bottling, I calculate how much priming sugar required per Liter of beer. I use regular table sugar and it’s usually ends up around 6-7g of sugar per Liter. (I use an online calc for that) Next, I plan to dissolve this amount of sugar in 10ml of water. I chose 10ml because I can then dose different sized bottles easily; 1L bottles get 10ml,650ml bottles get 6.5ml, and 335ml bottles get 3.5ish ml. Obviously this works best in metric (my humble Canadian opinion)

example scenario:

I’ll often brew 28L of finished beer, I keg 19L leaving me 9L that I like to bottle for aging.

assuming that I’ve calculated 7g sugar per Liter I’ll mix 63g of sugar into 90ml of boiling water. (I boil the water in a tea kettle and pour it over the sugar in a tea cup on a scale to measure, I don’t bother actually boiling the sugar). I’ll fill my bottles (often a mix of different sizes) then dose with a syringe filled to the amount for that bottle size.

I’m getting consistent carbonation results, the process is quick enough to not be a chore on kegging day, and works well for full batches too.

 

[grzrk]

I like the syringe idea. I occasionally will split batches between bottles and keg and just use those sugar "fizz drops" or whatever the brand calls them in a few bottles, then keg the rest. I've had decent success so far but being able to properly measure the sugar per bottle (especially with bombers) would be nice.