boostinbyeu
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About to bottle my first batch of beer. Made an extract fat tire style of beer. It's been about two weeks gonna bottle it two days. Re using old pop top bottles. Any advice?
Bottling first batch.
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sanitize the bottles well, and be patient. it'll take at least 2 weeks for it to carbonate. 3 would be better. it takes some patience for the act of bottling alone, so expect to spend 1-1.5 hours doing it. try to have fun, though, and remember, when you're done with it, you'll have a tasty treat in the making 
Leave it in primary for another week. Give the yeast time to finish cleaning the beer. After fermentation ends they will still be working, cleaning up off flavors that are created during the fermentation process. This also gives time for suspended sediment to settle out.
Read the sticky threads in the bottling section. I like to set my bottling bucket high on a table. I attach the bottling wand to the spigot on the bucket with a 2" section of vinyl tubing so I can sit in a chair and fill the bottles.
I use the bottom rack in my dishwasher to hold my sanitized bottles and fill from there. I put them on the table set a cap on top and when they are all filled I go back and crimp them all.
Welcome to the addiction/obsession.
Read the sticky threads in the bottling section. I like to set my bottling bucket high on a table. I attach the bottling wand to the spigot on the bucket with a 2" section of vinyl tubing so I can sit in a chair and fill the bottles.
I use the bottom rack in my dishwasher to hold my sanitized bottles and fill from there. I put them on the table set a cap on top and when they are all filled I go back and crimp them all.
Welcome to the addiction/obsession.
Make sure to have some towels handy to catch drips, I put a few on the floor under the bottling bucket, and a spray bottle with sanitizer is handy to spray anything that might touch something in the germ-zone....say, when one waves the wand around and bangs the tip of it into the cupboard door.
Usually a few homebrews have been imbibed at that point... :cross:
Have fun and enjoy it. Leave your freshly filled goods alone a minimum of three weeks, there's an appreciable change in the flavor and aroma profile as it sits. Try one at three weeks and try more at 4 or 5, you'll see.
Usually a few homebrews have been imbibed at that point... :cross:
Have fun and enjoy it. Leave your freshly filled goods alone a minimum of three weeks, there's an appreciable change in the flavor and aroma profile as it sits. Try one at three weeks and try more at 4 or 5, you'll see.
I'm going to break from the others and suggest you drink one at week one, two, three, and so on. Why? So you know why you shouldn't touch it.
I was way too impatient with my first batch but it taught me a lot about the process and why patience is more than just a virtue with homebrewing. Try it early on. Learn what green beer tastes like. Learn how it improves. Learn how the flavored change over time. Learn how the carbonation improves. Etc.
I was way too impatient with my first batch but it taught me a lot about the process and why patience is more than just a virtue with homebrewing. Try it early on. Learn what green beer tastes like. Learn how it improves. Learn how the flavored change over time. Learn how the carbonation improves. Etc.
About to do my first bottling session this weekend. I was looking forward to drinking my beer and now I realize I have to wait another 2 weeks. Now I understand why people have 2 or 3 beers at different stages. Going to be picking up another bucket or 2 for more batches.
boostinbyeu
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This is some great advice. Thanks for replying. Looks like I will wait another week before bottling an I will start tasting and noting the difference in my book.
I didn't try my first batch till 3 weeks,5 days. It was clear & quite good with 5 days in the fridge. It was the Cooper's OS lager in their PET bottles. 4 & 5 weeks were def better insomuch as carbonation was more even,flavor a bit more developed. I always drink the odd amount left over at bottling,which always seems to steel my wool,as they say.
Question I just bottled my 2nd batch and let it sit for a week before putting them all in the fridge. How will the fridge affect my beers if I leave them in there for a few more weeks? After reading this it sounds like I should not have put them in the fridge for a few weeks.
You mean beyond the Bottling Tips for the Homebrewer sticky that I created in the BOTTLING section of the forum?
No.
Yup,1 week bottle conditioning at room temp is not enough. 3-5 weeks is def recommended before fridging them for at least a week.
Revvy said:You mean beyond the Bottling Tips for the Homebrewer sticky that I created in the BOTTLING section of the forum?
No.
I followed your advice in that thread verbatim while bottling my first batch on Sunday. It went great and didnt even bother my aching back. 3 weeks in the bottle at 70f and I'll refrigerate one and report back.
Likely they won't carb up as well a you'd like. The cold will make the yeast go dormant, so they won't produce any CO2. I'd take then back out & let them condition for another week.
I got a Fat Tire clone in the FV at 1 week 3 days. Popped the top just to see how it was looking and check for infection, had quite a bit up fallen in krausen. I hope your clone is a lot more clear after 2 weeks. As long as your gravity is good though...
If you don't have one, pick up and auto siphon. They're like $13 bucks and it makes racking to the bottling bucket a breeze. Sanitation is key (check out a vinator for a quick solution to bottling your brew and a bottling tree for temp storage). Be patient and take your time. I've seen a lot of folks put the cap on the beer and not crimp it right away to let excess oxygen escape as well.
Most important advice: RDWHAHB!!! Enjoy and congrats!
If you don't have one, pick up and auto siphon. They're like $13 bucks and it makes racking to the bottling bucket a breeze. Sanitation is key (check out a vinator for a quick solution to bottling your brew and a bottling tree for temp storage). Be patient and take your time. I've seen a lot of folks put the cap on the beer and not crimp it right away to let excess oxygen escape as well.
Most important advice: RDWHAHB!!! Enjoy and congrats!
I read somewhere to practice with water first. I practiced with water and filled up a handful of bottles before my first bottling experience and it was worth it. I realized it does take practice and even yesterday (my first bottling) I still spilled and learned !
Good luck
Good luck
Leave it in primary for another week. Give the yeast time to finish cleaning the beer. After fermentation ends they will still be working, cleaning up off flavors that are created during the fermentation process. This also gives time for suspended sediment to settle out.
Read the sticky threads in the bottling section. I like to set my bottling bucket high on a table. I attach the bottling wand to the spigot on the bucket with a 2" section of vinyl tubing so I can sit in a chair and fill the bottles.
I use the bottom rack in my dishwasher to hold my sanitized bottles and fill from there. I put them on the table set a cap on top and when they are all filled I go back and crimp them all.
Welcome to the addiction/obsession.
I second this method. sitting picking bottles off the lower dishwasher rack w/the bottling wand extending down over the door. All drips are on the washer door. I dunk the bottles in StarSan and stack them on the rack after first spraying the rack w/StarSan. So easy grab bottle, fill, turn about 45 degrees and put on counter. Repeat.
Get your pipeline going. I got back from a 1 week trip and some of my fermenters have been sitting in the "freezer" for 4 weeks. Bottled yesterday and was supprised at how solid the trub was. Cracked a few beers that had been contitioned at 70 for 3 weeks and in the fridge at 45* for say 3 weeks and WOW, could almost pour every drop into the glass before yeasties began to move off the bottom of the bottle.
