No beer left behind! Can't fit it all in keg, how to bottle the rest?

[ILMSTMF]

Have ~6 gallons or so in fermentor. Can't get that all into the keg, of course. I would like to bottle what's left but trying to figure out if / how I can easily do that from the fermentor only.

I have a bottling bucket too but trying to avoid that.

I have...

• plastic 1L Mr. Beer bottles. Knew they'd come in handy one day! I have a feeling using these bottles will be the easiest way to package the remaining beer.
• plenty of corn sugar
• glass bottles and caps, bench capper.
• glass growlers (32oz and 64oz but I don't think I can use these and expect carbonation?)
• a carbonation cap. It is attached to some tubing that is secured with worm clamps. It's brought out for tap line cleaning purposes. I am trying to avoid taking that apart but if I must, I will.

Good news is it'll be at least 2 weeks before I transfer from bucket to keg (and bottles) so I've got time to figure this out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BrewInspector]

You could just fill the bottles and prime each individually.
Either by adding the appropriate amount of sugar to each or preparing a priming solution calculated for the total amount of remaining beer and adding the appropriate amount to each bottle.

Yes you can use flip top growlers. If the seal is good it works fine. A leaky, cracked, loose fitting seal may not carbonated fully if at all.

 

[shelly_belly]

2L soda bottles would go even quicker!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Clean/rinse bottles.
Sanitize bottles.
Add priming sugar either to each bottle or bulk prime in a second vessel.*
Fill bottles with beer.
Cap bottles.
Allow to sit at room temperature.

*Use a priming sugar calculator.
https://www.morebeer.com/content/priming_sugar_calculator

 

[TwistedGray]

Have ~6 gallons or so in fermentor. Can't get that all into the keg, of course. I would like to bottle what's left but trying to figure out if / how I can easily do that from the fermentor only.

I have a bottling bucket too but trying to avoid that.

I have...

• plastic 1L Mr. Beer bottles. Knew they'd come in handy one day! I have a feeling using these bottles will be the easiest way to package the remaining beer.
• plenty of corn sugar
• glass bottles and caps, bench capper.
• glass growlers (32oz and 64oz but I don't think I can use these and expect carbonation?)
• a carbonation cap. It is attached to some tubing that is secured with worm clamps. It's brought out for tap line cleaning purposes. I am trying to avoid taking that apart but if I must, I will.

I would use the bottling bucket to avoid pulling over too much sediment from the bottom, or don't get too stingy and just leave some behind when you dump the fermenter. How the beer gets into the bottles is not that relevant anyways, so...

1. 1L Mr. Beer bottles - Are these the twist on / twist off? Have they already been used? Do you have new caps with seals? Are they actual bottles, or are they "plastic bottles"? I don't use plastic...just curious.

2. Corn sugar - I only ever use table sugar and prime each bottle individually. The calculation for that is 1/2tsp of white table sugar per 12oz bottle (scale accordingly).

3. Glass bottles, caps, and capper - Okay, good

4. Glass growlers - I have carbonated in both swing top growlers and screw on capped growlers with success on both. You just need to adjust #2 accordingly, but you'll be fine. I might recommend adding a layer of seran wrap to the top if you are using screw on cap style. Not sure if it helps, but it didn't hurt.

5. Carb. cap - I only bottle condition so cannot comment.

 

[davidabcd]

Glass growlers - I have carbonated in both swing top growlers and screw on capped growlers with success on both. You just need to adjust #2 accordingly, but you'll be fine.

Are you saying because they're growlers, lighten up a bit on the carbonation? I've always thought of growlers as transport only, but maybe not.

 

[TwistedGray]

Are you saying because they're growlers, lighten up a bit on the carbonation? I've always thought of growlers as transport only, but maybe not.

Nope, I am saying you can treat the growlers the same as you would any other bottle. A 64 ounce growler would require 2.5 teaspoons of sugar to carbonate at the same level you would a 12 ounce bottle (ie: 1/2tsp per 12oz).

I've bottle conditioned in 64 ounce and 32 ounce growlers without any issue at all. Hell, you could, in theory, bottle in a carboy; although, I don't think I would do that for a wide variety of reasons

 

[davidabcd]

@TwistedGray I totally want to see someone do a carboy.
I get what you were saying now.
I thought, from HBT more than likely, that growlers weren't thick enough.
Thanks.

 

[TwistedGray]

@TwistedGray I totally want to see someone do a carboy.
I get what you were saying now.
I thought, from HBT more than likely, that growlers weren't thick enough.
Thanks.

Plenty of threads on HBT about this if you care to poke your eyes out and read through them all. Standard bottles are probably "safer" (whatever that is supposed to mean), but plenty of people bottle condition in growlers, so there's that statistic as well.

 

[ILMSTMF]

Clean/rinse bottles.
Sanitize bottles.
Add priming sugar either to each bottle or bulk prime in a second vessel.*
Fill bottles with beer.
Cap bottles.
Allow to sit at room temperature.

*Use a priming sugar calculator.
https://www.morebeer.com/content/priming_sugar_calculator

Been a while since I've bottled... Normally, it'd be a bulk prime in the bottling bucket using corn sugar boiled in a small volume of water. This being a sort of experiment and also due to laziness... I'd like to add dry sugar straight to each bottle. Can I do that?

I would use the bottling bucket to avoid pulling over too much sediment from the bottom, or don't get too stingy and just leave some behind when you dump the fermenter. How the beer gets into the bottles is not that relevant anyways, so...

1. 1L Mr. Beer bottles - Are these the twist on / twist off? Have they already been used? Do you have new caps with seals? Are they actual bottles, or are they "plastic bottles"? I don't use plastic...just curious.

4. Glass growlers - I have carbonated in both swing top growlers and screw on capped growlers with success on both. You just need to adjust #2 accordingly, but you'll be fine. I might recommend adding a layer of seran wrap to the top if you are using screw on cap style. Not sure if it helps, but it didn't hurt.

Mr. Beer - basically they are 1L plastic soda bottles but the walls are probably thicker than a Coke plastic bottle. Screw top.

I'm intrigued by doing these fills straight to growler. Ultimately, I want to share the vessels with friends who don't get the pleasure of having some from the keg. Growlers are glass, screw top. I guess my worry was the same effect as bottle bombs? I don't need these things exploding on me.

So what's the plan then? Fermentor will have an extra gallon in it to package after filling the keg. Auto siphon, racking cane's vinyl hose can probably sit at the bottom of the growler... less oxidization that way. I gotta figure out how to start / stop the flow of that siphon between fills...
It's a rough idea here. Trying to save headache, save messes, save time... Can't have the cake and eat it too, I suppose. I'm all ears, thanks folks!

 

[MaaZeus]

A little tip. If you are using plastic bottles use sugar cubes that people use to sweeten coffee or tea. I use recycled Latvian 1 liter PET beer bottles and for low carbonation I use two cubes and high carbonation I use 3 or maybe even 4 cubes (smaller pieces). Extrapolate from that depending on how big bottles you are using. The sugar cubes are not all uniform in size but honestly it does not make that big of a difference and use your common sense. Meaning if you go for high carbonation don't use 4 of the biggest cubes you can find in the box. There is no need to dissolve or shake the bottles or anything, just throw them in and close the cap somewhat tightly. (No need to go all Incredible Hulk on them. I have broken few caps by overtightening them so they are under a lot of strain and then carbonation gets added on top of it.)

Nothing prevents you from using the sugar cubes in glass bottles too but the hole is usually too small so you have the break the cubes in pieces and that is rather annoying and hard for your fingers.

 

[TwistedGray]

blah blah blah

What I do...

Beer from carboy to bottling bucket
Each bottle gets appropriate amount of sugar (1/2 teaspoon per 12 ounces)
Bottling bucket to bottle
Cap the bottle

Use your bucket to hold the last gallon, add regular white sugar to each bottle, use the bottling bucket to fill the bottle (ie: spigot), and then cap each bottle. It's that simple!

 

[Dland]

If you get serious enough about your brew, as in wanting very good beer and not having to buy it,,; my advice would be to acquire a few more kegs of whatever system you are using, or like I did in the old days, have a good collection of good bottles. Make a lot, have enough storage capacity to condition, that sort of thing..

Edit; the use of plastic bottles and not food stable plastics of any kind for this is not a good idea unless you need to; like besieged, deployed or incarcerated or have no other option for some other reason.

 

[z-bob]

How much extra beer are we talking about? (you can always drink some)

1L and 2L soda bottles work great, just keep them out of bright light so the beer doesn't get skunky. Your Mr Beer bottles should work too -- 2 tsp of sugar is a good amount to prime a 1L bottle.

 

[Horseflesh]

Buy another carbonation cap. Put excess beer into 1-2 L bottles. Force carbonate immediately, and drink while you are cleaning the fermenter.

I like to do this because I liek beer... but there is another benefit to drinking some right out of the fermenter. If you detect an off flavor later, you’ll know that it has something to do with packaging/dispensing.

 

[Jtk78]

I do this often with great results. Pick the bottle of your choice. Put some sugar in the bottle (I use Domino sugar cubes, 1 per 12oz, 2 per 22oz). Siphon off the top 1/3 of the carboy to the bottles, cap them and when you have gone through enough beer so the rest will fit in the keg, switch to going in the keg.

I've bottled cold crashed beer this way and it carbs fine. In fact, I actually prefer bottling a few this way vs off the tap if I think I may send it in to a competition.

I will note, I am doing closed transfers with the aid a couple pounds of CO2. I have a MFL fitting on my stainless siphon and I put a short hose with a MFL fitting attached to my bottle filler. When I'm done filling, lift siphon above wort level, remove bottle filler, attach to keg and start transfer to keg.

Less to clean (no bottling bucket), less O2, and quicker. Win!

 

[hottpeper13]

I use the flip top bottles for transport and when I have more then 5 gal in carboy. I keep a bag of carbonation tabs on hand and add the amount that is recommended for the size i'm filling. I also use a 1/2" auto siphon with a silicone hose. They make a clip that slides onto the hose and you can stop the flow as it has kinda like a cam pinching the tube. It works great on the silicone , not so much on the vinyl. This happens quite often on barrel aged beers and the yeast that is in the carb tabs works every time. This way you don't have the bucket and filler to worry about.

 

[TwistedGray]

In fact, I actually prefer bottling a few this way vs off the tap if I think I may send it in to a competition.

I have had non or poorly carbonated beers from trades that come straight from the tap and others perfectly carb'd. I have not had issues from bottle carb'ers like myself except the rare slightly over carb'ing which I would prefer over under carb'ing.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

I sometimes have a little extra beer when kegging and may have enough beer for 1-6 bottles depending on the batch. Due to this I transfer with my auto-siphon into a metal pitcher I use for brewing about a half gallon before I fill the keg. I then transfer to the keg with the siphon until the carboy is empty. I then empty from the pitcher into the keg to get it as full as I can, if I have enough beer left in the pitcher for a bottle or two I use the carbonation drops (sugar drops) from the brew shop, just drop one in a 12oz bottle and cap it.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Nothing prevents you from using the sugar cubes in glass bottles too but the hole is usually too small so you have the break the cubes in pieces and that is rather annoying and hard for your fingers.

Just shove them it, they'll fit. 1 sugar cube in a 12oz bottle, 2 in a 22oz bomber. Works fine. I use this process; my batches are ~6g net to fermentor, then I'll bottle off a six pack of 12oz bottles and then the rest go to the keg.

 

[MaaZeus]

Just shove them it, they'll fit. 1 sugar cube in a 12oz bottle, 2 in a 22oz bomber. Works fine. I use this process; my batches are ~6g net to fermentor, then I'll bottle off a six pack of 12oz bottles and then the rest go to the keg.

With the 0.75 fliptop bottles that I have the hole is so small that there is no way to just ram them in. I use them for mead though so no need for sugars.

 

[z-bob]

With the 0.75 fliptop bottles that I have the hole is so small that there is no way to just ram them in. I use them for mead though so no need for sugars.

There are 2 sizes of sugar cubes. 2.3 gram and 4 gram (the 2.3 gram have gotten very hard to find -- at least I can't find them anymore, but I still have about 5 pounds) The smaller 2.3's will fit in a beer bottle. I haven't tried them in a 750 ml swingtop but I think they'd fit. I use granulated sugar and a little stainless funnel when I prime the 750's. IIRC, it's 1.5 teaspoons.

 

[TwistedGray]

I'll say it again, a half teaspoon of regular ole sugar works fine.

Don't do sugar cubes for every single reason listed before me!!

 

[MaaZeus]

I'll say it again, a half teaspoon of regular ole sugar works fine.

Don't do sugar cubes for every single reason listed before me!!

I have thought about using a funnel but what about sanitation. I could spray the bezeesus out of it with Starsan but wont that make sugar stick into the wet surfaces and clump into the funnel?

 

[Novacor]

I have thought about using a funnel but what about sanitation. I could spray the bezeesus out of it with Starsan but wont that make sugar stick into the wet surfaces and clump into the funnel?

I just make sure that the funnel and teaspoon I use are clean. Fermented beer is less likely to pick up an infection, and I figure that a clean funnel is just about as sanitized as the sugar that I'm pouring through it.

 

[MaaZeus]

I just make sure that the funnel and teaspoon I use are clean. Fermented beer is less likely to pick up an infection, and I figure that a clean funnel is just about as sanitized as the sugar that I'm pouring through it.

Good point.

 

[TwistedGray]

I do the above as well...clean funnel works fine. If you want to be anal, sanitize it, coat in sugar, then go from there so you don't lose sugar on your first few.

I don't go through the trouble of doing that though; I wash, dry, and use as-is.

 

[ILMSTMF]

Fermented beer is less likely to pick up an infection, and I figure that a clean funnel is just about as sanitized as the sugar that I'm pouring through it.

You had to say this, didn't you? ;-)

I hate that I'm asking this but... do I bother going Mr. Clean crazy on the bottling bucket? I'd be fine just spraying it down thoroughly and spraying into the spigot... instead of a gallon-ish soak of Star San.
This excess beer is probably going into growlers, screw on lids. Sugar added to each growler then put in fridge for 2 weeks. They will probably be given to friends and consumed within a month of handing it to them.

1) Condition in fridge or room temp for those two weeks? Keeping in mind risk of explosive activity.
2) I do not expect to be storing any of the "bottled" beer for long. Hence, the ease of filling larger format growlers. But, suppose a growler does sit for a while longer... how long can this beer, that is being carbonated in growler, be considered "shelf fresh"?

 

[TallDan]

I've primed bombers individually with the excess beer from a batch in the past and it worked fine. After doing it a few times, I decided it really wasn't worth the effort for a few bombers of beer.

Another thought here, and something that I may try on a batch in the future if I am so inclined (not likely):
1. ensure your keg is complete flushed with co2 (force sarsan out with co2, etc)
2. put 1 gallon of beer into the keg via liquid post
3. pressurize keg to desired carbonation level
4. shake
5. repeat 3 and 4 until fully carbonated
6. fill bottles from keg using a counter-pressure bottle filler
7. refill keg with remaining 5g of beer from fermenter

 

[ILMSTMF]

Well, to be bluntly honest, I'm doing this 1) so I don't waste beer (perish the thought). 2) because friends who want my beer wouldn't normally visit my home. 3) I want all the draft pours for myself, friends be damned!

Not a bad idea to use the bottle filler off the keg with that excess beer. In fact, I've got a Blichmann beer gun that I haven't used yet... Still, I'd like to save steps / time by bottling the uncarbonated beer at transfer time. Figure it makes sense to do it all at once.

 

[Horseflesh]

I hate that I'm asking this but... do I bother going Mr. Clean crazy on the bottling bucket? I'd be fine just spraying it down thoroughly and spraying into the spigot... instead of a gallon-ish soak of Star San.

Put a little StarSan in the bucket, hold a lid on top, and shake it so the inside surfaces get coated. As long as it’s wet for 30 seconds the sanitizer should work. No need to waste gallons of it.