20 gallon bottling day

[mosquitocontrol]

After a last minute business trip to Baton Rouge this past week, all four of my batches are ready to bottle today. I thought doing two at a time was a little too much work, but 20 gallons? I have no vinator although I'm contemplating going to the store to get one. Exactly how long is this going to take? Have to do it today or else will have no homebrews for Memorial Day camping with the fiance's fam.

Too bad its beautiful out and all I want to do is drive in my convertible and enjoy being home.

I'm not even sure if I have enough bottles, let alone enough with the labels already peeled off. What's worse is I'm blacked out from the baseball game so I can't even watch that during the session.

At least the fiance stocked up on my fav. commerical brews before I got home!

 

[Yooper]

I've never bottled more than 14 gallons on one day, but it's really not that much more work than 5 or 10. I mean, sure more bottles to sanitize but you've got all the gear out, and you only have to haul it out and put it away once.

A few tips- the vinator will help, especially if you have a bottle tree or can use the dishwasher racks to put the bottles in after you spray the sanitizer in them. Make sure you keep the priming sugar measured and separated, and marked batch #1, batch #2, etc. Sounds silly, but you'll wonder- "Did I already put priming sugar in here?" about half way through the third batch. If they're clearing marked and ready, you'll know. A helper to cap would be a great help. That way, you can just fill, fill, fill, while the helper caps and marks the bottles with the type of beer. Set it up so you can be seated to fill the bottles. I do it on my dishwasher door. Filling 20 gallons worth of bottles bent over will kill your back and legs!

 

[kronik]

20 gal. at once, sounds like a recipe for a backache to me...but I'm sure its possible.

 

[Arkador]

run to the LHBS, get 4 cornies, a CO2 tank and regulator with 4 way manifold. Should only take an hour ocne you get home.

Seriously, including cleaning, and sanatizing bottles, I end up spending about 90 minutes for 5galons of beer, so I would schedule 5 hours for 4 batches, including cleaning and sanitation.

 

[mosquitocontrol]

Ran to LHBS before it closed to grab a vinator.

Its across the street from Dogfish head so decided to grab a few pints. Kentucky Derby distracted us. With the new buzz after 6 beers I was approved by SWMBO to take the step to kegging!


NICEEEEEE

 

[Arkador]

Beer, the cause of, and solution to ALL of life's problems!

 

[rsmith179]

Haven't done 20 gallons in a day, but will be bottling 2 6 gallon batches of wine and a 5 gallon batch of beer next weekend. It really isn't that bad once you get into the flow and get the routine down. I will soon be stepping up to kegging as well, but can't afford it all at once.