Am I the only guy that actually enjoys bottling ?

[david58]

On my 5th batch now, all bottled. I kinda enjoy the bottling, if I can manage to get a good siphon going (I still haven't got a good handle on that).

I clean my bottles as I use em. I do a hot rinse immediately upon emptying one, they wash it with hot soapy water before I put it away. Then, I use the dishwasher to sanitize them. So far, so good, not a bad bottle yet.

 

[krisagon]

Eh, I like the bottling...
Making labels is something I'm still into, although I've only done 6 batches so far.

I guess at some point the magic will wear off.

 

[The_Dtrain]

For me I've found that once I had a system set up it was not such a chore to bottle. I wash the bottles (that need it) with bottle brush into my drill. I hand them to my daughter and she puts them in the rinse water. Then I take them downstairs and put them on the bottle tree to dry and then store them. When I need to bottle I sanitize the tree, dip the bottles in star san, and then bottle 12 bottles at a time. The first batch I bottled I washed, sanitized and filled in the same day---makes it a long process.

I now have kegs but still have a large collection of bottles. I brew 10gal batches and thought about Kegging 5 and bottling 5 just to have them around. My daughter likes to help sanitize bottles, too. Good bonding time for us.

 

[northernlad]

I wash the bottles (that need it) with bottle brush into my drill.

FTW
Plus, if you remove the brush just right the whirlpool empties the bottle in a jif!

Before I forget, Revvy is soley responsible for smooth bottling in my "brewery". Without https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/ I would probably still be messin something up.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sure. But it lacks that certain aesthetic quality.

They come in many colors tro match the skirts in your beer closet.

 

[JetSmooth]

They come in many colors tro match the skirts in your beer closet.

It's a kilt!

 

[Beerbeque]

I have bottled over 75 batches now and I don't plan to ever start kegging. I never clean my bottles. I never use a bottle brush. I rinse each bottle well sometime after pouring and then store them away. When I an ready to refill, I hold each bottle up to the light, peer down inside and toss any out that don't look clean and that is a rarity. Then I dunk them into the starsan filled sink, immediately empty and then drain on the dishwasher's bottom rack. Then I fill and cap. Quick and easy and I've never had a bad bottle using my method.

 

[tunoffun]

I have bottled over 75 batches now and I don't plan to ever start kegging. I never clean my bottles. I never use a bottle brush. I rinse each bottle well sometime after pouring and then store them away. When I an ready to refill, I hold each bottle up to the light, peer down inside and toss any out that don't look clean and that is a rarity. Then I dunk them into the starsan filled sink, immediately empty and then drain on the dishwasher's bottom rack. Then I fill and cap. Quick and easy and I've never had a bad bottle using my method.

Pretty much the same process here. I make sure to rinse out the bottles the same day I use them, let them air dry, then store them away.

When it comes to bottling again, the only difference is that after I dip them in starsan, I place them all in the dishwater & run it w/ no soap on 'sterilize'. Usually do this the night before bottling, and keep the dishwater closed until bottling time.

The only thing that sucks about bottles to me is cleaning the labels off. But once you have a stock of bottles you're GTG.

 

[prosper]

I never really minded bottling. Though I will confess that since I started kegging, the amount of beer that I've bottled has basically hit zero - not so much that I hate the process, but because I'm lazy and will usually follow the path of least resistance. That, and I like clear, consistently carbonated, sediment-free beer from the tap.

 

[vicratlhead51]

I really like bottling, none of it feels like a chore, except for removing the labels on some bottles. It's wierd some brewerys use a glue that resists TSP and Oxiclean. Anybody run into bottles like these and have suggestions. Worst ones I've had to deal with yet was a sixer I bought in Maine from the Bar Harbor Brewing Co.

The biggest advantage to bottling is it's way easier to give away to friends. Last night some of SWMBO's family came over to help move a fridge and she sent me down to the basement to throw a few sixpacks together for the guys. If I had kegged I wouldn't have been able to slap them together so quick. On the flipside it would be good to have a couple kegs on hand for parties.

 

[northernlad]

When it comes to bottling again, the only difference is that after I dip them in starsan, I place them all in the dishwater & run it w/ no soap on 'sterilize'.

Why do you wash off the sanitizer?

 

[chapa]

I've always thought the dishwasher method sounded good! Does anyone just rinse the bottle after pouring, and throw thru a cycle in the dishwasher, and rack straight from there?

Is there a detergent that you should/shouldn't use?

I usually need some jet dry to keep from leaving spots on dishes, and put it on the heavy duty cycle.

I always rinse my bottles after pouring, and turn over to dry. When I'm ready I put a good amt of starsan in the first bottle, shake up, spray the top, then pour into the next bottle, and turn the 1st one upside down, on a "drying rack". Seems to work ok, but doesn't sound like the safest method.

 

[passedpawn]

I've always thought the dishwasher method sounded good! Does anyone just rinse the bottle after pouring, and throw thru a cycle in the dishwasher, and rack straight from there?

Is there a detergent that you should/shouldn't use?

I usually need some jet dry to keep from leaving spots on dishes, and put it on the heavy duty cycle.

I always rinse my bottles after pouring, and turn over to dry. When I'm ready I put a good amt of starsan in the first bottle, shake up, spray the top, then pour into the next bottle, and turn the 1st one upside down, on a "drying rack". Seems to work ok, but doesn't sound like the safest method.

Search for dishwasher threads. Tons. I don't use starsan on bottles. Rinse right after use, then dishwasher morning of bottling day. No soap! My dishwasher has a Sani-Rinse cycle that guarantees sanitation. My dw has a jet-dry filler that is usually full, but I don't have any problem with head retention so that's I don't consider it a problem.

 

[Hermit]

Search for dishwasher threads. Tons. I don't use starsan on bottles. Rinse right after use, then dishwasher morning of bottling day. No soap! My dishwasher has a Sani-Rinse cycle that guarantees sanitation. My dw has a jet-dry filler that is usually full, but I don't have any problem with head retention so that's I don't consider it a problem.

Never thought of that, but if jet dry is doing its job, then there shouldn't be much left on the bottles when the cycle is done.

 

[curlyfat]

I mostly don't bottle condition because I'm sick of telling people unfamiliar with homebrew how to pour it. It's a bit of a pain to bottle off of a keg, but I like the end result. I usually bottle 12-24 bottles from the keg for sharing at work and gifting.

I do occasionally bottle condition special batches.

I don't mind bottling, but I hate the storage, the need to rinse right away, and the sediment at the bottom.

 

[tunoffun]

Why do you wash off the sanitizer?

Because I'm anal about my stuff being both clean & chemical free.
I do the same with my fermenters... starsan followed by a rinse w/ boiled water.
May be overkill. May not be necessary. But it works for me & I'm happy w/ it.

 

[MyNameIsPaul]

A big +1 for good bottle rinse, then dishwasher on sanitize option.

I've gone to kegging and will be using the BMBF from now on. I don't mind bottling, it's relaxing and the SWMBO gets involved. Good Stuff =)

 

[danlad]

Bottling is zen.

 

[phishfood]

I don't mind the santizing process, I don't mind the bottling process, I like the feeling of rhythm that I get from repetitive, brain-off tasks like that.

What I hate is having to remember to put bottles in the fridge so that I have some cold whenever I happen to want a beer.

 

[Apendecto]

Bottling is a lot like mowing the lawn. Some people find it to be a chore while others find it an opportunity to zen out.

Amen. I've also been bottling one two liter from each batch, since there will probably be some time where 6 brews will be cracked in one night.

Plus, it's way better than picking hops.

 

[chapa]

Amen.

Plus, it's way better than picking hops.

OT: I've been having the inclination to start growing hops(which I'm sure everybody does), but something tells me the fun would wear off pretty quick...and its almost hard to justify when you can get a lb for $10-15 from Hops Direct. Its almost like brewing a BMC, just not worth the hassle!

 

[Righlander]

I hate bottling. it stresses me out for some reason. but, i can't keg. so i deal with it. another thing, i always bottle in 11.2oz warsteiner bottles. it sucks. but it's worth it for sampling the beer to find out when it's ready.

 

[ksbrain]

I do miss bottles, but I do not miss bottling. Hell, I don't even know where my capper is any more. When I REALLY miss bottles, I'll fill an empty soda bottle off the keg and then drink it a few days later.

Of course, I've made a batch for my Sister-in-law's husband (not quite a brother-in-law) for his Birthday, which I'll obviously have to deliver in bottles. Not looking forward to it... I mean I'm gonna have to buy two cases of new bottles. That's going to cost more than the beer itself!!

 

[two_hearted]

Honestly, I enjoy the process from cleaning and sanitizing to capping. I look forward to days where I get to brew, take gravity readings, rack, bottle, anything relating to the whole process.

Now I've only done about 15 or so 5 gal batches and the last 7 I have done by myself so it hasn't been years and years or bottling. I'm sure I will love kegging too when I can afford it and have the space.

It's the best part of my week when I get to do something related to my beers. Even if that's screwing up my first couple AG batches.

 

[jfr1111]

I really like bottling, none of it feels like a chore, except for removing the labels on some bottles. It's wierd some brewerys use a glue that resists TSP and Oxiclean. Anybody run into bottles like these and have suggestions. Worst ones I've had to deal with yet was a sixer I bought in Maine from the Bar Harbor Brewing Co.

The biggest advantage to bottling is it's way easier to give away to friends. Last night some of SWMBO's family came over to help move a fridge and she sent me down to the basement to throw a few sixpacks together for the guys. If I had kegged I wouldn't have been able to slap them together so quick. On the flipside it would be good to have a couple kegs on hand for parties.

Toss them. My father brought me those silk screened coronas. I thanked him and the minute he was away, I was giving them to the guy who collects bottles in the trash.

 

[lumpher]

Yes you are.

I hate bottling, but since I can't keg due to space limitations, and the fact that I like bottles, rather than be a whiney ****** about it (like most keggers are ) I decided to be a man about it and conquer the bastard and come up with a system that was less onerous, and that I could get done in less than an hour.

Most keggers run screaming from it like the gurly gurls they are, then they complain about it and come onto bottling threads acting like the poster is too dumb to not have ever heard about kegs...but they're the dumb ones, they were DEFEATED BY BOTTLES...that's the same as being beaten by a gurl. If you look in the dictionary under WUSSIE you see the words KEGGER the thirs entry down.

That's why I created this thread...Not because I particularly loved it, but I wans't going to let it get to me. I was gonna beat the process senseless. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

Besides, the ladies dig guys who bottle and don't whine about it. That's why you don't see hot chicks doing this with a keg.

funny, revvy.. delayed response, but yep, we keggers hate it, and sometimes whine when we have to bottle. i alleviate ( that means reduce.. hehe ) the pain with a few mugs of actual draft beer while bottling. to set the record straight, i hate bottling, but if a brewing titan like revvy can bottle, i guess i'll shut up whining about bottling... for now

 

[-TH-]

For your bottle storage woes, get one of these - a legal size filing cabinet:

of course a lateral file works even better:

I also made one of these which makes bottling a little bit more enjoyable:

 

[northernlad]

So there I was washing some yeast thinking about what else: BEER. I got to thinking about this "If you hate cleaning Bottles, you hate bottling" nonsense when it struck me:
Because there is not one person who doesn't dislike at least one aspect of this hobby, then you must hate brewing.

 

[chicagobrew]

Personally, I like bottling and I really like having bottles to take with me where ever I go. I've never used a bottle brush and don't even own one. I just rinse them well after use, rinse them again before bottling, and then bake them in the oven at 350 for an hour. When cool, they get filled and capped. I've done about 150g this year and 25g this week alone. It probably takes longer than kegging, but time spent on this hobby is time well spent. Once you get a routine going bottling is easy and enjoyable.

 

[sportscrazed2]

I'm thinking of picking up a bottling tree and one of those sanitizer dispensers to make things more fun. do you think it's worth it? last time i just filled em completely with star san then dumped the star san right before filling them.