Am I the only guy that actually enjoys bottling ?

[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 biatch 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.

 

[BierMuncher]

...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.

"keggers were defeated by bottles".

Hmmm..

Hadn't heard quite that spin put on it before. Those bottles must have really beaten the hell out of me. I mean...20 kegs, 10 taps, two stationary kegerators and one rolling kegerator? Half a dozen catered parties a year with homebrew on tap?

Yep...those bottles were merciless to me alright.

 

[BBBF]

I don't mind bottling, but my kegs and numberous flip-top bottles would make you think otherwise.

 

[metaltim]

I bottled my first 16 batches (~800 bottles) before I bought my first kegging system. I didn't mind it, I had my system down pat, I stored empty bottles in beer cases in xtra bedroom closet.
but i must say, kegging was much easier, and I'd never go back to bottles.

 

[jessup]

i really don't mind bottling. it takes me about 45 minutes per 5 gal batch using all 12 oz bottles. if i use bombers, even less time! what's so bad about that? plus you can age for long periods, hide bottles to find later on down the road and bring them whereever you want whenever you want. i do have a 3 gal corny for serving and a coupla 5 gal cornies for aging, but other than that bottles are king in my domain. bottling is especially important for sours, the champagne bottles with corks and cages are so nice and presentable i couldn't imagine serving from a keg.

 

[rico567]

I bottled my seond batch today. It took all of an hour and a half, from brewing my morning coffee to actually rinsing the carboys outside. It wasn't a ten gallon batch, but I did fill around 30 bombers.

Maybe that's the secret: bombers that have been baked in the oven the night before. I just had to rip the foil off, fill, place a cap and seal with the bench capper. The actual bottling phase took all of 30 minutes...

Now, cleaning bottles and getting the labels off. I still have three cases of bombers to do plus another of 12 ouncers to have enough bottles for my next batches and I can tell it is going to suck immensely.

No, no you're not. I bottle only, and look upon kegging as needless expense, maintenance, and complexity.
My bottles get sanitized and sit in the dishwasher for about two hours after it runs until I'm ready to bottle. From then, like you, it's about 90 minutes until I'm done with cleanup. Quick & easy....and I mostly do 12 oz. longnecks.

 

[jfr1111]

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.

You do know you don't have to fill them completly with starsan right ? And that starsan solution keep for months ?

 

[northernlad]

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.

The best thing I ever did was get a Vinator. I got a used dish rack from work that holds 49 bottles.

 

[sportscrazed2]

cool i think i am going to get one of those bottle trees with a vinator. do most hold 22 oz bottles? I think i'm going to use only 22oz bottles from now on. also do you have to sanitize the tree or just the bottles?

 

[northernlad]

I spray down the pegs of my dishrack for good measure.

 

[randomsample]

I brew with a friend who doesn't have kegs, so we've been switching off between bottling and kegging. I have to say that I do like having bottles around: it really makes you appreciate each beer more.


I don't trust my bottling bucket (I use it as a sanitizer bucket exclusively), so we:
-boil the priming sugar solution
-cool it in the freezer
-toss it in a sanitized keg (lines and all)
-rack beer on top
-bottle from picnic tap on very low pressure
-rack second batch to keg, carb etc.

It's really not too bad with two people, one person filling one capping/emptying sanitizer from bottles. That being said it's a lot harder than kegging.

 

[MrInternet]

I enjoy bottling... I always do it after everyone's in bed. It's serene... turn on a Brewing Network podcast, fill up the bucket, and sort of zen out. It's never more than a couple hours' effort, and it's nice to be able to pass them out/share.

That being said, I'm moving up to 10G batches, and I like the idea of filling a keg and bottling the rest. Or bottling from kegs, always wanted to try that. I just like the idea of saying I know how to do everything associated with homebrewing, so I want to try it all.

 

[BierMuncher]

When it comes to kegging and bottles...you can have your cake and eat it too.

Whether I'm running next door for an evening backyard fire, or heading out to a big bash, just a few minutes with the BMBF and I can tote along as many bottles as I want.