better way to bottle your beer

[rexbanner]

I had sword off bottling since the spring time, but now I need to start doing it again since I want to make bigger beers that require lots of time to condition.

One of the many reasons that I stopped was that my bottled beers often had off flavors that hadn't existed after primary and/or secondary. I still don't know why (temp control is the most likely culprit) but perhaps it was due to bacteria in my bottling bucket.

Regardless, here are my problems with bottling buckets:

1. plastic
2. difficult to get every last drop of beer out
3. does not properly mix sugar for carbing without stirring which would oxygenate the beer

You might think I'm wrong with number 3, but I'm referring to times when I use schnapps, extracts or other sugars that are really heavy. I bottled a batch where half the bottles tasted disgusting (too much schnapps, safale-05 couldn't handle it so residual sugar remained) and half tasted excellent.

Anyone have any alternative or solution to these problems?

 

[Justibone]

You can get better bottles with nozzles.

You can lay a "blanket" of CO2 over the beer so you can stir it more vigorously.

You can age the beer in a carboy and only move it to the keg/bottle when you're ready to drink it.

Just some ideas.

 

[Revvy]

Actually I get on average 52 bottles of beer from my PLASTIC bottling bucket (Sometimes 54), and I've never had any issues with getting the sugar solution to mix (I think the that is a myth, it integrates just fine) using the tips outlined in here.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

 

[motobrewer]

counter-pressure filler?

 

[shelly_belly]

Rack into a keg containing your priming sugar. Purge with CO2. Shake if needed to disperse the sugar. Stick a bottling wand in a picnic tap and bottle away.

 

[mattjmac]

Rack into a keg containing your priming sugar. Purge with CO2. Shake if needed to disperse the sugar. Stick a bottling wand in a picnic tap and bottle away.

Pure genius. I'm brewing a strong stout this weekend and was trying to think of a way to mix sugar solution evenly w/out risking oxidation. This will work perfectly.

 

[rexbanner]

Rack into a keg containing your priming sugar. Purge with CO2. Shake if needed to disperse the sugar. Stick a bottling wand in a picnic tap and bottle away.

Thanks. That is the perfect solution.

Revvy--Insufficient mixing isn't a problem with normal dextrose or table sugar mixed with water, but it most definitely is with heavier sugar solutions.

 

[shelly_belly]

No problem. I've never done it but if I were to bottle, that's how I would do it.

 

[shanecb]

For a bottling bucket, there's a pretty cool little thing you can make to help maximize the amount of beer you get out. I don't have a picture or anything, but essentially you get a carboy plug with a hole that fits into the inside side of your spigot, then get a piece of bent plastic (or a piece of tubing I guess) that fits into the hole of the plug. You let this lay on or touch the bottom of your bottling bucket. That way you're pulling beer from the bottom of the bucket and can get the beer below the spigot line. If this doesn't make sense I can post up a drawing when I get home, but I'm at work at the moment.

 

[badmajon]

Rack into a keg containing your priming sugar. Purge with CO2. Shake if needed to disperse the sugar. Stick a bottling wand in a picnic tap and bottle away.

You sir are a genius.

 

[Justibone]

For a bottling bucket, there's a pretty cool little thing you can make to help maximize the amount of beer you get out. I don't have a picture or anything, but essentially you get a carboy plug with a hole that fits into the inside side of your spigot, then get a piece of bent plastic (or a piece of tubing I guess) that fits into the hole of the plug. You let this lay on or touch the bottom of your bottling bucket. That way you're pulling beer from the bottom of the bucket and can get the beer below the spigot line. If this doesn't make sense I can post up a drawing when I get home, but I'm at work at the moment.

It's called a dip tube, and it's mentioned in Revvy's bottling thread... but you are definitely correct.

 

[passedpawn]

It's called a dip tube, and it's mentioned in Revvy's bottling thread... but you are definitely correct.

I have one of these. Replaces the nut on the inside of your bottling bucked and is a perfect dip tube.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/INVERT_TUBE_BACKNUT_P179C104.cfm

 

[Revvy]

It's called a dip tube, and it's mentioned in Revvy's bottling thread... but you are definitely correct.

Thanks.

Actually there are a bunch of variations in my thread. People have come up with some really cool dip tube designs.

 

[JuanMoore]

Rack into a keg containing your priming sugar. Purge with CO2. Shake if needed to disperse the sugar. Stick a bottling wand in a picnic tap and bottle away.

I did this for my last batch, only I stirred under a blanket of CO2 rather than shook the keg. Shaking can denature some of the head producing proteins, and lead to poor head / head retention in the final beer. Corny kegs make great bottling buckets though.

 

[shanecb]

It's called a dip tube, and it's mentioned in Revvy's bottling thread... but you are definitely correct.

Ahhhh ok! I wasn't aware it had a name or anything... I'd run across it on another forum at some point.

 

[dedhedjed]

that invert tube backnut from williamsbrewing is the best little piece of equipment I own. I ferment in bottling buckets with that attached to a valve and when I bottle, occasionally, I have one on my bottling bucket as well...eliminates all need for siphoning...i like simplicity.

 

[Justibone]

that invert tube backnut from williamsbrewing is the best little piece of equipment I own. I ferment in bottling buckets with that attached to a valve and when I bottle, occasionally, I have one on my bottling bucket as well...eliminates all need for siphoning...i like simplicity.

I would think you would get a lot of splashing and potential oxidation, that is unless you make sure to attach some hose to the nozzle... Yeah, that could work. Hmm... something to think about.

When I tried to ferment in a bottling bucket it was krausen that stymied me. It got sucked straight in, or it may have even formed there -- I don't know. It was in the first few mililiters I pulled out for sure.

 

[passedpawn]

For bottling, I leave a bottling wand attached directly to the spigot with a little piece of tubing:

 

[Justibone]

I was thinking that if you used a secondary, and just opened the nozzle from one fermenter into the other, you'd get splashes. That was my initial concern.

My second concern, the junk that was in my nozzle when I tried to ferment in my bottling bucket, still concerns me.

 

[JetSmooth]

For bottling, I leave a bottling wand attached directly to the spigot with a little piece of tubing:

Yup. That's what I do too. After bottling and cleaning the bucket, I flip it up like in PP's photo, let 'er dry and then wrap some foil around the wand, just to keep dust and critters from settling on the tip.

 

[dedhedjed]

My second concern, the junk that was in my nozzle when I tried to ferment in my bottling bucket, still concerns me.

with that backnut, that is not an issue. it faces down so nothing (yeast sediment, hop debris, etc) gets into the nozzle. when you open the valve it acts like a siphon tube placed just above the trub. sure a little gets sucked through at first, but that happens with a siphon too. then it runs clear because it is held in place.

 

[Justibone]

Hmmm.... nice.