Bottle straight from carboy?

[Mr. Awesome]

What is the reasoning behind bottling from a bottling bucket over bottling straight from the carboy? It seems like it would be a lot easier just to sanitize a funnel and pour the priming solution in the carboy, then just siphoning it straight into the bottles with a bottle filter.

Thoughts? I bottled my first batch last night and it just seemed to be a bit of an extra step that wasn't really needed.

 

[Alabama Brewer]

The bottling bucket works great because...............
boil your pint of water and bottling sugar, then pour it in the bucket.
Siphoning to the bucket (hose on bottom) helps to distribute the dextrose without churning up the beer.
The valve near the bottom of the bucket (with hose attached) ensures constant flow, ready to go.
Finally, I place a filter screen on the bottom of my racking cane in the fermenter and it serves as a filtering process to the bottling bucket as well.

Hope this helps

 

[Joker]

The bottling bucket allows better distribution of the priming solution without stirring up the trub. With a spigot at the bottom you are able to get more of the brew.

 

[FlyGuy]

You can bottle straight from the carboy, but it means you will have to prime each bottle individually first. This is a bit of a PITA unless you use pre-measured carbonation drops like the ones made by Coopers or Muntons.

I have done this, and it works OK, but you definitely need some kind of clamp to hold your racking cane or autosiphon rigid in the carboy. Otherwise, you end up with a lot of yeast/trub in your last bottles.

 

[glin60]

How many folks who keg go straight from the carboy? Makes the most sense, there's probably the least chance for introduction of bacteria, but the tradeoff would seem to be more trub in your keg. Thoughts? I'll be kegging my first batch soon and just thought of this...

 

[FlyGuy]

Yes, I go straight from the primary (or secondary, if I need it) to an empty keg that has been purged with CO2. I am sure that is the way nearly everyone does it.

 

[sonetlumiere85]

I have a somewhat related question...is it bad to use a bucket with a spigot attachment as a primary? I have one coming in a shipment, and I'm thinking now that getting a carboy might have been a better option. Is the airtightness of the spigot seal the main concern? Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[e lo]

I have a somewhat related question...is it bad to use a bucket with a spigot attachment as a primary? I have one coming in a shipment, and I'm thinking now that getting a carboy might have been a better option. Is the airtightness of the spigot seal the main concern? Anyone have any experience with this?

It should be fine as long as your spigot doesn't leak. Sort of like the love child of a ported Better Bottle and an Ale Pail, I suppose.

 

[TexLaw]

How many folks who keg go straight from the carboy? Makes the most sense, there's probably the least chance for introduction of bacteria, but the tradeoff would seem to be more trub in your keg. Thoughts? I'll be kegging my first batch soon and just thought of this...

I've done it . . . once, but it worked fine. Just be extra careful when racking.


TL

 

[FlyGuy]

TL - how do you keg if you aren't racking from the fermenter? Just curious.

 

[TexLaw]

I'm not quite sure where you're heading, FlyGuy. I know there's a joke in there, and that it's probably obvious. However, it's also Friday afternoon, and the only thing obvious that I can understand right now is that Big Daddy TL needs a beer, something awful.

You did make me think of something I wasn't clear on, though. I've gone from the secondary to the keg every time I've ever kegged a batch (i.e., no bottling bucket or anything like that). I've gone from the primary to the keg once.


TL

 

[FlyGuy]

Sorry TL - no joke intended! I just wasn't sure what you meant by you have only racked out of a carboy and into a keg once. Now I see what you meant -- you have only skipped the secondary once.

I have done away with the secondary for all my kegged beers now. If it needs some clearing, dry hopping, or aging, I just do it right in the keg. I find that with a bit of gelatin, everything settles out really nice to the bottom of the keg and I just push it out with the first 2 or 3 pints I pour.

Anyways, sorry man -- didn't mean to mess with ya! Have a beer for me today -- I am on emergency child care duty today and won't make it to the pub for a Friday afternoon beer.

 

[TexLaw]

Have a beer for me today -- I am on emergency child care duty today and won't make it to the pub for a Friday afternoon beer.

No need to apologize at all! Most certainly, I will obey your command at my first opportunity.


TL

 

[glin60]

thanks for the info guys... first kegging coming up soon!