Bottling bucket - to stir or not to stir?

[Malticulous]

If it tastes something like cardboard you overdid it. I've never noticed it. The fact is that there still is a lot of CO2 coming out of the beer and it forces the air out.

 

[Trippel-A]

We've always put the priming sugar in the bottom of the bottling vessel and let the siphon mix the beer. But I'm about to start the gentle stirring from now on, after our abbey trippel has had very inconsistent results.

Four bombers have lived up to their name and exploded. And we sampled two surviving bombers last week--one was fantastic, clear and golden and perfect, like a slightly spicier Duvel. The other was just awful. Dark & cloudy, ridiculously foamy, like the result of a urinary tract infection or something.

 

[Beezy]

I do. I get a whirlpool going naturally and then half way through get the whirlpool going same direction a little better and thats it. No splashing. Go with the flow. I didnt stir twice. Once was ok. Got a bomb on the second.

 

[brehmca]

If you add the sugar solution first, then lay the output of the siphon in the bottom of the bucket so that the flow creates a circular motion, then it mixes fine, IME.

This works for me too.

 

[mpmccann]

I have had good results bottling both ways. I think everyone experiences differences in C02 between bottles and IMHO, it has more to do with how well that particular bottle sealed when capping. Just my 2 cents...

 

[Bubba]

Stir and your guaranteed a good even mix.

 

[TheSlash]

Stir and your guaranteed a good even mix.

Totally agree. This is what it comes down to. Stirring gently mixes, I wouldn't trust my bottles or floor or ceiling to the "swirled" method. Just stir it with a plastic spoon. SS can scratch your bottling bucket.

 

[newbieBREVVER]

I usually add the priming sugar to my bottle prior to bottling. Is this bad? I always get a good carbonated beer and an even taste.

 

[Gavin C]

never mind

 

[fuelish]

I've always gently stirred...never a carbing or flavor problem - either the paranoia over oxidation is greatly exaggerated, or...I like oxidized beer and don't know it