Bottling Day is this weekend. need advice

[joshk577]

Well, this weekend is bottling day for my 1st batch of beer.
I will be using mostly 22 ounce bottles with 6 -8 12 ounce bottles.
I need help. I have questions regarding priming.

1) Is it better to add my priming solution to my bottling bucket and then rack my beer into it? OR is it better to add sugar to each bottle?

2) if so, how much sugar do I add to each bottle (22 oz & 12 oz)?
If better to add to bottling bucket, how much sugar with how much water to create solution?

3) What's the best form of sugar to use?

And miscellaneous questions:

When cleaning utensils, siphon, bottles, caps, etc should I mix a couple of packets of cleanser into a couple gallons of water or mix up 5 gallons of cleaning solution or is there a better way??

What about for sanitizing everything?

Thanks.

 

[Revvy]

Bottling Tips for the Homebrewer. You should find everything you need in there.

I go into detail of the bottling process bulk priming (much better than bottle priming and less chance for errors and bottle bombs than adding sugar individually.)

If this is your first batch, start with the corn sugar that came with your kit, LATER as you learn more you can play with other sugars.

 

[Slider46]

1). Rack beer ontop of solution and if you do it right you'll get a swirling motion that should stir everything together for you. Adding sugar to each bottle can lead to inconsistent carbonation.

2)Check out this calculator: http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html I normally weigh the sugar with a kitchen scale and then dissolve the sugar in "just enough" water. (Just enough water to fully dissolve all the crystals). Then you boil the solution to sterilize.

3) This is up for debate. Some people swear only dextrose or only DME and some people say cane sugar and some people say there's no real noticeable difference.

Personally, I used turbinado sugar on a gingerbread stout because it gives a nice sweet flavor which would go well with the stout. Otherwise, i'd just go with cane sugar. Experiment with different kinds to find what you like.

 

[Stardust]

Well, this weekend is bottling day for my 1st batch of beer.

Congrats on bottling your first batch! What did you brew?

 

[funky_brewster]

Congrats on the first brew almost being done!

1) I've always* added the priming sugar to my bottling bucket then racked on top of it.
(*except for that time that I bottled and capped half a batch, then looked at the stove and wondered what that sugar solution was for. Had to crack open 24 bottles and add a carefully calculated amount of the sugar solution to each then recap. They ended up mostly fine and entirely drinkable.)

2) Rule of thumb is 3/4 cup sugar with around a cup or so of water, heated until fully dissolved and left to cool sufficiently before adding to the bucket and racking. You can get away with less sugar depending on the style, and I was always scared to add more.

3) Some people swear by Corn Sugar, others say plain table sugar works just as well. I always thought that table sugar made my beers taste a little more "homebrew-y", slightly sour or cidery. That could be caused by any number of other steps in the brew process though. If the LHBS isn't too far, give corn sugar a shot. Sometime I'd like to split the batch corn/table and see if there is really a difference.

Misc.) For cleaning, I use regular dish soap that's perfume- and dye-free, with the non-scrubby side of a kitchen sponge. Being careful of scratches will prolong the life of your plastic gear (that's where bacteria hides).

For sanitizer, I love StarSan and use about 1/4 oz in 1.5 gallons of water (directions call for 1 oz in 5 gallons). Rarely would you need a full 5 gallons of sanitizer at a time, though you can keep it covered for several weeks, or airtight for up to 6 months.

 

[Stardust]

Well, this weekend is bottling day for my 1st batch of beer.

Congrats on bottling your first batch! What did you brew?

When I sanitize on bottling day, I make 1 gallon batch of sanitizer inside the bottling bucket. First, I wash all of the bottles, then I sanitize the racking cane and tubing. I move the solution to a clean bucket while I'm prepping my priming sugar so I can sanitize the bottle caps and anything else I'm using

 

[jfr1111]

Altough adding sugar bottle by bottle can be done, it's probably a recipe for disaster on a first brew and is best left to emergency situations: ie. you forgot to add the priming solution to the bottling bucket.

Plain table sugar works fine. Corn sugar is just a way for the LHBS to charge a higher price.

 

[logan3825]

For sanitizer, I love StarSan and use about 1/4 oz in 1.5 gallons of water (directions call for 1 oz in 5 gallons). Rarely would you need a full 5 gallons of sanitizer at a time, though you can keep it covered for several weeks, or airtight for up to 6 months.

Make sure it is distilled or RO water.

 

[joshk577]

Congrats on bottling your first batch! What did you brew?

Thanks.
I brewed a batch of wheat ale (hopefully around 6% ABV). It was a kit that I bought at the Homebrew Store.

 

[joshk577]

Thank you, everyone, for all of the great advice!

Just out of curiosity, if I was too tired to bottle it tonight (it's been in the fermenter for exactly 2 weeks), would it hurt to wait until next weekend (it will have been in the fermenter for a total of 3 weeks at that point) ??

 

[bthorn9435]

The longer you wait the better it will turn out from what I have read. You will be fine. Waiting is beneficial not detrimental!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I am bottling my first homebrew tuesday, she has been ferminting for around 2 weeks.

 

[LaurieGator]

For me, 3 weeks in primary is a MINIMUM time before I think of bottling. I find that it tastes better with at least 3 weeks in primary and it doesn't have the "green beer" taste that I have had when I have been impatient and bottled too early.

I have had beers on the yeast in primary for over a year with no adverse taste from sitting on the yeast that long (it was a porter and a stout). So, don't worry about yeast autolysis after only a few weeks...

 

[joshk577]

The longer you wait the better it will turn out from what I have read. You will be fine. Waiting is beneficial not detrimental!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

P.S. I am bottling my first homebrew tuesday, she has been ferminting for around 2 weeks.

Thanks! Now that you mention that, I do remember reading that as well.

What are you brewing?

LaurieGator: Thanks for the advice/info. Much appreciated.

Josh