Bottling Mistake?

NWMushroom · May 7, 2011

Just finished bottling my first batch in honor of National Homebrewing Day (ESB). After I capped all the bottles, I started giving them a quick shake. After the 12th bottle I wondered whether this was a good idea (oxidation). My theory was it would give the priming sugar and remaining yeast a little kick start. I didn't shake any of the remaining bottles after this doubt hit me.

Was the shaking a bad idea?

Secondly, my bottling area probably averages around 60-65 degrees. Will this cause me any conditioning/carbonation problems?

Thanks in advance, and happy National Homebrewing Day!

Yooper · May 7, 2011

Well, there is a little o2 in the headspace of each bottle I'm sure, but I can't imagine giving them a shake would hurt anything. I can't imagine it would help either, though! :drunk:

Pezman1 · May 7, 2011

I would think your yeast and sugar got all the "kick start" they could by the actions of racking to your bottling bucket and then by the bottling process itself.

Just like Yooper said, I'm not at all sure there is enough oxygen in the neck to cause problems, but I see absolutely no benefit at all to shaking the bottles.

The preferred conditioning temp is 70, but 60-65 will work. It just might take longer, depending on the yeast strain.
Pez.

PS- just noticed your name. Are you a mushroom hunter? I live in a family that hates mushrooms. I have to cook special meals for myself when the craving is too much!

PS x2 - Uh, my wife just informed me it might be for reasons other than the taste that you like mushrooms......

FattyJLE · May 7, 2011

I second Pezman's post. Shaking the bottles just after bottling probably won't hurt anything, but it also is probably entirely unnecessary, especially if you poured your priming sugar directly into the bottling bucket before bottling. With all the suspended yeast in your beer already, they certainly don't need a kick start to consume the sugar you just added. Shaking well into the bottle conditioning process would be detrimental, however. As far as the temp goes, Pez is right again. I will add that lower is usually better (although it may take longer), but it won't produce off flavors like you'll find at higher temps.

NWMushroom · May 7, 2011

Pezman1 said:
PS- just noticed your name. Are you a mushroom hunter? I live in a family that hates mushrooms. I have to cook special meals for myself when the craving is too much!

PS x2 - Uh, my wife just informed me it might be for reasons other than the taste that you like mushrooms......

Not a hunter, just love the shrooms. Legal ones from the grocery store, that is!

Maybe we need to come up with a mushroom ale :ban:

Pezman1 · May 7, 2011

NWMushroom said:
Not a hunter, just love the shrooms. Legal ones from the grocery store, that is!

Maybe we need to come up with a mushroom ale

I actually thought about that for a bit and came up with a Mushroom Stout recipe. Then I decided there was probably a reason mushroom beers don't exist...... :drunk:

I ended up with mushrooms and onions sauteed in butter and Fuller's London porter, served over a nice sirloin.
Cheers! Pez.