Great site! I’m a new member and really appreciate all of your contributions. I’m a novice and I’m currently fermenting a Brewers Best AltBier in a 5g plastic primary. After much reading, I am planning a long primary 3-4 weeks (no secondary). I hope i’m on the right track. I need advice on the priming and bottling procedures when using the long primary method, i.e., do I prime, stir and bottle all out of the primary or do I need to transfer to a clean bucket to prime, and bottle? I read in John Palmer’s book about adding the primer to the primary, gently stirring, waiting 30 minutes for settling, then bottling. I’m concerned about unsettling the bottom/clarity. Also, after bottling, planning to store at 60 degrees for 2-3 weeks in basement, then refrigerate 2 weeks before drinking. All advice is very much appreciated.
Bottling procedure after long primary?
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3-4 weeks is my normal fermenting time. I'm never in a rush. Most people transfer from primary to bottling bucket w/a syphon so as not to aerate the beer. I usually add the priming sugar in as the transfer is happening. that motion seems to be enough to mix it well into the beer.
fermentinginpa
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I haven't bottled in awhile, I keg almost everything at this point but I can tell you how I used to do it. I only did a secondary when I was first starting out so you are on the right track ditching that for most brews. When I bottle it's always from a clean bottling bucket. I put the sugar water mixture in the bottling bucket, use an autosiphon to transfer the wort from the fermenter to the bottling bucket and do my best to leave as much of the trub behind as I can. Then I bottle directly from that bottling bucket. I am sure there are other ways to do it but that is how I always did it.
myndflyte
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3-4 weeks in primary is not that long (by my standards anyway). I would not prime in the primary. Transfer the beer to a bottling bucket and as it's filling, add your dissolved priming sugar then. If you have to bottle from the primary, then you may want to bottle prime each bottle individually. I mean Palmer says it OK but this is just my opinion.
As for your storage, you may see that 2-3 weeks at 60F has lower carbonation than you'd like but with enough time they'll carb up just fine. And you can refrigerate for 24-48 hours before drinking them. I'd probably extend the time at 60F instead of putting them in the fridge for 2 weeks.
As for your storage, you may see that 2-3 weeks at 60F has lower carbonation than you'd like but with enough time they'll carb up just fine. And you can refrigerate for 24-48 hours before drinking them. I'd probably extend the time at 60F instead of putting them in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Welcome!
You can prime you beer a couple different ways.
One way is to bulk prime, this involves transferring off the yeast cake into a clean/sanitized bottling bucket that is usually fitted with a spout.
Then carefully mixing 1oz per gallon of dextrose or other sugar in the bottling bucket. Sugar doesn't dissolve well in cold wort so instructions are usually to heat it in a cup of water of so. Then bottle.
Another way is to siphon straight from the primary into bottles and add 1/2 tsp of dextrose/sugar per 12oz bottle.
This method will be less consistent with carbonation bottle to bottle, but still works well. Shake well after bottling.
Set at room temp for 2 weeks, then enjoy.
You can prime you beer a couple different ways.
One way is to bulk prime, this involves transferring off the yeast cake into a clean/sanitized bottling bucket that is usually fitted with a spout.
Then carefully mixing 1oz per gallon of dextrose or other sugar in the bottling bucket. Sugar doesn't dissolve well in cold wort so instructions are usually to heat it in a cup of water of so. Then bottle.
Another way is to siphon straight from the primary into bottles and add 1/2 tsp of dextrose/sugar per 12oz bottle.
This method will be less consistent with carbonation bottle to bottle, but still works well. Shake well after bottling.
Set at room temp for 2 weeks, then enjoy.
This sticky should help you:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/bottling-tips-for-the-homebrewer.94812/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/bottling-tips-for-the-homebrewer.94812/
Your beer will carb faster in the 70s. Yes, you can do it at 60 degrees but you may have to wait longer. After three weeks (only sooner if you are feeling lucky) put one or two bottles in the frig to make sure the beer is fully carbed.
LostHopper
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Something that comes with experience of multiple brews: estimating how much beer you are actually bottling so you can accurately determine the right amount of priming sugar since you put it in the bottling bucket before transferring. Some recipes will leave a gallon of trub in the fermenter and you could easily over prime the bottles if you included that trub volume in your calculations.
Since I am still new, I go off the directions and the amount of priming sugar to use. I boil 2 cups of water and mix the sugar into it, I usual boil for a min or two, making sure all the sugar is dissolved. I take the pot off the heat, while it cools I sanitizing my bottles, bottling bucket, siphon, etc. usually by the time I am ready to transfer beer to my bottling bucket my priming sugar is cooled down, I add my priming to the bottleing bucket, then start siphoning my beer to the bucket. I let the beer swirl against the side so it will mix with the priming sugar, being carefully to not introduce air bubbles. So far I have not had issues doing it this way. I keep my bottles in my closet which is roughly 66-69 degrees for 2 weeks.
Thanks all! Very helpful. I do not have a bottling bucket, but I have a carboy, so I’m thinking I will use that as my bottling bucket with my tube siphon and add the primer as recommended. It also sounds like the basement may be a bit cold, so I will plan on keeping bottles on first floor for the three weeks, then refrigerate for two. Thanks again to all.
Good idea except keep the bottles on the first floor for 5 weeks and refrigerate for one day (24 hours).
When you refrigerate the beer the maturing process all but stops. Leaving it warm will get you better tasting beer.
Your carboy will work but it will be work. Bottling buckets are not expensive and will save a lot of headaches on bottling day.
Drewed
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Do yourself a favor and buy a bottling bucket with a spigot. It will be under 20$. If you want to save even more headaches pick up some carbonation drops/fizz drops for under 5$. Sure they are more expensive then sugar, but you will get the right amount in each bottle. I recommend them for at least your fist fe batches.
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+1 on the bottling bucket with spigot. I used to use siphon and tubing, but it's messy and a pain in the neck if you have to restart the siphon.
Plus I use Domino Dots sugar cubes for priming, one per 12oz bottle.
Between those and the bottling bucket/spigot, bottling day is soooo much easier.
Plus I use Domino Dots sugar cubes for priming, one per 12oz bottle.
Between those and the bottling bucket/spigot, bottling day is soooo much easier.
Thanks again all. Message received on the bottling bucket. Two quick questions: (1) do the sugar drops/dots replace or supplement the priming sugar, and (2) on future batches using long primary, can I use a glass carboy for the primary? Thanks again.
Yes and Yes
Many brewers use glass carboys - they have advantages. Just be aware of the possibility of a large glass bottle breaking. This thread is worth looking at: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/
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The sugar drops/cubes replace the priming sugar. For me they are a simple but one size fits all alternative to priming sugar.
hammy1983
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IMO you dont need to let the priming sugar cool. I pour the sugar water into the bottle bucket first then rack my beer on it but point the hose so it produces a natural gentile whirlpool. I boil my water in the kettle then pour on my dextrose in a sterile measuring cup and once my dextrose melts and the water is clear... thats enough water.
I hardly ever have a spare bottling bucket available for bottling (they seem to be good at filling up with new beer pretty quick), so I just transfer to brew kettle and use the siphon to bottle from there. Been working well.
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