Bottling: Purging Headspace/Bottles/Bucket

[yard_bird]

Greetings all,
I have been brewing and bottling for a while now, and I realize I learn so much more the more beers I brew/consume. Lately my next hurdle is maximizing freshness with bottling. I typically don't brew hop forward or paler beers so this hasn't been an issue and I've been pretty satisfied with the results so far.

However, like most self-respecting homebrewers I'm looking to improve my process. While bottling a recent kolsch, I noticed it had darkened up a little bit (not purpleish yet) and of course I began diving down the O2 rabbit hole. I found this thread (Limiting oxidation: effect of purging headspace O2 in a bottle conditioned IPA) that suggests purging bottles/bottle headspace/bottle bucket with CO2 and this seems to be helpful. Are there any suggestions of a cost effective way to do this for someone who doesn't have kegging equipment? After some preliminary equipment research it looks like a tank with a regulator and some tubing is what I need to start with. I also have a soda stream, though I'd like to keep this separate from the brewing equipment.

Bottling process, for what it's worth:
Add priming solution to bottling bucket
Siphon beer from FV to bottling bucket (classic strategy of no splashing, letting it swirl the priming soln.
Rest ~15 minutes.
Fill bottles from the bottom up with wand from spigot on bottling bucket.
Place sanitized crown cap on bottle
Repeat for all
Secure caps with capper

Much appreciated everyone.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

This reply (link) offers some additional ideas on creating / packaging beer that will have a longer 'shelf life'.

This topic (link) may also be of interest.

 

[ncbrewer]

I found this thread (Limiting oxidation: effect of purging headspace O2 in a bottle conditioned IPA) that suggests purging bottles/bottle headspace/bottle bucket with CO2 and this seems to be helpful.

That thread also discusses filling the bottles with minimum headspace. I started filling with 1/2" of headspace, and it does help - and is really simple. I just compared side by side once - the beer with 1/2" headspace was a little lighter than the one with a normal fill level.

 

[yard_bird]

Thanks both. I'll do some reading. May need to tinker with the filling within 1/2" of the top as my wand probably allows for an inch or so.

 

[Broken Crow]

If it helps: I began by bottling pretty much the same way....then came the gear-lust for a Blichmann Beer-Gun to cure the oxygen issue... of course that needs CO2, regulator, 2-way manifold, keg and a means of cooling. I bought those bits as I could afford them, and as for cooling; I did a brew in November and racked from the fermenter to my first keg, placed the keg in an uninsulated extension on my house to chill and force-carb, and sat on the floor with my rack of chilled sanitized bottles, capper and beer-gun..did the 'purge with CO2' thing and filled then capped on the foam. Worked out great, but of course it led me down the kegerator/keezer rabbit hole. I now use a kegerator, but can bottle anytime I like from it and it is costly for all the gear, but, spreading it out made it more affordable and I don't look back.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

@yard_bird : There's an interesting summary of some beer shelf life information here (link).

 

[BeerAndTele]

Are there any suggestions of a cost effective way to do this for someone who doesn't have kegging equipment?

I use a variety of methods that I picked up from different threads here at HBT. Each has contributed to the end result, which is a marked improvement over my old process.

I dose each 12 oz. bottle with 1/2 tsp of table sugar and skip the bottling bucket; fill straight from the fermenter spigot. Next, I fill to about 1/2” of the top of the bottle (the bottom of the collar) by pressing the tip of the bottling wand against the inside of the bottle after pulling the wand out. Next, I use Private Preserve wine preservative from a can as I’m capping; its a mix of co2 and argon and makes a noticeable difference (I’ve done side-by-side comparisons). It’s $10 a bottle and lasts for hundreds of uses. Lastly, after a 3 week carbonation period, I keep the beer as cool as I can. All of these things help IMO. Oh, and I brew small batches so my turnover is quicker.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

 

[TheCache]

I dose each 12 oz. bottle with 1/2 tsp of table sugar and skip the bottling bucket

Do you add the sugar in raw form or dissolve it?

 

[BeerAndTele]

Do you add the sugar in raw form or dissolve it?

Raw form … I just drop it through a sanitized funnel. Works great!

 

[yard_bird]

I use a variety of methods that I picked up from different threads here at HBT. Each has contributed to the end result, which is a marked improvement over my old process.

I dose each 12 oz. bottle with 1/2 tsp of table sugar and skip the bottling bucket; fill straight from the fermenter spigot. Next, I fill to about 1/2” of the top of the bottle (the bottom of the collar) by pressing the tip of the bottling wand against the inside of the bottle after pulling the wand out. Next, I use Private Preserve wine preservative from a can as I’m capping; its a mix of co2 and argon and makes a noticeable difference (I’ve done side-by-side comparisons). It’s $10 a bottle and lasts for hundreds of uses. Lastly, after a 3 week carbonation period, I keep the beer as cool as I can. All of these things help IMO. Oh, and I brew small batches so my turnover is quicker.

Hope this helps. Cheers.

When you use Private Preserve, do you fill the bottle with beer, purge the headspace with Private Reserve, and then cap? I've heard of some people that push gas into the beer below the surface to cap on foam but not sure how effective this is.

Thanks.

 

[Nathanologist]

Consider adding 0.3g of potassium metabisulphate with your priming sugar in the bottling bucket to reduce oxidation. Bülosophy has done some exbeeriments with it and kegging. I figure it couldn’t hurt for bottle conditioning either. But I only bottle very strong beers anymore, not the style prone to oxidation like IPAs. YMMV

 

[BeerAndTele]

When you use Private Preserve, do you fill the bottle with beer, purge the headspace with Private Reserve, and then cap? I've heard of some people that push gas into the beer below the surface to cap on foam but not sure how effective this is.

Thanks.

I've tried to push the gas into the beer by putting the Private Preserve's straw under the surface and then 'capping on foam' but I wasn't able to do it without creating a small explosion of beer all over my kitchen; it was a mess so I gave up trying. Now, I put the straw under the cap, push a quick spray or 2 into the small headspace, pull the straw out and push the cap down in one motion, and immediately cap.

Here's a pic of the difference the Private Preserve makes. This pic was taken 9 weeks after bottling ... and this was before I started filling to within 1/2" of the bottle top.

 

[yard_bird]

Consider adding 0.3g of potassium metabisulphate with your priming sugar in the bottling bucket to reduce oxidation. Bülosophy has done some exbeeriments with it and kegging. I figure it couldn’t hurt for bottle conditioning either. But I only bottle very strong beers anymore, not the style prone to oxidation like IPAs. YMMV

I was actually just reading on this. Thank you, I'll consider this too.

 

[yard_bird]

I've tried to push the gas into the beer by putting the Private Preserve's straw under the surface and then 'capping on foam' but I wasn't able to do it without creating a small explosion of beer all over my kitchen; it was a mess so I gave up trying. Now, I put the straw under the cap, push a quick spray or 2 into the small headspace, pull the straw out and push the cap down in one motion, and immediately cap.

Here's a pic of the difference the Private Preserve makes. This pic was taken 9 weeks after bottling ... and this was before I started filling to within 1/2" of the bottle top.

View attachment 809810

Thanks. All great info.

 

[hopsnmalt]

I would recommend getting the Tapcooler bottling tool. I have attached a video review of the product



Cheers
Bob