Bottling Time

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mjasinski30

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Hey again. Well, I’m going to be ready to bottle this weekend and have a question. What’s the best way to bottle? I have 22 oz bottles, a bottling spigot on the barrel and also a bottling wand/siphon. I have priming sugar ready to go, but am considering using sugar dots so I can put it directly into the bottles without having to transfer to a bottling bucket with the sugar in it. A few questions:

1.Would you recommend sugar dots or go ahead and transfer to a bucket and add sugar there?
2. If dots, how big of a dot for a 22 oz bottle?
3. Would you recommend using the spigot or a wand for bottling?

Oh, and based on advice from the board, I never transferred to a secondary fermenter so I’m bottling from the original bucket.

Thanks again for helping me through my first brew! I’ll make sure and let you know how it turns out.
 
@mjasinski30 Hi and welcome.
My self use a bottling bucket with a spigot and use the boiled and cooled priming solution method. I feel it works better as you can adjust your carb levels more to the style of beer you have. It also makes no difference as to bottle size that way.
"GENTLY", I repeat, "GENTLY" stir the beer/priming solution before filling.
A trick I read here someplace. (will look for the post)
Bottling bucket sets on a counter top/table with the spigot over the edge. Using just a short piece of tubing (say 4 to 5 in.) between the spigot and your bottling wand. Open the spigot. I have a short stool I sit on, and the filler is about the right height. for me to see the bottle top.
To fill the bottle you raise the bottle to open the wand. Just lower the bottle to stop the flow at your desired level. I have a shallow pan on the floor to catch the drips.
I wish I had a picture to show, it works for me rather well.
Ask away if you have any questions.
Cheers, :mug:
Joel B.
(EDIT) I might have misunderstood you. If you don't have a seperate bottling bucket the dots would be the better way to go. You don't want to rouse up the trub stiring in priming solution.. Sorry,
 
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I would recommend priming the bottles individually with table sugar, follow the directions in this thread. I think individually priming the bottles will be more consistent.

Use the bottling wand. If you have a siphon, I've started putting the wand on the end of the siphon so you don't end up bottling a lot of the trub from the bottom of the fermentor.

Cheers!
 
I recommend you read this thread: Bottling Tips for the Homebrewer

I have tried carbonating individual bottles and adding the sugar to the entire batch. Adding the sugar to the whole batch is way easier and more consistent. Transfer the beer to your bottling bucket and attach the bottling wand to the spigot on the bucket. That's the easiest way to fill the bottles.
 
Thanks for the advice. I used the link above and did the individual priming with cane sugar. Hopefully it turns out. I’ll know in 2-3 weeks.
 

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Thanks Hopefully it turns out. I’ll know in 2-3 weeks.
Yep... patience. You’ll need lots of it. I always say 2 weeks and put 1 bottle in the fridge for a few days and try it. It’ll still taste a little off. Then 1 bottle at 3 weeks and try it. You’ll notice a difference. Then 1 at 4 weeks and if you like the way they taste then put them all in the fridge. It’s a good lesson in patience and learning to taste the differences in your beer and carbing. Take lots of notes with every bottle.
 
Yep... patience. You’ll need lots of it. I always say 2 weeks and put 1 bottle in the fridge for a few days and try it. It’ll still taste a little off. Then 1 bottle at 3 weeks and try it. You’ll notice a difference. Then 1 at 4 weeks and if you like the way they taste then put them all in the fridge. It’s a good lesson in patience and learning to taste the differences in your beer and carbing. Take lots of notes with every bottle.
Thanks for the encouragement. This being my first home brew I’m anxious to pop one open. Waiting will be hard, but I’ll take your approach.
 
Thanks for the encouragement. This being my first home brew I’m anxious to pop one open. Waiting will be hard, but I’ll take your approach.
Trying one a week will help ease your anxiety. It’s the hardest part to learn. Soon as you bottle, brew another batch and keep brewing. It’ll build your pipeline up and make waiting a little easier.
once you try them and keep notes you’ll soon find out how much better they are after they condition awhile in the bottle.
 
Trying one a week will help ease your anxiety. It’s the hardest part to learn. Soon as you bottle, brew another batch and keep brewing. It’ll build your pipeline up and make waiting a little easier.
once you try them and keep notes you’ll soon find out how much better they are after they condition awhile in the bottle.
I’ve got another batch that will be ready to bottle in about a week so once I get these two done I hope to keep the fridge and fermenter stocked well.
 
That's how to do it! It's always easier to wait for bottles to carb or beer to ferment when you've got another batch going at the same time. That's how I can brew sours without losing my mind! I try to do a sour every 4-6 weeks so waiting the 12+ months doesn't seem so long
 
I have some bottles the Dots sugar cubes don't quite fit through the opening. I'm back to a teaspoon of table sugar per 22 ounce bottle. Fast and easy.
 
I also use 22oz bottles, but I have a handful of small swing top bottles (250ml) as well that I use as my testers, normally try one each week until it's good, then put all the big bottles in the fridge.
 

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