Bottling with normal drinks bottles?

[ozzysmygod]

I'm in the process of brewing my first batch of beer, and perhaps, rather stupidly, I started brewing before my PET bottles had arrived (I was told that they would arrive 2 days after I started brewing, so I thought hey might aswell get brewing now), so with no sign of the bottles, and my brew almost being ready for bottling, im a bit stuck. So...

Can I bottle it in Normal, clean, sanitised 1.5L carbonated drink bottles? And secondaly can some one quickly explain why everything needs to be sanitised?

Thanks for your time

 

[Yooper]

You sanitize everything because you want to kill the bacteria and wild yeasts that are on everything we touch. Room temperature wort is a good breeding ground for germs and that will spoil your beer. Think about leaving a gallon of milk at room temperature for a day- bacteria spoils it. So if you sanitize everything that comes in contact with your wort, and you've boiled the wort, there should a decreased possibility that a bacteria or wild yeast would still be in there to spoil your beer. You add ale yeast to the wort, so that these yeast can gain control and ferment the beer.

 

[ozzysmygod]

Thanks, and I neglected to mention, im brewing Lager, if that helps with regards to the bottling!

 

[Rick_R]

I would leave it in the fermenter until the bottles arrive.

Rick

 

[Silviakitty]

Definitely. From everything I've heard, a few days longer in the fermenter is just gonna make better beer.

 

[bigjohnmilford]

I would leave it in the fermenter until the bottles arrive.

Rick

+1
and add in Yoopers reply to the sanitizing question.
If you liked the brewing process then why spoil the end result which imo is the best part of the whole process.
best of luck in your future brews and continue to ask questions.

 

[ozzysmygod]

Ah Brilliant. I shall ring the company on monday and hastle them, and hopefully the bottles will arrive 2 days late at the latest. How long would be too long to leave it in the fermenter? Thanks

 

[Yooper]

I'd say you could easily leave it a month in the fermenter.

You didn't say how long ago you brewed it, but you should leave it in the fermenter at least 2 weeks or so, if you're not using a clearing tank, before bottling. If you have a hydrometer, that is the best bet- to test it and make sure it's finished before bottling.

 

[malkore]

I wouldn't let it sit in primary more than 4 weeks...but I've never done a lager.

Exactly how long ago did you brew this? Because you say the PET bottles should have arrived 2 days after you started to brew, and they still haven't shown up. In my head, since this is supposedly a lager, it means you brewed this up at least 2 weeks ago.

Lagers are supposed to be cold fermented, so fermentation takes longer than an ale (3 weeks is an average I see thrown around). Then you have the whole diacetyl rest for a couple days (not always necesssary) and then secondary which might last a couple months before you finally bottle.


So I can't help but wonder if you are pushing this beer along much faster than it should be.

 

[ozzysmygod]

I just bought a lager kit of the net, probably not the best way to go, but it was just to get me started. The Kits instructions said leave it 4-6 days before bottling, this is obviously considerably less than the 2 weeks you say? I dont have a hydrogemeter unfortunatly, I am a student so everythings on a tight budget, and also were not meant to brew beer in our halls, so its got to be small scale.

 

[ozzysmygod]

:Bump:

Im confused as to why you speak of lagers taking a while to brew, where as this one is bottleable after 6 days. The instructions just say leave it in the bottles till it goes clear, then drink. Are the kits designed to be faster?

 

[Yooper]

Where do you live, and what kit did you get? (I believe that you are not in the US, and that you are of legal age where you live, correct? ) That will help us figure this out!

Edit- well, here's some reading on brewing that will really help in the meantime: howtobrew.com

The reason we say lagers take longer is because normally they are cold fermented and then cold stored for months. But your kit could be a "lager style beer" and wouldn't require that. I really suggest reading the link I posted so that we are speaking about the same things.

I think your kit instructions were lacking, and if you bottle six days after you start, you may very well have bottle bombs. If you're not supposed to ferment in your dorm room, I think that they probably don't want bottles blowing up, either?

 

[ozzysmygod]

I am 19 years old, and the drinking age in the UK is 18. I also believe in the UK, any age can brew beer, and drink it, just they cannot purchase it from shops or pubs/bars, although Im not sure.

The kit I bought was a Youngs Brew Kit -

http://www.brew-it-yourself.co.uk/shop/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/30_44/products_id/442?osCsid=ced992fef4ea16efb5124bbf9a82fb9c

And no, bottle bombs would be a Badddd Idea

Thanks again for your help

 

[fermenator]

That looks like a canned kit. If im not mistaken, all canned kits produced are ales.

I had a similar question on this forum a few weeks back when I recieved a "Bock" kit for Xmas. A bock is traditionally a lager, however if you look at the yeast strain that comes with the kit, it is indeed an ale yeast. So basically I made a bock "lager style" beer with ale yeast. Turned out great!

Can you post what the canned kit in that beerkit is?

 

[Dycokac]

Hydrometers should not run more than $5 and are invaluable, best way to prevent bottle bombs

 

[ozzysmygod]

The Tin is one that came with the kit, its simplay called

"40 Pint Lager Kit""Brew Buddy" and is manufactured by "Young's U Brew"

The ingrediants are malted Barley, and brewers Yeast

 

[fermenator]

The Tin is one that came with the kit, its simplay called

"40 Pint Lager Kit""Brew Buddy" and is manufactured by "Young's U Brew"

The ingrediants are malted Barley, and brewers Yeast

Is this the same kit? http://tinyurl.com/2sbpr6

It does indeed say "lager yeast" and they recommend a warm area 18-21°C. (64.4 ºF - 69.8 ºF ) which sounds to me more like ale yeast temps, they may be using the word lager a bit to generally. Either way if you follow the instructions your beer should be fine.

 

[CBBaron]

:Bump:

Im confused as to why you speak of lagers taking a while to brew, where as this one is bottleable after 6 days. The instructions just say leave it in the bottles till it goes clear, then drink. Are the kits designed to be faster?

No the kits are not designed to be faster but they often do write the instructions to produce beer quicker so that it reduces impatience in inexperienced brewers. The brewers on this forum are giving you recommendations to produce better beer than the quick and dirty instructions on your can.

If you are fermenting at room temp then you are making an Ale not a lager. The kit probably does use a clean fermenting ale yeast and so the results should be similar to a lager. Lagers require a cold ferment and a longer clearing time for best results, both of which require some type of temperature control.

I would say just wait on your bottles or two weeks after brewing, which ever comes later. And then bottle as instructed. Yes you can bottle in soda bottles, but not water/sport drinks bottles, however your beer will benefit from a longer fermentation time.

If you want to produce better beer, read http://howtobrew.com and continue reading and asking questions on this forum. There is alot of great information to help you produce some great beers.

Craig

 

[ozzysmygod]

Yep that was the kit, except my hydrometer broke, new one arrives 2moro, as do the bottles, rang up and hastled the company, there credit card system went down so my payment was marked as unpaid, although I had indeed paid! So everythings sorted. thanks for your help!