First bottling day Saturday, any suggestions?

[jamnich314]

I'll be bottling for the first time Saturday and have everything I (think I) need. I'm going to do a "dry" run with water sometime in the next couple days to make sure everything works as intended.

What suggestions or tips do you all have for me?

 

[NTXBrauer]

Just ensure you have your process in place and all needed essentials lined up, and remember sanitization is key.

-enough bottles / caps for your batch
-sanitizer for bottles/caps/siphon tubing/bottling bucket/etc
-enough dextrose to prime with
-working bottle capper

You will get your rhythm going after bottling a few, and the process will go more smoothly than you anticipate. Cheers!

 

[TheCADJockey]

This thread is amazing:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

This is a great tool:

http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

 

[BlackGoat]

+1 on reading Revvy's thread linked above. He nails every point you need to understand. Bottling can suck, but with some of the tips he identifies it can go much smoother and be less painful.

 

[TheCADJockey]

Oh. Minor thing that helped me was an auto-siphon. I never bought one assuming they were expensive, kicked myself when I found it was only $11 at LHBS.

 

[pennahighlandbrew]

Auto siphon makes life a lot easier, and racking the beer into your priming sugar to self-mix/swirl it is great. Also, keep paper towels on hand, trust me.


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[TheCADJockey]

Auto siphon makes life a lot easier, and racking the beer into your priming sugar to self-mix/swirl it is great. Also, keep paper towels on hand, trust me.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

I do it over a baking sheet to catch any unfortunate drips... but I still get Starsan all over my house.

 

[chuckcomm]

I use the dishwasher door for bottling. I sanitize all the bottles and the door. Then set the sanitized bottles on the door (It holds more than half the bottles I am filling). Bottling bucket on the counter near the dishwasher.

Once done just rinse off the door or run through a rinse cycle.

I got the idea here somewhere a while back before I bottled my first batch.



Note: I just looked at the first thread TheCADJockey posted above and the dishwasher door precess is there

 

[Clarke]

I have been bottling for 5 years, using only a tube attached to my spigot. Last Sunday I used a bottle wand for the first time. If you have one use it, if you don't have one get one. I can't understand what took me so long to attach the thing. Exact bottle measurements each and every time with no spillage.

 

[NTXBrauer]

+1 on attaching the bottle wand directly to your spigot. If you don't have one, I would strongly recommend.

 

[zacster]

Bottling is a PITA, but you'll get into the rhythm of it once you get started. This is the one thing that I always tried to have help. You can have one wash while the other sanitizes, one fill while the other caps, one hold the bottling wand while the other pumps the auto-siphon (both highly recommended.) And usually you need a third person to pour while you do this.

That said, once I bought kegging gear I never looked back. The only issue with kegs is you can't see when you're running out.

 

[mhurst111]

I use the dishwasher door for bottling. I sanitize all the bottles and the door. Then set the sanitized bottles on the door (It holds more than half the bottles I am filling). Bottling bucket on the counter near the dishwasher.

Once done just rinse off the door or run through a rinse cycle.

I got the idea here somewhere a while back before I bottled my first batch.

second the dishwasher door method. Also a big, old beach towel - just in case.