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first brew questions /confusion

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bizit524

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Hey so I just started brewing my first ever beer. I'm excited about it ; its bubbling away nicely right now. I am just confused about a few things that maybe you guys can clear up.
The instructions that they gave me are very poor. So I have been watching youtube videos and reading but am still a little confused.

The instructions they gave me stated that after it finishes bubbling I can add half a tea spoon of sugar per bottle then start filling bottles and cap it. That sounds very tedious. I have seen that instead you can add all the sugar at once in a second bin. I like that idea.

I wanted to get rid of the dead yeast by putting it in the second fermenter for a clear beer. and with the 2nd fermenter do I put an airlock on it also? (im guessing yes)
However here is where I am confused. If I were to put it in the 2nd fermenter do I put the sugar in there also? or do I just let it ferment in there without the sugar for an additional 2 weeks or something? Then after the 2nd fermenter I put the sugar in; then bottle it?

I was reading this which sorta answered my questions
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/beginner-extract-brewing-howto-99139/
 
So I do not bottle, but there is a concept of a bottling bucket, where you put your beer and mix in the sugar, then you bottle out of that bucket. Seems like an additional attack vector for yeast and oxidation if you ask me.

When i used carboys I did rack to a secondary, but everyone says it is not necessary; however, if you added priming sugar to your primary fermenter and then mixed it up, you would put all of the trub and yeast into solution...

I think go from primary to a bottling bucket, mix the sugar in the bottling bucket and then bottle. Make certain that you have the proper amount of priming sugar. Know how many gallons of beer you currently have and then use this. Too much priming sugar will create little 12 ounce beer grenades.

clean and sanitize everything that could ever possibly touch your beer, wear a surgical mask if you are so inclined.
 
haha beer grenades interesting. Will definitely have to calculate that.
Thanks for answering the questions about the bottling but what about the 2nd fermenter?
after it stops bubbling do i just siphon it to the 2nd fermenter and let it sit for longer? then AFTER that put the beer into a bottling bucket with the priming sugar and bottle it?
 
You can add priming sugar one at a time to each bottle, and I started that way many years ago....but as you have said, it's extremely tedious. Not only that but their will be minor variations in the amount of sugar that each bottle get's and therefore your carb levels will be different for each bottle. The other method is call batch priming, done by pitch the entire amount of sugar (Malt, honey,or whatever you choose to prime with) into a secondary vessel (keg, bottling bucket, etc.) dissolving all the sugar and then bottling from that bucket. This assures you have more consistency from bottle to bottle in carb levels. The most precise method of course is forced carbonation, with kegs, which does involve an outlay of cash, but eliminates the monotony, of bottling.
If you still decide to prime individual bottles, think about priming tabs, they could make it abit easier.

Also 1/2 teaspoon might be a bit to much depending on what style your brewing
 
Hey so I just started brewing my first ever beer. I'm excited about it ; its bubbling away nicely right now. Are you controlling the temperature of the wort? I am just confused about a few things that maybe you guys can clear up.
The instructions that they gave me are very poor. So I have been watching youtube videos and reading but am still a little confused.

The instructions they gave me stated that after it finishes bubbling I can add half a tea spoon of sugar per bottle then start filling bottles and cap it. That sounds very tedious. I have seen that instead you can add all the sugar at once in a second bin. I like that idea.

A bubbling or not bubbling airlock does not completely indicate fermentation. Fermentation is ocurring before and after bubbles in the airlock. Hydrometer readings of Specific Gravity are the only way to know when fermentation is complete. Two to three stable SG readings over a period of two to three days will tell you when fermentation is complete. Bottling beer with yeast still actively using fermentables will give you bottle bombs.
Boil the water for your priming sugar to sterilize the kettle, add your priming sugar to the hot water at a low boil, cool and then add to your bottling bucket without splashing. Don't want any oxygen in solution now. Don't carmelize the sugar when you boil.

I wanted to get rid of the dead yeast by putting it in the second fermenter for a clear beer. and with the 2nd fermenter do I put an airlock on it also? (im guessing yes)

If you use a secondary vessel an air lock is also used. You don't have dead yeast in your primary. The yeast that settle to the bottom of the primary are dormant. This yeast can be reused with proper rinsing out of the trub.

However here is where I am confused. If I were to put it in the 2nd fermenter do I put the sugar in there also? or do I just let it ferment in there without the sugar for an additional 2 weeks or something? Then after the 2nd fermenter I put the sugar in; then bottle it?

A secondary vessel is normally just used for dry hopping or other flavor additions. There is no fermentation in a secondary vessel. If you leave the beer in the primary long enough it will clear and be ready for bottling. My beers usually show excellent clearing at three weeks. I wait another three to five days before bottling.
The priming sugar goes in your bottling bucket and then you siphon your beer from the primary to the bucket. Without splashing. Keep your siphon wand above the trub layer in primary. The suspended yeast that you transfer, is the yeast that carbonates your beer in the bottle.
The swirling action of the beer in the bottling bucket will mix your priming sugar solution throughout the bucket.

I was reading this which sorta answered my questions
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/beginner-extract-brewing-howto-99139/

Hope this helps. Had to type quick, but I'll be back shortly. Come back with more questions.
Good luck and happy brewing.
 
If you do use a bottling bucket, you need to dissolve the sugar in water before adding it to the beer. There's a sticky in the Bottling/Kegging section that covers bottling. I'd post a link, but don't know how to do that from my phone. ;)
 
I believe this may be the thread Sharona had in mind:

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

If you're going to batch prime, definitely go straight from your primary to the bottling bucket. If you read further on these forums, you'll find that there's a strong aversion to using a second fermenter (secondary) for most styles of beer. You introduce oxygen, which leads to staling, and have another vessel to sanitize, for negligible benefit. The yeast in your primary won't start dying in large quantities for weeks.
 
this has probably been covered but .. Do not bottle or secondary when you do not see bubbling any longer . That is a mistake . just because you do not see bubbling does not mean it is done fermenting .
Next - secondary is a waste of time in most cases but if you want a real clean beer then maybe . how ever factors can effect this decision . If you are using a not boil kit you do not need one at all as there is not going to be a bunch of trub in your fermenter .
If you are using a partial mash or AG then maybe but it would be easier to just filter your boiled wort better so you do not have an excess of trub .
My opinion is that you do not need the secondary in most cases . simply allow your beer to stay in fermenter for 3 weeks . Then if you want to , or can then cold crash it by putting it in fridge or outside in cold for a day or so at around 50 degrees maybe . I do not bother doing this and have no problems . I just use 3 weeks and then use my filter for siphoning and it is all good .

If you feel the need to secondary then NO do not add in any sugar . Wait at least 1 week and maybe even 2 weeks before secondary . Secondary as long as you like but at least a week . Just siphon your beer into the bucket . Put the siphon tube in bottom of bucket so you do not get in any added oxygen by splashing .
yes use an air lock .
Hint . US-05 yeast is great for not getting yeast in your bottle . It settles down real good and clumps up and stays there .

As far as that sugar goes . After 3 weeks in fermenter siphon your beer DO NOT POUR , I use this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/filter-siphon-tube-leave-trub-behind-380879/ to keep out the trub . Siphon into bottling bucket . You can and I have put a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in each bottle and then filled and capped . Works just fine . 1/2 is probably a normal carbonation. I like less .
the normal method used is to boil 2 cups water and add in 1 ounce ( by weight ) of sugar . I use 1/2 ounce . boil a few minutes if you want then let cool . Pour it into your bottle bucket and then siphon the beer with the tube in bottom of bucket so beer mixes with sugar water . I then stir gently once in a while to make sure it is mixed well . do not stir harshly as you will get oxygen in your beer which is not a deal breaker but you do not want it in there .
fill your bottles with bottles wand up to about 2 inches below the top and then pull bottle away from wand . This will leave it about the same volume as a commercial beer is in bottle .

No boil kit : do not boil it no matter what anyone says . you will lose the little bit of hops oils that they put in it and make even less flavorful .
Do not use sugar for that kilo they tell you to put in . Use DME . Sure it costs a lot more than sugar but you will be happy spent the money .

When you are siphoning your beer from the boil pot or the fermentation bucket try to keep your tube just a bit above the trub or at least try not to poke it into the trub and do not try and siphon all the beer out . Leave a few cups so you do not suck up a bunch trub .
 
When all the rapid bubbling slows or stops,only initial fermentation is done. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG. Then give it another 3-7 days to clean up any by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. All in primary. I don't secondary unless I'm oaking or something. I even dry hop in primary.
Anyway,boil 2C of water in a small sauce pan for a few minutes. Remove from heat & stir in weighed amount of sugar till the water clears again. Cover & cool a bit before adding to the beer racking into a bottling bucket.
Here's the priming calculator I use; http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html
By bottling day,the trub & yeast should be nicely compacted on the bottom of primary. If you are gentle about tipping the fermenter to get the last bottle of beer out of the fermenter,all or most of the trub/yeast will stay behind. The little bit of grainy stuff will settle to the bottom of the bottling bucket pretty quick by the time you're ready to actually start filling sanitized bottles.
 
haha beer grenades interesting. Will definitely have to calculate that.
Thanks for answering the questions about the bottling but what about the 2nd fermenter?
after it stops bubbling do i just siphon it to the 2nd fermenter and let it sit for longer? then AFTER that put the beer into a bottling bucket with the priming sugar and bottle it?

Leave it in primary and don't mess with a secondary. Once the yeast has finished fermenting there is still cleanup work for it to do, like getting rid of Diacetyl. Just leave it. let is sit on the yeast for at least 3 weeks. I know it's hard to wait and you want to do something with it, but don't. Get another carboy and brew another beer while you are waiting.
 
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