First time bottling

[jcannon46609]

I just bottled my first batch of IPA on Sunday and so far I have yet to have any bottles bust on me, but when I looked at them today, there seems to be a thin layer of sediment on the bottom. Is this normal?

 

[Buffman]

Definite sign of infection. An IPA, you say? Box it up and mail it to me for testing.

Seriously - totally normal. I've rarely had any beer without sediment.

 

[mew]

The sediment is a result of yeast growth that occurs when you feed them with priming sugar. Just decant the beer into a glass, leaving the sediment in the bottle. This is a relatively traditional way to carbonate. If you don't like the sediment, you'll have to keg.

Here's a tip: If you're going camping or to a sporting event (or any other function in which sediment is undesirable) you can chill down another bottle (sanitized) and decant a bottle of beer into the new bottle. Pour slowly, only allowing it to foam at the end. Cap on the foam (to reduce oxygen exposure), and you should lose very little carbonation.

 

[ibbones]

One of my buddies was scared to try my home brew because I told him about the bottom sediment and how to pour it. He didn't even try it.

 

[mew]

I should also add that sediment isn't just a homebrew thing. There are plenty of commercial beers (many of which are the expensive brands) that are bottle conditioned and therefore have sediment.

 

[PlainsBrew]

GASP! You have SEDIMENT!!!! Well, shucks, that means you totally... made your first home brew!!!

Go-rats! Did you try a little sip while you were bottling? I always do just to make sure I didn't screw up. =)

Good job... enjoy it!