Foaming while bottling

[Brewno]

While bottling my beer I find it hard to get the bottles filled to within an inch of the top due to foaming. If I go that high it will foam out so it's been more than an inch on the two batches I've made. Is this normal? If so then is there any way to minimize it? Can it hurt the beer by causing oxidation?


Tommy

 

[Yuri_Rage]

How are you filling your bottles? Are you bottling carbonated beer?

If your beer is uncarbonated, you need to make sure that your hose or bottle filler goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle before opening the flow. That will prevent aeration and foam, as the tube end will be submerged during most of the fill.

If you are already using the above technique, you might be bottling a little early, before yeast-produced CO2 has had a chance to come out of solution, usually while fermentation is still somewhat active. Probably ill-advised, as this can create bottle bombs! Be patient. RDWHAHB, and bottle later.

I have no experience bottling carbonated beer, but if you're bottling from an already primed keg, you could try a "beer gun" device available from most of the online homebrewing supply shops.

 

[Fatabbot]

The way to get rid of the foam is to squeeze the tubing to reduce the flow of the beer when you first put the bottling wand against the bottom of the bottle. Once the beer has filled up 1/4 of the bottle, release the pressure on the hose and let it flow freely.

Problem solved

 

[Brewno]

How are you filling your bottles? Are you bottling carbonated beer?

If your beer is uncarbonated, you need to make sure that your hose or bottle filler goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle before opening the flow. That will prevent aeration and foam, as the tube end will be submerged during most of the fill.

If you are already using the above technique, you might be bottling a little early, before yeast-produced CO2 has had a chance to come out of solution, usually while fermentation is still somewhat active. Probably ill-advised, as this can create bottle bombs! Be patient. RDWHAHB, and bottle later.

I have no experience bottling carbonated beer, but if you're bottling from an already primed keg, you could try a "beer gun" device available from most of the online homebrewing supply shops.

I'm bottling using a bottling wand and the beer spent a week in primary and two in secondary, fermentation had long been finished. I had the bottling wand at the bottom (obviously, or it wouldn't work). It fills ok just until that last little bit in the neck. Unless it was the star san?

The only thing that makes me uncomfortable about the bottling wand is how fast it comes out at the start of each bottle.
As for how much the bottle is filled, I was looking at a bottle from my last batch in
the fridge sitting next to a store bought beer and the levels were exact.

Tommy

 

[Fatabbot]

The only thing that makes me uncomfortable about the bottling wand is how fast it comes out at the start of each bottle.

That's the only thing causing the foaming. That's why all you need to do is squeeze the tubing somehow to reduce that initial flow

 

[Brewno]

That's the only thing causing the foaming. That's why all you need to do is squeeze the tubing somehow to reduce that initial flow

Thanks

Tommy

 

[loopmd]

Or do like I do and go back to the bottle to get the proper amount in. I ususally leave my bottles in the "case". The box holds 24 bottles. I go around and fill all of them up and then start an assembly line with my daughter to get them capped. I have found that if I get a bit of foam in some of the bottles, I can get back to it in a few minutes after the foam subsides.

loop

 

[Trrance]

I use the dishwasher door method; rinse bottles in Star San and stick them upside down on the pegs in the dishwasher to drain, then I pull up a chair, line up six bottles on the opened door and fill them.

I figured the bit of foam was from the Star San. I just fill the bottles until the foam and just a bit of liquid overflows. The bottles are all evenly filled.

No real mess to clean up, just close the dishwasher door when I'm done and the overrun gets washed away.

 

[wstein]

I use the dishwasher door method; rinse bottles in Star San and stick them upside down on the pegs in the dishwasher to drain, then I pull up a chair, line up six bottles on the opened door and fill them.

I figured the bit of foam was from the Star San. I just fill the bottles until the foam and just a bit of liquid overflows. The bottles are all evenly filled.

No real mess to clean up, just close the dishwasher door when I'm done and the overrun gets washed away.

I do the exact same thing. I find that if you fill it till it is ready to overflow, that when you remove the bottling wand, that you will almost have a perfect about of space let in the bottle.

 

[Todd]

I found that sitting the bucket on the table and the bottles on a chair worked to slow the flow and reduce foaming. I also have this little crimpy thing for the tube to cut off flow, it also restricts it some.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Wow, I speculated a lot. And I was wrong on all counts. Listen to these guys about slowing down the initial flow of beer. They sell hose clamps at homebrew supply shops designed to stop and start siphon flow during bottling. Maybe you could partially close one to slow the flow.

 

[Levers101]

I use the dishwasher door method; rinse bottles in Star San and stick them upside down on the pegs in the dishwasher to drain, then I pull up a chair, line up six bottles on the opened door and fill them.

I figured the bit of foam was from the Star San. I just fill the bottles until the foam and just a bit of liquid overflows. The bottles are all evenly filled.

No real mess to clean up, just close the dishwasher door when I'm done and the overrun gets washed away.

Ohh... ohh. Good idea. Yoink!!