How to make sure priming sugars are spread evenly in my fermented wort before bottlin

[Finlandbrews]

How should I ensure in a practical way an even distribution of priming sugars while avoiding the least oxygen to come in my fermented wort?

 

[Rev2010]

Most just rack the beer on top of the sugar. I however used to bottle (I keg now) from my fermenter since it had a built in spigot. I'd pour the priming sugar solution into my fermenter, then take a sanitized spoon and very gently stir it slowly around 2-3 rotations and that's it. Never had a problem with uneven bottle carbing or oxidizing of the beer.


Rev.

 

[philipCT]

I've had uneven results when I didn't stir so now I rack on top of the priming solution, then I gently but thoroughly stir with a big long large spoon. Also, the spoon is sizable.

 

[kh54s10]

When I was bottling I started the siphon with the tubing curled along the side of the bucket on the bottom. This makes the wort swirl in a vortex. Right after starting the siphon I would add the priming solution. I almost always got very evenly carbonated bottles. I only stirred additionally a couple of times. I don't remember why I felt it necessary those times.

 

[joshesmusica]

Trying to stir in the sugar in the primary is going to stir up TONS of yeast. Unless you like a big fat yeast cake in your bottles, I would rack to a bottling bucket.

The as others have said, if you have your priming sugar in the bucket, and rack on top of that, it should evenly distribute the sugars. To really ensure this, make sure the end of the hose is laying on the bottom and along one of the sides in order to start a whirlpool motion. If you're doing a 19L batch, by the time you've racked the entire volume of beer, it will have had enough time to mix evenly. But I also always make sure to sanitize the lid and put it on, then I'll take time after racking the beer to get my bottles soaking in the tub with starsan. This extra time will help the sugars diffuse evenly as well. This extra time, along with the whirlpool motion, will also help push any extra floaties down to the bottom. This way all of my bottles are free of hop debris or any other types of things that might be in the fermentor.

The only time I ever have stirred with a sanitized spoon was when I was doing 5L batches. I didn't feel it created a long enough whirlpool motion while racking, so I would as gently as possible stir it around, making sure not to splash at all.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

When I was bottling, I would pour the cooled solution into the fermenter, rack the beer quietly into the solution, and then gently stir with a sanitized spoon, moving the spoon both in a circular direction and up and down (priming solution is moere dense than beer and tends to stay at the bottom)

 

[bigken462]

Let gravity do it for you. I pour the boiling sugar mix into the bottom on the bucket and then hook my siphon tubing under the spigot and lay it in such a way to promote a whirlpool. After I get all the beer transferred, I'll let it sit about 30 minutes with a lid on top so that the priming sugar can diffuse in the mix. This is not a scientific number, it's just the amount of time it takes me to get my kitchen and bottles set up, rinsed with the jet wash and 2-3 plunges on the sanitizer. This process has yet to cause me problems.

 

[TurnipGreen]

I used to get inconsistent carbonation just putting the priming sugar at the bottom of my bottling bucket and racking.
I now, rack about a third of the beer then put the sugar in and give is a gental stir, maybe four or five turns.

I think that little bit of stirring in the bottling bucket has made a big difference for me.

 

[Rev2010]

Trying to stir in the sugar in the primary is going to stir up TONS of yeast. Unless you like a big fat yeast cake in your bottles, I would rack to a bottling bucket.

If you stir very slow and very gently, and do not submerge the spoon lower than halfway, you will *not* get a "big fat yeast cake in your bottles". I never did. Again 2-3 very slow full rotation stirs. Never ever was a problem for me when bottling and I never had uneven carbonation throughout my bottles. This was around nearly 4 years time bottling.


Rev.

 

[Owly055]

When I bottled, I would rack into a cold crash container, and simply pour bottling syrup and gelatin in, and leave it for 3 or 4 days before bottling. Brownian motion distributes all the molecules of sugar evenly during this period of time until osmotic equilibrium is reached.

Now that I only occasionally bottle, and only a few bottles, I simply measure sugar into each bottle with an adjustable measuring spoon I've calibrated for the job.


H.W.

 

[joshesmusica]

When I bottled, I would rack into a cold crash container, and simply pour bottling syrup and gelatin in, and leave it for 3 or 4 days before bottling. Brownian motion distributes all the molecules of sugar evenly during this period of time until osmotic equilibrium is reached.

What? Was this a closed system? That sugar would've most certainly fermented out in 3 or 4 days...

 

[Owly055]

What? Was this a closed system? That sugar would've most certainly fermented out in 3 or 4 days...

This is refrigerated to not much above freezing temps..........

 

[joshesmusica]

This is refrigerated to not much above freezing temps..........

How big of a batch are you talking then? Are you refrigerating it before adding the sugar? How long does it take for the entire batch to actually get to freezing temps?

I can admit that in theory this could work. But while the beer is still relatively warm, the yeast will consume the sugars pretty quickly. Even at cold temps, they will continue to work, albeit very slowly. If the beer was already cold, I could imagine that they wouldn't put a big dent in the amount of sugar you added. But if you started chilling it after adding the sugar, and you're talking about a 5 gallon batch, then I could see them consuming quite a bit before they drop out of suspension. So do you compensate for that fact in the amount you add?

 

[philipCT]

Now that I only occasionally bottle, and only a few bottles, I simply measure sugar into each bottle with an adjustable measuring spoon I've calibrated for the job.

Now that is a piece of gear I would like to see a photo of.

 

[Owly055]

How big of a batch are you talking then? Are you refrigerating it before adding the sugar? How long does it take for the entire batch to actually get to freezing temps?

I can admit that in theory this could work. But while the beer is still relatively warm, the yeast will consume the sugars pretty quickly. Even at cold temps, they will continue to work, albeit very slowly. If the beer was already cold, I could imagine that they wouldn't put a big dent in the amount of sugar you added. But if you started chilling it after adding the sugar, and you're talking about a 5 gallon batch, then I could see them consuming quite a bit before they drop out of suspension. So do you compensate for that fact in the amount you add?

I can tell you it does work..... I add the sugar at fermentation temperature, and immediately put it in the fridge. These are 3 gallon batches. No doubt there is some fermentation, but clearly not enough to prevent good bottle carbonation.

H.W.

 

[Owly055]

Now that is a piece of gear I would like to see a photo of.

Here is a photo of it.... They can be had at the local dollar store. You can adjust them to whatever amount you want. I had to modify mine a bit so it would adjust for the amount I want, but now it does a very consistent and accurate job. Another possibility would be a reloader's charge bar. Adjust the charge of sugar, and run each bottle under the hopper and pull the lever........... If you reload it's an obvious solution ;-) .......... charge, fill, cap....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ingl6ihovqhvucj/spoon.jpeg?dl=0

H.W.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Here is a photo of it.... They can be had at the local dollar store. You can adjust them to whatever amount you want. I had to modify mine a bit so it would adjust for the amount I want, but now it does a very consistent and accurate job. Another possibility would be a reloader's charge bar. Adjust the charge of sugar, and run each bottle under the hopper and pull the lever........... If you reload it's an obvious solution ;-) .......... charge, fill, cap....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ingl6ihovqhvucj/spoon.jpeg?dl=0

H.W.

autodisk or autodrum?

Be careful not to overcharge
look out for squibbs !!!

 

[tim_c7]

Now that is a piece of gear I would like to see a photo of.

Here is a link to another innovative way for priming bottles with sugar.

http://breweveryday.com/these-bottling-techniques-will-change-your-life/

 

[BradleyBrew]

spoon