How wary do I need to be of the gravity reading if I'm transferring from primary to a pressure keg?

[dogflap]

Hi all.

I started brewing my own beer about 4 weeks ago and immediately became addicted to this fascinating and rewarding hobby! My knowledge and understanding of all the processes is still somewhat limited, so could someone please help me out with this?

My understanding is that a gravity reading needs to remain consistent over 2 days before transferring to bottles/secondary fermenter. I think this is because if the specific gravity reading is not consistent, it means there is still sugar being consumed by the yeast and thus carbon dioxide is being released. This could cause the bottles you transfer the beer into to explode.

However, if I'm transferring to a pressure keg, this shouldn't matter, should it? Because it is designed to withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide?

Another thing I'm a bit confused about, is that people warn of bottle bombs if the beer is transferred too early. However, I'm pretty sure the instructions for the brew I'm doing at the moment state that the beer can be transferred to bottles for secondary fermentation but comes with sugar to add at this stage. Surely this would result in more cabon dioxide being created and would massively increase the risk of bottles exploding?

Cheers!

 

[davidabcd]

Welcome to you from Detroit, Michigan!
You basically have the correct idea about the hydrometer for gravity readings.
Sounds like you're making a kit. It wouldn't hurt if you posted a bit more info. You could link to or paste the recipe. This will result in better advice for you.
I can't comment on pressure kegs since I don't keg, but I'm well-versed with bottles.
Good luck.

 

[BigJoeBrew]

Putting it in a keg will be fine, but if left at room temperatures it will continue to ferment producing CO2 and slightly carbonating the beer in the kegs. Which would be fine as long as it is fairly close to final gravity. If you cool the keg right away, that still has fermenting to go, you may end up with a fairly sweet beer since sugars are still present and the cooling will halt the yeast.

"However, I'm pretty sure the instructions for the brew I'm doing at the moment state that the beer can be transferred to bottles for secondary fermentation but comes with sugar to add at this stage."

You would never want to bottle a beer that hasn't reach final gravity for at least consecutive days. In the instructions, you are adding the sugar at bottling, to kick start a small fermentation that creates the carbonation in the bottle. (make sure to use dosing calculator)

As stated above a recipe with original, final, and what your current gravity is will help.

 

[Dland]

I'd say you want to know gravity reading racking to kegs. The gravity can be the same for a couple days without being finished fermenting if the fermentation has stuck (meaning the yeast stopped working for some other reason than being out of fermentable sugar)It is OK to transfer to kegs while still working, this will result in natural carbonation in a process called spunding, but you want to know how far the fermentation has come along. If your estimated or target gravity is 1.008, for example, and your at 1.015, and you keg it up, it will naturally carbonate. But you do want to monitor keg pressure with a gauge, and adding a simple valve allows letting off any CO2 above your desired carbonation level. When it is at target gravity, cold crash to stop fermentation.

On the bottles, the amount of added sugar, DME or unfermented wort is calculated to be just enough to carbonate, but not so much to over carbonate and risk bottle explosion.

 

[dogflap]

Thanks for your help, guys!

This is the beer I'm currently brewing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00E99POZ4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It's called Festival Premium Ales Razorback IPA Beer Kit.

Here are the instructions: https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/images/bradweb/downloads/festival_Brewing_Instructions_v4.pdf

I was confused by this step:

1. c) Syphon as usual into your second bucket, then add the contents of the priming sugar sachet into the second bucket (contains the perfect grams dextrose brewing sugar for each beer style), stir to completely dissolve.
   
   
2. 
   d) Pour or syphon into your bottles, fill bottles leaving 5cm (2 inches) headspace (from the very top of the bottle), seal bottles then leave in a warm place for secondary fermentation for 14 days. Then transfer to a cool place for 3 weeks to clear and fully condition. See Serving & Storage below.

It's saying to add sugar then syphon into bottles. I would have thought adding the sugar and then bottling immediately afterwards would have caused carbonation and risk the bottles exploding.

My plan is to transfer it to the pressure keg tonight, along with some sugar (as per the instructions). I'll leave this to settle for a few weeks and then transfer it to some bottles. Then start my next batch!

 

[BigJoeBrew]

For bottling you would rack your beer from your primary fermenter to a bottling bucket. Once racked, you will boil the appropriate amount of sugar for amount of beer in bottling bucket https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/. You will boil the sugar in about a pint of water and add to the bottling bucket (Known at batch priming). Stir very gently with a sanitized spoon. Then just fill your bottles and the sugar is integrated for carbonation. Then let sit at room temperature for a couple weeks, put in fridge, and enjoy the liquid of your labor!

 

[kh54s10]

Start here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/bottling-tips-for-the-homebrewer.94812/

I'm not familiar with a pressure keg but you will need some way of moving the already carbonated beer to the bottle without any splashing that would oxidize the beer.

The bottling instructions are lacking to just plain bad! If you transfer the beer to a bottling bucket then add the sugar, stir very carefully so that you don't add air to the beer. (Oxidation).

You definitely DO NOT want to pour beer into the bottles. This would surely oxidize the beer.

2 inch headspace seems too much to me. I measured one of my bottles at 1.5 inches.

I would bottle condition (keep at room temperature) for at least 14 days, usually 21 days. The you can cool one for 24 hours to taste. 3 weeks cool is totally unnecessary. Especially for an IPA that is best when fresh.

When bottling the fermentation should be done. That is that the yeast have consumed all the sugars that they can. You then add a specific amount of sugar and bottle the beer. The small amount of sugar produces co2 in the bottles that is then absorbed into the beer giving carbonation. If you are certain that primary fermentation was finished then use the proper amount of priming sugar, the bottles should have just the right amount of carbonation with no chance of bottle bombs. (unless you get an infection, but that is a different thread).

 

[dogflap]

For bottling you would rack your beer from your primary fermenter to a bottling bucket. Once racked, you will boil the appropriate amount of sugar for amount of beer in bottling bucket https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/. You will boil the sugar in about a pint of water and add to the bottling bucket (Known at batch priming). Stir very gently with a sanitized spoon. Then just fill your bottles and the sugar is integrated for carbonation. Then let sit at room temperature for a couple weeks, put in fridge, and enjoy the liquid of your labor!

Thanks for your response! Yes, I have been doing some further research and have found that bottling from the keg requires some sort of BeerGun or DIY tool. I am slightly concerned, as I bottled from the keg for my first brew and I just poured from the keg into a measuring jug then transferred this into bottles. I have about 24 bottles of this in the house! I had a couple last night and they seemed fine though. They were still carbonated. What exactly is the problem with doing this? Does it risk oxidisation?

 

[kh54s10]

Thanks for your response! Yes, I have been doing some further research and have found that bottling from the keg requires some sort of BeerGun or DIY tool. I am slightly concerned, as I bottled from the keg for my first brew and I just poured from the keg into a measuring jug then transferred this into bottles. I have about 24 bottles of this in the house! I had a couple last night and they seemed fine though. They were still carbonated. What exactly is the problem with doing this? Does it risk oxidisation?

Yes that does risk oxidation. The bottles are probably oxidized. How bad is judgement. And they will probably get worse with age. Don't let them sit around for too long.

 

[dogflap]

Yes that does risk oxidation. The bottles are probably oxidized. How bad is judgement. And they will probably get worse with age. Don't let them sit around for too long.

Don't need to tell me twice

I've bought a bottling wand which should arrive tomorrow. Thanks for your help guys!

 

[kh54s10]

Don't need to tell me twice

I've bought a bottling wand which should arrive tomorrow. Thanks for your help guys!

Look at the times of the posts. I told you twice because your response to Big Joe Brew was at the same time as my post - I didn't see that. I was answering your question to Big Joe Brew.....

 

[dogflap]

Look at the times of the posts. I told you twice because your response to Big Joe Brew was at the same time as my post - I didn't see that. I was answering your question to Big Joe Brew.....

Sorry, I think you misunderstood. I was saying "You don't need to tell me twice" as in "I will happily drink them all quickly so they aren't sitting around for too long!"

"You don't need to tell me twice!" is an expression for "I will do that happily", at least where I'm from.

I wasn't criticising you for answering my question I appreciate your help!

 

[kh54s10]

All is good. I understand the phrase but in the order of posts, it didn't occur to me you were using it in that way.

 

[GPP33]

I keg all my beers, the only gravity reading I take is on the way to the keg (or you can pull a gravity sample from the keg as you would a beer but before carbonating). If the FG was way higher than I expected it to be I'd just let it finish in the keg but in almost 50 brews this hasn't happened yet. I understand the concern with bottles but if you're kegging taking gravity samples is just risking introduction of contaminates and oxygen.

 

[davidabcd]

Hi all.

I started brewing my own beer about 4 weeks ago and immediately became addicted to this fascinating and rewarding hobby! My knowledge and understanding of all the processes is still somewhat limited, so could someone please help me out with this?

My understanding is that a gravity reading needs to remain consistent over 2 days before transferring to bottles/secondary fermenter. I think this is because if the specific gravity reading is not consistent, it means there is still sugar being consumed by the yeast and thus carbon dioxide is being released. This could cause the bottles you transfer the beer into to explode.

However, if I'm transferring to a pressure keg, this shouldn't matter, should it? Because it is designed to withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide?

Another thing I'm a bit confused about, is that people warn of bottle bombs if the beer is transferred too early. However, I'm pretty sure the instructions for the brew I'm doing at the moment state that the beer can be transferred to bottles for secondary fermentation but comes with sugar to add at this stage. Surely this would result in more cabon dioxide being created and would massively increase the risk of bottles exploding?

Cheers!

I read your kit instructions and understand them now. thanks for doing that. Looks like all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction. The kit method you're using is interesting. Anyway, good luck.