last 6 bottles less than perfect

[shady oaks]

This past Wednesday I bottled my first batch (Irish stout kit). The last 6 bottles went less than perfect, with a lot of air bubbles and gurgling as the level got below the spout on the bottling bucket. Is there a great risk of oxidation, and if so, should those 6 bottles sit longer to try overcoming this or first to get the top popped to limit it?

 

[mosquitocontrol]

I wouldn't worry too much about this. Happens on the last few bottles everytime for me. Can't say I've ever been able to pick them out when I'm drinking them.

 

[Revvy]

I agree with Mosquito...our beer is hardier than we think it is, and can take MOST of the mistakes we make. Relax.

 

[Nurmey]

You should be fine but just in case mark those bottles to be drank first. Oxidation takes time to develop.

 

[shady oaks]

great, thanks everyone. I figured it wasn't major, but thought I'd ask. I've been reading a lot of threads on here and have picked up that beer can handle many things during the process. I did put a mark on the caps of the 6 bottles.

 

[ajf]

If you tilt the bottling bucket towards the spigot while bottling, you won't get air in the line until you get to the last bottle.

-a.

 

[SumnerH]

Or look in revy's bottling thread for a tip on making a dip tube (really easy) for next to no cost. It works very well to prevent this.

 

[fratermus]

Is there a great risk of oxidation, and if so, should those 6 bottles sit longer to try overcoming this or first to get the top popped to limit it?

Delayed capping may or may not help with these in the future.

Instead of sealing the bottles immediately, this method looks like this:

1. fill the bottles
2. place the cap on top, but do not crimp on
3. after all bottles are filled, go back and crimp on the caps

The theory is that as the beer sits newly in the bottle it outgasses some absorbed CO2, pushing out 02 in the headspace.

Dunno if it's true or not but I don't see a downside to the method, unless the cat comes over and spills your uncrimped bottles.