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Newbie Here!! - First Brew - Bock Beer

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So.... we are bottling on Tuesday night... :ban: That will be the 15th day after the initial brew day... Can you guys give me some tips? i have been reading about bottling for a couple of days now... Just read a thread about sanitizing bottles & the caps... Thinking I definitely sanitizing my bottle caps. You guys have seen my beer bottles I am collecting... Still drinking & still collecting ;) i do not have a rack to rack them... They are sitting in milk crates.. I have them sitting in water in the sink to help remove the labels from them... when i have my tasting party, I don't want the brewery of somewhere else on my bottles ;) Is there a link to a thread for the steps of bottling process? Any tips? :)


Peace. Love. & Beer!
:mug: CHEERS!! :mug:
 
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

The above link was the method I used when I was bottling. I made a dip tube from the curved part of a clear plastic racking cane and stuck it into the stopper that was originally for the airlock in the lid of the bucket. Then inserted the stopper into the spout from the inside - worked great.

To remove labels from bottles and clean them, I soak them in a solution of OxiClean or PBW. OxiClean is cheaper but seems to leave a white film on the inside of the bottles sometimes, whereas PBW doesn't (at least with my tap water). A vinegar rinse should remove the film. After cleaning and rinsing the bottles thoroughly (I rinse with a jet bottle sprayer which connects to a adapter screwed into my faucet), I hang them on my bottling tree to dry overnight. On bottling day I sanitize using a Vinator pump with StarSan and again hang them on the bottling tree. I sanitize a few bottles, then let them drip a bit while I fill a few bottles, then sanitize a few more and fill the ones I had previously sanitized, etc. This way the bottles are still wet with StarSan when I fill them, so still sanitized.

The first thing I would do is move my carboy up onto a table to give it time for any disturbed trub to settle out before racking to the bottle bucket. Then I would boil a couple of cups of distilled water and dissolve my priming sugar into it, then cover and let it cool while I sanitized everything.

To sanitize, I mix up a gallon of StarSan (use distilled or RO water so it will not turn cloudy and become ineffective quickly). I keep the StarSan in a 1 gallon glass jug and put some into a spray bottle. Also I mix up a couple of gallons of Iodophor in 1 gallon water jugs. One gallon of Iodophor goes into a large shallow plastic tray I use to sanitize my gear - I like this better than a bucket because I can completely submerse my autosiphon in the tray. Into the tray I put all small parts to be sanitized - autosiphon, bottling wand bucket spout, dip tube and stopper, siphon hose, the short piece of tubing that I use to connect my bottling wand to the spout (as in the link above), etc. I pour some Iodophor or StarSan into the bucket and swish it around to sanitize the bucket, then put the spout onto the bucket and the dip tube and stopper into the spout. Assemble the siphoning tube onto the autosiphon. Then pour the extra gallon of Iodophor into the bucket, swish it around, and run some out through the spout. Then I use the autosiphon to pump some of this out of the bucket and down the drain just to make sure the autosiphon is thoroughly sanitized. Put the autosiphon/tube assembly back in the tray of sanitizer, invert the bucket to drain, and be SURE the spout is closed (don't ask me why I emphasize this). I like to cover the spout with some sanitized plastic wrap secured with a rubber band.

So now, put the bucket on the floor with the carboy on the table just above it. Pour your cooled priming solution into the bucket (gently, so as not to aerate it). Put the autosiphon into the carboy (make sure the little black cap is on the tip of the autosiphon) and the end of the siphon tube down in the bottom of the bucket. Hold the bottom of the autosiphon about midway in the carboy and pump it to start the siphon. As the liquid drains from the carboy, lower the autosiphon to follow it. Watch the beer in the siphon tube - you can see when you begin sucking up yeast as the beer in the tube will turn cloudy. When this happens, stop siphoning by just raising the bottom of the autosiphon out of the beer. Remove the autosiphon from the carboy - it is a good idea to have an empty bucket ready to drop it into to avoid dripping all over the floor. At this point I always used a long sanitized spoon to give the beer in the bucket a very gentle stir - just a couple of stirs, but be careful not to aerate the beer - you just want to make sure the priming sugar is well mixed. I'm sure a lot of people don't do this for fear of oxidizing the beer, but I always do.

Now loosely cover the bucket with the sanitized lid and lift it up onto the table, or onto an overturned bucket or kettle on the table per the link above. Attach the bottling wand to the spout with the short piece of tubing (use hose clamps if needed, but I never needed them), spray the wand with StarSan and open the spout on the bucket - the plunger at the end of the wand should prevent leaking. You should have your caps in a bowl of sanitizer. Sanitize a few bottles (Vinator or just dunk into sanitizer and drain) and commence filling. I like to fill all the bottles and place the sanitized cap loosely on top and cap them all later. But if there are two people, one can bottle while the other caps.

Good luck. It's really pretty simple once you get started.
 
Still drinking different beers to gather those bottles.... :mug:
Actually I think now, we are just in it to taste it!! :ban:
I think we had enough bottles 20 or so something back... ;) But I think because we love :mug: BEER :mug: so incredibly much, :rockin: we make the excuse that we need more bottles so we make the trip to get a couple of different six packs to try like seriously, every night... :)

I actually tried one -- Flying Dog.. Seriously think the pup loved it way too much! :)

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The second I tried - or had again, which lots of you need to check out - a local brewery - Ft. Worth, Texas - Rahr & Sons - Buffalo Butt - YUM-O!! :cross:


Second bit of news in our lives - we purchased us a VDubb!! Whoot! Whoot!!

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We absolutely love it!! i had one back in 2004 - a 2000 model - but this is a 2012 & so new!! Yay!! :tank:

Hope everyone had a FANTABULOUS WEEKEND!! :mug:
I know we did!!



Peace. Love. & Beer!
:mug: CHEERS!! :mug:



PS - We are now bottling Wednesday. Had to push it back a day to daily life circumstances...
 
Speaking of controlling the temps, I live near Sacramento. Our temps are starting to get into the low to mid 90s, and will be in the high 90s to 100 F outdoors. We have A/C, but the house temp is not all that cool.
If I start say an Irish red ale, or a pale ale, the target temp is 60-70. I probably don't have that anywhere in the house. Should I wait till Fall for cooler temps, or any ideas for how to proceed?

Is that why they call it Oktoberfest? LOL.
 
Speaking of controlling the temps, I live near Sacramento. Our temps are starting to get into the low to mid 90s, and will be in the high 90s to 100 F outdoors. We have A/C, but the house temp is not all that cool.
If I start say an Irish red ale, or a pale ale, the target temp is 60-70. I probably don't have that anywhere in the house. Should I wait till Fall for cooler temps, or any ideas for how to proceed?

Is that why they call it Oktoberfest? LOL.


Why don't you look into doing a Saison brew? :ban: It can be brewed in warmer temps. i am a newbie around here... I think there are better people who would be able to give you more info. about Saisons.. However, for a Saison beer, it's for fermenting in warmer temps, & it would be good to start there since it is so warm... I am in Texas & the temps are astronomical!! :eek:

Good Luck!!
Peace. Love. & Beer!
:mug: CHEERS! :mug:
 
Yo! Yo!! Yo!!!
:mug:

Well, the bottling is going down tonight!! Whoot! Whoot!! I am ready! The hubby is ready! The Bock is ready! Last bit of bottles are in the dishwasher cleaning. Gonna run & get a big tub to sanitize the bottles before siphoning the beer.

Got a couple of questions before tonight though.... :confused: Let's see if you guys can help me out!

1) I have run all of my bottles through the dishwasher to just clean them - basically to prevent the black mold at the bottle of the bottles after the beer sets... :cross: Would be the best way to sanitize my bottles is to place all of them in a big tote & use my Iphodor & water to dump the bottles in & when I am ready to bottle pull one out, fill with liquid & cap with a sanitize cap, right? Right Page?

2) Could I use my dishwasher to place the bottles upside down (a rack) after sanitizing them so that I could just pull a bottle off of a rod in the dishwasher drawer...? Possible?

3) Sanitize caps - Place over bottles after being filled - Should I go ahead & clasp the bottle cap for each beer or place caps on all beers & come back to clasp - Honestly, I feel like clasping them as we fill might be a little easier... Thoughts?

4) House sits between about 77 & 80 degrees during the day - FREAKING TEXAS!! - is that cool to let the bottles carb, or should I go cooler? I wanna go about 3 weeks before I initially try one... Good Idea? :confused: Bad Idea? :confused:


Have a FANTABULOUS Tuesday!!
:mug: CHEERS!! :mug:
 
I would proceed with the brew. Assume that you have an ale yeast. Follow the instructions with your kit. If you see no activity in your airlock within the first 48 hrs. Go get a packet of ale yeast (nottingham is a good all around yeast), hydrate it, then CAREFULLY open your fermenter and pitch the yeast. If the yeast never took in the first place, that means that it didn't multiply in the brew...no harm no foul. Trial and error is a great way to better understand how to brew!
 
I would proceed with the brew. Assume that you have an ale yeast. Follow the instructions with your kit. If you see no activity in your airlock within the first 48 hrs. Go get a packet of ale yeast (nottingham is a good all around yeast), hydrate it, then CAREFULLY open your fermenter and pitch the yeast. If the yeast never took in the first place, that means that it didn't multiply in the brew...no harm no foul. Trial and error is a great way to better understand how to brew!

Um, what? :confused: I have already brewed my beer... I am bottling it tonight... What are you referring to here? :confused:
 
I would proceed with the brew. Assume that you have an ale yeast. Follow the instructions with your kit. If you see no activity in your airlock within the first 48 hrs. Go get a packet of ale yeast (nottingham is a good all around yeast), hydrate it, then CAREFULLY open your fermenter and pitch the yeast. If the yeast never took in the first place, that means that it didn't multiply in the brew...no harm no foul. Trial and error is a great way to better understand how to brew!

:confused:

Yo! Yo!! Yo!!!
:mug:

Well, the bottling is going down tonight!! Whoot! Whoot!! I am ready! The hubby is ready! The Bock is ready! Last bit of bottles are in the dishwasher cleaning. Gonna run & get a big tub to sanitize the bottles before siphoning the beer.

Got a couple of questions before tonight though.... :confused: Let's see if you guys can help me out!

1) I have run all of my bottles through the dishwasher to just clean them - basically to prevent the black mold at the bottle of the bottles after the beer sets... :cross: Would be the best way to sanitize my bottles is to place all of them in a big tote & use my Iphodor & water to dump the bottles in & when I am ready to bottle pull one out, fill with liquid & cap with a sanitize cap, right? Right Page?

2) Could I use my dishwasher to place the bottles upside down (a rack) after sanitizing them so that I could just pull a bottle off of a rod in the dishwasher drawer...? Possible?

3) Sanitize caps - Place over bottles after being filled - Should I go ahead & clasp the bottle cap for each beer or place caps on all beers & come back to clasp - Honestly, I feel like clasping them as we fill might be a little easier... Thoughts?

4) House sits between about 77 & 80 degrees during the day - FREAKING TEXAS!! - is that cool to let the bottles carb, or should I go cooler? I wanna go about 3 weeks before I initially try one... Good Idea? :confused: Bad Idea? :confused:


Have a FANTABULOUS Tuesday!!
:mug: CHEERS!! :mug:

1 & 2) Just soak them in iodophor, drain (you can do it on the dishwasher racks) and fill.

3) I fill, cap, repeat most of the time so every bottle gets sealed ASAP. But when I bottle alone, I fill 6-12 bottles an place the cap on, then come back and seal.

4) Yes, try to find the coolest place to store them in the house while they're carbing. But ~77-80 isn't bad. I have a few batches sitting at ~80 up in my bedroom, no worries. I spoke with a brewer at Grand Teton and she said that they use a 'warm room' (about ~82 degrees) to bottle condition their beer.
 
I personally think that sanitizing your bottle caps might be a bit of overkill, but it also wouldn't hurt anything.

If you're going to use your dishwasher to clean your bottles, make sure they cool before you bottle!
 
I put my bottles upside down on the dishwasher rack after sanitizing. I place the sanitized caps on each bottle after I fill them, but I don't crimp any caps until all 50+ bottles are filled. I have a bench-top capper, and it only takes a couple minutes to crimp them all. Your bottles should be fine anywhere betwen 70-85F...
 
I personally think that sanitizing your bottle caps might be a bit of overkill, but it also wouldn't hurt anything.

If you're going to use your dishwasher to clean your bottles, make sure they cool before you bottle!

I have used my dishwasher for ONLY cleaning the bottles. I haven't sanitized any bottles yet. I am not really sure if I should just put all of the bottles in the dishwasher & use the IDOPHOR..? :confused: Haven't done this process yet.



Is it easier to sanitize the bottles in the dishwasher - with or without the dry heat on - with my IDOPHOR? Or should I just fill a tote tub with water & IDOPHOR, dip them, rack them (on the dishwasher racks) & bottle them individual from each rack off the dishwasher? :confused:
 
I put my bottles upside down on the dishwasher rack after sanitizing. I place the sanitized caps on each bottle after I fill them, but I don't crimp any caps until all 50+ bottles are filled. I have a bench-top capper, and it only takes a couple minutes to crimp them all. Your bottles should be fine anywhere betwen 70-85F...


Perfect!! :ban:
Thank You!! :mug:
 
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I gotta find my BOTTLE CAPS!! Cleaning & getting things ready today!!
 
I lay my dog gate (or kid gate) across 2 saw horses and use it as a bottle drying rack. Flush the bottles with StarSan then place them top down through the little opeings in the gate to dry.
 
helibrewer said:
I lay my dog gate (or kid gate) across 2 saw horses and use it as a bottle drying rack. Flush the bottles with StarSan then place them top down through the little opeings in the gate to dry.

That's a good idea... I don't have a doggie gate... But I like your way of bottling... Thanks for the tip!!
 
I personally use StarSan and I fill the bottles then drain the StarSan back into the container I use, then fill them with beer before they dry. Once StarSan dries it is no longer sanitzing anything. Never once had any off flavors from it and have heard that StarSan actually breaks down and acts like a yeast nutrient, helping our little buddies carb up the bottles.
 
I personally use StarSan and I fill the bottles then drain the StarSan back into the container I use, then fill them with beer before they dry. Once StarSan dries it is no longer sanitzing anything. Never once had any off flavors from it and have heard that StarSan actually breaks down and acts like a yeast nutrient, helping our little buddies carb up the bottles.

Okay... Well, I have the IDOPHOR that I got in my kit from the LHBS... I figure, though, that you can use it just about the same way? I bought a huge tub today to put all of the bottle in with my sanitizer & water...

IMG_8014.jpg


...... But somehow.... Every time I come home with something 3-Dimensional, this darn cat determines that it is his new territory & takes over everything!

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Bottles are clean & the process begins tonight! Hopefully the hubby brings home a nice tasting beverage to accompany this process!! ;)
... And don't worry, my bucket will be sanitized with bottles without mishaps from the Kit-Kat ;)

... And I think after bottling, I think this is where we are gonna store the bottles until they have finished carbing... :rockin:

It is Time, Folks. :ban: It is Time. :ban:

Here's to a Good Night!!
:mug: CHEERS! :mug:
 
That tub will work fine for your sanitizer, but for future bottling you might want to look into getting yourself a Vinator. They make sanitizing bottles so fast and easy that it's worth owning one!
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Stauffbier said:
That tub will work fine for your sanitizer, but for future bottling you might want to look into getting yourself a Vinator. They make sanitizing bottles so fast and easy that it's worth owning one!

I just got one for the last bottling session, I used to use a bucket. Get a Vinator, you won't regret it. I figure it helped me cut at least 20 minutes off my bottling process.
 
:rockin: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!! :rockin:

We used today to Celebrate the Country's Birthday by Bottling our First Bock Beer!! :ban: Finally! :ban: Totally, guys! It was kind of a chore... Makes me totally want to go out & buy that keg!! :rockin:

Okay... So, here is the update!!

Our First Bock Beer (made with the Munton's Bock Kit) in a temperature controlled fridge... Temps controlled between about 64 to 67 degrees. :D

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..... I think she is ready!! :ban:

We sanitized the hell out of everything! Buckets, Tools, Hoses, Caps, Bottles, Lids, everything!

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& we totally used the dishwasher to rack the bottles before bottling them...

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We started our priming sugar solution to boil.. & it did...

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After the sugar solution was done, we dumped it into the bottom of the bucket before adding the beef mixture...

We siphoned the beer from the carboy (leaving the sludge at the end of the carboy since we didn't use it as the secondary - and only the primary...

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We put the bucket onto the counter and attached (we had to cut a little piece of tubing off) & attached the bottling cane. We filled out first bottle...

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Crimping those bottle caps... The hubby now definitely wants the keg!! :D

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.... And we had our first bottle of beer! :mug:

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We now have the beers stored in my purple bucket in our bedroom - it's dark in the bucket & our bedroom is probably the darkest room in the house... It sits between 77 & 81 degrees in here...

Now, it's time for a grill-out, twice baked potatoes & some beans & bacon! :tank: & of course some brewskies! :tank:

Happy 4th to Everyone!!
GO AMERICA!! :rockin:


Peace. Love. & Beer!
:mug: CHEERS! :mug:
 
Hey! Congrats! Now get that second batch going. :tank:

Just saw your pic of the new V-dub, not too shabby at all! I just blew the motor on my car and am in the process of shopping for something not American made, checked out a few Passat's but I'm leaning towards a 5 series BMW. Much more tunable platform and I'm usually one to mod my cars a bit.

Happy 4th! :mug:
 
NordeastBrewer77 said:
Hey! Congrats! Now get that second batch going. :tank:

Just saw your pic of the new V-dub, not too shabby at all! I just blew the motor on my car and am in the process of shopping for something not American made, checked out a few Passat's but I'm leaning towards a 5 series BMW. Much more tunable platform and I'm usually one to mod my cars a bit.

Happy 4th! :mug:

Thanks, dude!!
Totally excited!! :D

Yeah... We had a Ford Fusion... Bought it in November... Hated it. It had been in a wreck.. Dealership neglected that fact.. Love it!! Yeah, BMWs are nice! Some of them are sweet!! I do not want an American car again... I love the VW! I really want like a '68 - '75 - '79 VW Bug & re-do it!! I would make it sweet!! & it would be my summer car!! Ha.
 
Thanks, dude!!
Totally excited!! :D

Yeah... We had a Ford Fusion... Bought it in November... Hated it. It had been in a wreck.. Dealership neglected that fact.. Love it!! Yeah, BMWs are nice! Some of them are sweet!! I do not want an American car again... I love the VW! I really want like a '68 - '75 - '79 VW Bug & re-do it!! I would make it sweet!! & it would be my summer car!! Ha.

Sweet. VW's are fun. My neighbor has a not so new New Beetle (97) that we're doing a bit of work to. Fun little car. There's some great American cars, but with my wife and two boys, we need something that can take a beating and is still fun for me. I think German made is the way to go. I'm keeping my old car with the blown motor, it's a '99 Grand Prix GT with a lot of mods. When I can afford to, I'll get a new motor and switch the mods over. :tank:
 
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