Priming - Lesser of 2 evils

[Fenster]

For those of you that do a secondary fermentation and bottle -
Which is worse, to prime in the secondary and disturb some sediment or to transfer to a bottling bucket and aerate your beer?

 

[Iordz]

I always transfer to the bottling bucket and have never had any oxidation or off flavors. If you are carefull you won't introduce any oxygen, and the small amount that is introduced really will not spoil the beer.

 

[Yooper]

Well, I always do a secondary and I also bottle. Now, secondary is a total misnomer since there isn't really a secondary fermentation. When you rack the beer into the clearing tank (which is really what it should be called), the goal of this carboy is to condition and clear up the beer. You can also dry hop during this time. Fermentation should be finished before you rack into a second tank, because you remove it from the yeast cake. Still, you'd be surprised at the amount of crud that falls out of the beer and is left on the bottom! The pro breweries call it the "bright tank".

Then, after 2-3 weeks, without disturbing the sediment on the bottom, I put my priming solution into my bottling bucket and rack the beer quietly into it, swirling with the tip under the surface of the liquid, so it mixes well without aerating. Then I use the bottling wand and bottle.

I guess you could prime in the secondary, and then bottle from the secondary with a siphon, but there are a couple of issues that come to mind. One is that it would be hard to mix up your priming solution well, since you'd be pouring it into the carboy and you don't want to stir and mix up the sediment or aerate your beer. Second, it would be much harder to control the siphon compared to the bottling bucket/wand.

I've made countless batches of beer this way, and aeration has never been an issue.

 

[Iordz]

Second, it would be much harder to control the siphon compared to the bottling bucket/wand.

That's what I was thinking. A bucket with spigot makes it much easier.

 

[Fenster]

Bucket it is then!

 

[malkore]

from your question, I wonder if you're misunderstanding some aspects of the brewing process.

secondary is for clearing, not actual fermentation.

when secondary is done, rack (without splashing) to your bottling bucket, which should have the corn sugar in it already, preferably mixing that sugar into boiling water first, then cooling to 70F, then racking your beer over.

the swirling action from racking should mix the priming sugar-water into the beer.
I admit, I stir my bottling bucket about every 10 bottles (GENTLY) to ensure even bottle carbonation across both cases.

also, you won't need or want to open the spigot on the bottling bucket all the way. too much flow may splash the beer in teh bottom of each bottle, so only open it about halfway. you'll be able to tell from how the bottles start to fill if your flow is too aggressive.