Question about Bottling

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STAD

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Okay, so if any of your have responded to my questions about equipment, I thank you. I will also have you know that I did go in and purchase that kit. I have already brewed my first batch and it is now in the primary fermenter (6 gal. glass carboy). Once fermentation was complete, I was going to transfer to my secondary (5 gal. glass carboy). Here's my questions, since I am lacking a bottling bucket, should I transfer back into the clean primary, or mix the sugar into the secondary and bottle from there. The reason I ask is because from what I've read and seen on videos, people will boil their sugar in water, put in it in the bottling bucket THEN siphon into the bottling bucket. This is to avoid unnecessary oxygenation of the fermented beer. My only option is to stir the sugar directly in which might oxygenate my beer more. Is this too confusing or does this make sense? Let me know. Obviously, since I just brewed, I don't need answers ASAP.

Thanks in advance,

Ryan
 
If you are going to bottle (and not keg), then a bottling bucket is pretty much necessary.
They cost almost nothing and will make life for you MUCH easier.

Eventually, I will get one, but the kit I just got set me back quite a bit financially so I was just curious what I should do for the first couple of batches. I am decent at the siphoning and I do have a bottle filler so it should be TOO bad, right?
 
I understand being broke, but you can get the fixings for a bottling bucket for between 5 and 7 bucks at any hardware store...a cheap 5 gallon paint bucket (look for one where 5 gallons is NOT the top of the bucket, but a couple inches, or rings below) and a plastic spigot. The buckets are usually about 5 bucks and spigots like that are about 2 dollar (look in the camping aisle for the spigot)....my lhbs sells the spigots for 1.85...

Seriously, trying it any other way, especially if it's your first time will be a frustrating pita....if you have to leave your beer in primary or secondary until you scrape the few bucks together to put together a bottling bucket. It won't hurt, it will actually improve your beer if you let it sit for a bit longer. You'll really thank us if you wait and do it right.
 
I understand being broke, but you can get the fixings for a bottling bucket for between 5 and 7 bucks at any hardware store...a cheap 5 gallon paint bucket (look for one where 5 gallons is NOT the top of the bucket, but a couple inches, or rings below) and a plastic spigot. The buckets are usually about 5 bucks and spigots like that are about 2 dollar (look in the camping aisle for the spigot)....my lhbs sells the spigots for 1.85...

Seriously, trying it any other way, especially if it's your first time will be a frustrating pita....if you have to leave your beer in primary or secondary until you scrape the few bucks together to put together a bottling bucket. It won't hurt, it will actually improve your beer if you let it sit for a bit longer. You'll really thank us if you wait and do it right.

Okay so it sounds a bottling bucket is an absolute must. And I think I can afford 7 bucks for now, haha. Thank you!
 
Good call....

Just make sure that the spigot you get is a twist type like this

plasttap.JPG


or one that snaps open and closed

white_plastic_spigot_to_scale.jpg



in other words one that you don't have to hold open.

Also make sure it has a lon enough downspout like the top one, you'll want to be able to fit tubing on it (the bottom one would not be a good one to fit hose onto.
 
You can get away without a bottling bucket, but you don't really want to. I used to siphon out of my carboy right into the bottles with sugar in them, but trust me, that is NOT the best way to do it.

Of course you can add carb drops instead of sugar, and it makes it much better, but just get the bucket if you can. It makes things MUCH easier.
 
I just rack back to my primary, then use my auto-syphon and bottling wand to go from there into the bottles. I've never had any trouble.
 
i used a siphon and bottle filler for my first batch. By far the worst experince i've had so far with brewing. the next day i went out and bought a bottling bucket, things have been great since then.
 
You can get away without a bottling bucket, but you don't really want to. I used to siphon out of my carboy right into the bottles with sugar in them, but trust me, that is NOT the best way to do it.

Of course you can add carb drops instead of sugar, and it makes it much better, but just get the bucket if you can. It makes things MUCH easier.

I've done this, only I boil up a sugar solution (sanitize, sanitize, sanitise - unboiled sugar is problems waiting to happen unless it's been packaged/handled with priming in mind as the prime-tabs, and other brands of priming sugar bits have supposedly) and then measure the correct amount in to the bottles before filling. It is, to be blunt, a pain in the buttocks - unless that really appeals to you, get a bucket and be done. [Make sure it's not blue, or you may have walrus problems. ;) ] Got a bakery/donut shop nearby? Ask if they have frosting buckets (etc. - molasses, etc also) for free that they would be tossing out, food grade bucket for $0.00, then you just need a spigot for couple of bucks.
 
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