Racking snafu question....

[pperrydawg]

So yesterday I racked my Kolsch into the bottling bucket. About halfway thru I realized I forgot to add the priming solution at the bottom of the bucket. I immediately added the solution and then as carefully as possible mixed the solution with my kolsch once the siphon was complete. Will I run into major issues with this? Or will it be ok. First brew ever so just wondering. I'm pretty ticked at myself for making the mistake because I've done a pretty good job of staying on top of things so far, but I guess there's always room for improvement! Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[fannypack]

Im curious as to the seasoned pros answer to this as well. Im a new brewer but as far as what I've read you should be fine as long as you didn't aerate it too much when you added it.

 

[Erik_M]

+1 to that. I think you should be fine, so long as you didn't aerate at all and provided you sanitized whatever you used to stir with. I think the 2 biggest risks would be contamination by the unsanitized stirring wand and oxidation due to aeration when you stirred.

Good Luck!

--Erik

 

[doghousechef]

I have started stirring when adding priming solution(gently, mind you) and have been getting much more consistent carbonation when bottling. Don't worry.

 

[verbhertz]

I gently stir to mix and have made drinkable beer. I say, no worries. Just don't stir up a froth.

 

[tchfunkta]

Just like everyone else said, just stir with a reasonably sanitized tool. You'll get consistent carbonation.

 

[JLem]

I think you are fine. You were right to stir it - I don't think just dumping it in would have sufficiently mixed it in (unless you gave it enough time to diffuse on its own).

I generally add half my priming solution to the bucket, start racking the beer, then add the remaining priming solution about half way through the racking. I get good results, but am often tempted to give it all a stir just the same to alleviate my fears/doubts about everything being properly mixed.

 

[dbreienrk1]

I too add half in the beginning and the rest half way through. I do "pulse" my racking tube up and down methodically to mix thoroughly.

 

[theempire]

I've done this way too many times.

What I do now when it happens is grab my sanitized funnel, stick the bottom end of it into the beer, and pour the priming sugar/water into that. There are no bubbles and it's a smooth pour. Then gently stir, and it's all good.

 

[jamoke]

I give mine a few seconds of gentle stirring every-time...no slosh...no waves..no worries.

 

[Stauffbier]

I stir mine with the cane part of my auto siphon right after racking.

A bit off topic, but once as an experiment I mixed up a cup of water with blue food coloring in it. I dumped the colored water into my bottle bucket as though it were priming solution and racked 5 gallons of water on it. I always curve the racking hose at the bottom of the bottle bucket so that I get a whirlpool effect when racking. The blue water mixed in beautifully with the whirlpooling 5 gallons of water without any stirring. I think I'll do another experiment and add the colored water half way thru racking and see what result it has.

 

[JLem]

I stir mine with the cane part of my auto siphon right after racking.

A bit off topic, but once as an experiment I mixed up a cup of water with blue food coloring in it. I dumped the colored water into my bottle bucket as though it were priming solution and racked 5 gallons of water on it. I always curve the racking hose at the bottom of the bottle bucket so that I get a whirlpool effect when racking. The blue water mixed in beautifully with the whirlpooling 5 gallons of water without any stirring. I think I'll do another experiment and add the colored water half way thru racking and see what result it has.

Thank you for reporting the results of your food coloring experiment. I always assumed this was the case, but have also always worried that it was not.

 

[Stauffbier]

Thank you for reporting the results of your food coloring experiment. I always assumed this was the case, but have also always worried that it was not.

Funny thing, even after seeing the results with my own eyes.... I still give it a little stir every time! Just for good measure..