So I am about to bottle my first batch

[Tiako]

After all the dumb **** I did while brewing the batch made it 8 days with no infection or funny smells. Now I need to bottle it and want to make sure nothing goes wrong in this process.

The rack and fill kit has bleach spots because I use bleach to clean it when I first got the kit. I of course diluted it 20 to 1 but I guess I did not rinse it out enough. I tried running water through the kit but the spots are still there.

When I siphon I don't need to strain and it does not look like I have an auto siphon so how do I start it? It has a clamp but not sure how to use it.

Also, using starsan does it matter if the bottles dry or not because I don't have a drying rack. Should I taste the beer and when do I add the blueberry extract?

Thanks.

 

[double_e5]

First off, I would recommend waiting at least a week probably closer to two before bottling. While you wait at least another week, I would go out and get an auto-siphon. It will make your life a whole lot easier.

When using Starsan do not let the bottles dry. Just sanitize your bottles and start filling.

Add your blueberry extract to the bottling bucket with your priming solution before you rack your beer on top of it.

 

[PhlyanPan]

6 simple steps to using a standard racking cane without having a violent episode.




Step 1: Set the racking cane on your counter. It doesn't matter which direction it's facing.

Step 2: Drive to LHBS

Step 3: Buy autosiphon

Step 4: Bring autosiphon home

Step 5: Set racking cane somewhere in your pile of brewing equipment where you'll know where it is so you can cannibalize it for some DIY project at a later date.

Step 6: Rack beer with autosiphon


And, to clarify ^ you do not NEED to let your bottles dry with star san. If they do, it's not a big deal. According to start san they'll remain sanitized as long as they don't have contact with something wet.

 

[Tiako]

Some guides say I can just put vodka in the rack and fill kit to make a vacuum.

Still what do I do about the bleach spots.. It wont hurt anything will it?

 

[blackwaterbrewer]

agree with other posters. FORGET the racking cane. go and get an autosyphon. as for the bleach, don't worry about it, the beer wont be in contact with it long enough to hurt anything.

 

[beersydoesit]

Hmmm.
"When I siphon I don't need to strain and it does not look like I have an auto siphon so how do I start it? It has a clamp but not sure how to use it."

I'm not sure why you wouldn't know if you have an auto siphon.

Anyway if you want to siphon you have to get the hose full of fluid.
You can fill it with a starsan solution, keep it full while connecting it to the racking cane.
Now make sure it doesn't drain out through the cane (by keeping the hose lower than the cane) or the hose.
Put the cane in the beer.
Lower the hose to a container that is lower than the beer.
Unplug it and the weight of the solution should pull beer into the hose. If so you are on your way. If not try again.

You can get the cane full of solution as well as the hose by filling the hose, letting it drain into the cane, plugging the cane, then refilling the hose.

This sounds like juggling live squirrels and I've never done it ( I have an autosiphon) but the physics is true.

Vodka will work too.
Don't worry about the bleach spots they won't hurt anything.

Best of luck.

 

[Tiako]

Does sound kinda hard... ****.. Why didn't they just give me an auto siphon with the kit. It was like 5 bucks more.

 

[beersydoesit]

How about this. If you have large flat pan, ( I use a cover from a plastic bin, said cover is about 2 inches deep) that you,can fit all or most of your cane in, fill it with starsan solution.

Then sink your cane and hose together. Once they are full connect them trying to minimize amount of air that gets in.

Then putting clean fingers over the end of the hose and the end of the cane take it to the beer. Hold the hose low, (maybe SWMBO will help with that) and put the cane in the beer.
Then when you unplug the hose it should go.

You can do this.

 

[PhlyanPan]

I'm telling you....I've done it both ways. If someone made it a law that you had to use a regular racking cane tomorrow, I'd quit homebrewing forever.



I'm dead serious.

 

[CiscoKid]

And to throw in my two cents... The first time I racked a beer to a bottling bucket, I used the racking cane. What I succeeded to do was spend an hour cussing at the thing while restarting my siphon repeatedly and trying to not make a mess draining the star-san solution in to a pan, then when it switched to beer coming out, move it back to the bottling bucket. Then it would clog again and I'd remove the racking cane and repeat the process. It sucked. In fact, that's probably putting it too nicely.

Go spend the $7 on an autosiphon. You'll thank everyone who told you this later.

As for the bleach stains... The bleach discolored the plastic? *shrug* I wouldn't be overly concerned.

 

[beersydoesit]

If you're picking up an auto siphon, I also use a filling wand.
It is a glass tube with a spring loaded stopper at the end. You stick in on the end of the siphon hose.
Once the hose is full, you just press the wand to the bottom of the bottle and the beer flows, lift, and the beer stops while you move to the next bottle.

I love it.

Regards

 

[Revvy]

Number one...get an auto spihon...

Number 2 read this thread, it will give you some ideas to make your bottling easier..

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/revvys-tips-bottler-first-time-otherwise-94812/

Number 3 it is really NOT a good idea to let starsan dry out..it is a No Rinse, wet contact sanitizer...if you let it dry it looses half it's efficacy...if it's WET anything that touches the object like airborn microorganisms will be killed...on the other hand if it is dry and something touches or lands in your bottle the bottle may no longer be sanitized...


If you take a look at my process as mentioned in that thread, you can sanitize the bottles while you are boiling your priming sugar and letting the solution cool..

(You can use a piece of your old racking can to bend to make you bottling bucket dip tube.