Stirring before bottling?

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Cheesefood

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My last batch has a problem. I thought that the problem was the bleach water incident, but that appears to be a non-issue. The problem isn't that my beer isn't carbonating right, it's that it's not consistent. I let it go two weeks before refridgerating. I had three along the way, all from the back third of the box. When I took one from the middle and refridgerated it, I found that it was OVER-carbonated. The ones from the front of the box, the bottles that I poured first, aren't carbonated either. It appears that all the DME I used for priming settled in the middle of the batch.

ShouldI have stirred? Obviously, yes.
 
not necessarily - i do no t stir ever before bottling. the natural stiring of the wart racking into the bottling vessel is enough. if you feel you absolutely must stir - i'd to it GENTLY! no splashing - no aeration - nada
 
I also have found that if you put the sugar solution in the primary and add the beer, you don't need to stir, but I've gone to the method of adding the sugar solution right to the secondary carboy, and stirring very very gently, and letting stand 1/2 hour for mixing to occur.
 
yeah. What he said. Adding the sugar solution to the primary then racking the beer into the primary works well. The swirling action mixes things quite evenly.
 
timdsmith72 said:
yeah. What he said. Adding the sugar solution to the primary then racking the beer into the primary works well. The swirling action mixes things quite evenly.

How can you add the priming sugar to primary, then RACK to primary?
 
Yeah. Sorry. I was assuming the beer was in the secondary. Like El said, I use my primary as my bottling bucket.
 
El Pistolero said:
Many of us use our primary as a bottling bucket too.

Accepted, but read the original statement. How can you add priming sugar to beer IN THE PRIMARY, then rack it TO PRIMARY? That's what I was asking.

Wait, I think I got it -- you add the priming sugar into the empty primary, then rack from secondary back into primary. Is that what is being talked about?
 
Exactly, Bryan. Thus stirring the sugar in as you go. Then you bottle out of your primary, which at this stage is really tertiary.

I will state, once again, that I find it much easier to stir the sugar into the 2ndary carboy and not transfer it.
 
I put it in my bottling bucket first, then poured on top of it. I have a large, flat mesh screen (Target, $4.99) that sits over the bucket. On top of that, I put a reusable coffee filter (Target, $1.25) that I rest on the screen. I pour into the coffee filter to filter out the large chunks of yeast and leftover trub. If it starts to clog up, the large mesh screen handles big chunks while I stop the racking process so I can scrape out the coffee filter. All in all, it's a decent way to remove larger chunks of yeast and sediment from your final product. But apparently it doesn't do a good job of mixing up the DME. When I used priming sugar, I didn't have this problem. I used a Muntons Light Wheat DME for priming.
 
So you're straining out of the secondary into the bottling bucket? Seems like that would be too much chance for oxidation.
 
I pour the DME into the bottling bucket first, then let the swirling motion of the siphoning beer stir it in. However, I'm a bit of a mixing freak and I always use my sanitized charismatic spoon to gently stir the entire contents for about a minute. Then, I let it rest, covered for about five minutes before bottling. I know, I know... probably unnecessary. But luckily, I've never had a problem with uneven carbonation.

Also, you didn't mention it, so I'll add a 'duh!' point here: keep in mind that when going from priming sugar to DME, you need more DME; usually 1-1/4 cups dissolved into about 2 cups of boiled water.

DME - the purist's choice! :D I read that in Homebrewing For Dummies and it's always stuck with me! DME is all I ever use.
 
Rhoobarb said:
Also, you didn't mention it, so I'll add a 'duh!' point here: keep in mind that when going from priming sugar to DME, you need more DME; usually 1-1/4 cups dissolved into about 2 cups of boiled water.

DUUUUUHHHH!!!

Yeah, that's what I added. Minus a little that my stove over-boiled. But that's for the homies who ain't wit us, yo!
 
Cheesefood, you said that you filter it into the bottling bucket? That sounds like it would cause a lot of oxidation, just like El Pistolero mentioned. How long have you been doing that? And have you noticed any signs of oxidation? I do not know at all cause I havn't experienced it myself, but from what I read, oxidation at that stage is a no no.

While I am on this topic I would like to mention something concering my beer. When I added the hops (pellet form) I did not put them in a bag or filtering device, I just dropped them in. I didn't filter them out when I poured to my primary either, was a noob mistake. Most of the hops fell out of suspension before I racked to my secondardy, but there are some in there still, floating around. I am certain that I will end up with flake sized particles of hops in my bottles unless I do something to get them out. Can you guys think of any safe method to filter them out before I bottle? I am not too concerned with them on my behalf, but I would prefer for them to not be in there since I want my friends to have some. Also do you think my beer may be excessively hoppy cause they were left in, or are the hops pretty much spent by the time your done with the boil?
 
patrck17 said:
Can you guys think of any safe method to filter them out before I bottle? I am not too concerned with them on my behalf, but I would prefer for them to not be in there since I want my friends to have some.
There's three ways I know how to clear beer:
  1. Crash your beer. Drop the temp for a couple of weeks at the end of secondary and your beer will clear.
  2. Filter your beer. But this will require CO2 and kegs.
  3. Stick your racking cane in a hop sock and rack to your bottling bucket.

patrck17 said:
Also do you think my beer may be excessively hoppy cause they were left in, or are the hops pretty much spent by the time your done with the boil?
The only time hops will add anything to a post boil wort is via hopback or dry-hopping. Yes they're spent.

Wild
 
wild said:
There's three ways I know how to clear beer:
  1. Crash your beer. Drop the temp for a couple of weeks at the end of secondary and your beer will clear.
  2. Filter your beer. But this will require CO2 and kegs.
  3. Stick your racking cane in a hop sock and rack to your bottling bucket.
Wild
An old Irishman told me once you can drop 2 egg whites in your secondary and that'll clear it right up...However I haven't been brave enough to try that one yet. :p
 
timdsmith72 said:
An old Irishman told me once you can drop 2 egg whites in your secondary and that'll clear it right up.
I've never heard that one before.
Will it raise your cholesterol too?

Wild
 
wild said:
I've never heard that one before.
Will it raise your cholesterol too?

Wild
Probably!! :D
He said, seperate the yolk from the whites and put the whites in the carboy. As the egg white settles, it will pull all the sediment down with it. I tend to believe him, because back when he was brewing a lot, he would have 9 or 10 batches going at once...
 
patrck17 said:
Can you guys think of any safe method to filter them out before I bottle? I am not too concerned with them on my behalf, but I would prefer for them to not be in there since I want my friends to have some.

Tie a tea bag to the end of your siphoning hose. You'll probably need to sanitize it etc (if you're paranoid about oxygen you could wet it with beer or water first). The tea bag should collect any chunks without blocking the flow of the hose. I guess I'd try a rubber band to hold the teabag in place.

Will it work? No clue, I'm still waiting for my kit to arrive. Hope it's helpful, though.

fish
 
That method of filtering at the end of the racking tube is a good idea, I will try that. Thanks for the good suggestions guys.
 
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