Time in bottling bucket

[Muff]

I was wondering how long the beer should sit in bucket before you start bottling? Just thinking you should maybe let it settle

 

[MaxStout]

As short as possible, to minimize O2 exposure. Racking into the bucket with a minimum of turbulence is important, too. Pour your sugar solution into the bucket first, then rack on top of that, so it mixes well and you won't need to stir much.

I usually have my bottles sanitized and waiting on the bottle tree before I rack the beer into the bucket. Once I rack it, I'm ready to immediately start bottling.

 

[ancientmariner52]

If you are seeing sediment in your bottling bucket, I think you need to look at your transfer procedure. If the beer was ready and carefully handled, there shouldn't be anything to settle.

As to the actual question, the quicker you get it in the bottle and capped, the better. Don't rush it and get hurt or make mistakes, but proceed with all deliberate speed. Good luck!

 

[Muff]

Thank you both. I didn’t see much in my bucket but after a week in the bottle there is a bunch of sediment in the bottom.

 

[MaxStout]

No matter how careful you rack to the bottling bucket, you WILL get a small slug of yeast and other sediment in the bottoms of your bottles. A good racking technique can minimize this, but not eliminate it. I always pour all but the final 1/4" or so into a drinking glass when serving. The sediment stays behind and I don't waste much beer.

 

[beermanpete]

Sediment in the bottle is yeast and is a consequence of bottle conditioning.

How much is "a bunch"?

 

[ancientmariner52]

The sediment in the bottle is normal and expected. There are still billions of live yeast cells in your clear beer. After they devour the priming sugar to produce CO2, they settle out on the bottom of the bottle, waiting for better times. That's why bottle conditioned beers have to be poured carefully, to leave that yeast in the bottle.

Edit: The sediment is completely harmless, but looks and tastes 'funny'.

 

[flars]

All very good advice. I let my beers go at least three weeks in the primary to keep how much yeast drops out in the bottle to a minimum. You may be rushing your beer if there is hop debris settling out in the bottling bucket.

 

[Muff]

I didn’t rush. Sat in primary for 2 weeks then in secondary for 2 weeks. Thinking some of it might also be from dry hopping. It’s my first brew so just nervous.

 

[ancientmariner52]

RDWHAHB = Relax, Don't Worry, Have A HomeBr...
Right. Well, have a beer anyway. You are doing just fine.

 

[flars]

I didn’t rush. Sat in primary for 2 weeks then in secondary for 2 weeks. Thinking some of it might also be from dry hopping. It’s my first brew so just nervous.

Let your beer sit in the primary for three weeks. Cuts a week of time off. You can dry hop in the primary with pellets and still have clear beer in three weeks.

Careful use of the auto siphon will avoid disturbing the trub.

 

[RM-MN]

1. I've gotten a bit careless with my siphoning from the fermenter to the bottling bucket and suck up some trub before I quit. It settles in the bottling bucket pretty quickly.
2. Oxygen absorption in still water is very slow. Don't stir or agitate and the oxygen introduced by sitting in the bucket will be pretty small. When you add priming sugar you added a fermentable and the yeast get active again. When active they scavenge yeast.
3. A bigger potential problem with the wort sitting in the open bottling bucket is bacterial infection. Cover the bucket while you wait for the sediment to settle and you minimize this.
4. When you transferred to secondary the yeast that was beginning to flocculate and settle got stirred up again. You really didn't help the settling by going to secondary.
5. Time in the bottle will let the yeast and trub settle out and compact down so it shows less and doesn't transfer to the glass if you are careful.
6. Dry hopping in the primary works as well as it does in secondary and you won't have to do a transfer and you will have one less vessel to clean when you are done.

 

[TurnipGreen]

I have little kids and a pretty demanding job.....and kids, did I mention they're demanding? I leave a lot of my beers sitting in the primary for weeks some time months. I literally forgot a about a braggot for a year. I regularly leave beer in the primary for two months and still have enough yeast to carbonate floating around.

If you can cold crash, even for just three for four days, you'll see less junk at the bottom of you bottles. Especially if you want a quicker grain to glass timeframe.

 

[Muff]

I know the feeling. I have 2 kids. I made them watch the dog in the bedroom while I bottled to try and cut down on flying dog hair. After about an hour they were yelling at each other because they wanted to get out and do something.

 

[Muff]

Well had to try one after one week in the bottle. Turned out great just needs more time to carb. Pored great and everything stayed at bottom of bottle.

 

[bsayers01]

I didn’t rush. Sat in primary for 2 weeks then in secondary for 2 weeks. Thinking some of it might also be from dry hopping. It’s my first brew so just nervous.

Dude. Don’t be nervous. My first batch had bottles exploding in my closet. Relax, and have a homebrew (or store bought craft brew). You are going to make mistakes and learn from all of them.

To reply to the thread... I agree that bottle conditioned beers have a bit of sediment to them. Personally, I enjoy tasting the fresh pour without the sediment and a little ways in putting the sediment in to see how it changes the flavor profile. It’s not really a “funny flavor”, it just changes the beer a bit.

If you don’t want the sediment..... I recommend getting a keg system and force carbonate it. The beer is ready waaaaaaaaay sooner..... like weeks sooner. It may not be your choice right now, but when you do move to kegs..... well enjoy the good life having beer on demand all the time.

 

[RM-MN]

Well had to try one after one week in the bottle. Turned out great just needs more time to carb. Pored great and everything stayed at bottom of bottle.

With a couple more weeks your carbonation will increase, the heading will improve, and the sediment will compact down better too. You're doing great.

 

[thehaze]

I never experienced lack of carbonation at 7 days. You should keep the bottles warm, like 70-74F and you should have decent/proper/satisfactory carbonation at 7 days in the bottle. Low ABV beers carbonate even quicker.

 

[Tett_paradise]

I once fell asleep with my beer in the bottling bucket overnight. It came out fine.

 

[TwistedGray]

Pfft, my favorite beer sat in a sealed (well, redneck-sealed) bottling bucket for 2-3 days, but that's because I had an urgent customer visit and couldn't sanitize and bottle before jetting off.

Side note - I bottle condition in colder climate so it takes 2-3 weeks for me. I also have a Sodastream I use to force carb for tastings and such, but it's a tricky beast to work with.