Why transfer beer to a separate bottling bucket?

[Wavery]

I've read many many posts where the poster mentions transferring the beer (after primary fermentation) to another bucket before bottling.

I have been mixing my priming sugar with 2 cups of boiled water, bring it back to low boil for 2 minutes, then pouring that right into my primary fermenter. Give it a slow stir, then I bottle right from the primary fermenter.

Is there something wrong with that? Are there advantages to moving the beer to a different bucket for bottling? Seems like a lot of extra work to me so there must be some advantage.......

 

[jlinz]

One disadvantage that I can think of would be mixing the sugar into the beer evenly. You would probably not want to stir it and kick up all the yeast. By racking the beer into a bottling bucket you can put the sugar in first and let gravity do the mixing as the beer swirls upon entering the bucket.

 

[beergolf]

If you mix it into the fermenter and stir you will stir up all the trub and yeast back into suspension. This will then end up in your bottles.

If you boil up your priming sugar and add it to a bottling bucke and then rack the beer from the fermenter you will end up with much clearer bottles.

 

[Ski12568]

My guess would be you risk creating a bottle bomb or two by picking up yeast from the disturbed bed and if you are worrying about not disturbing the yeast bed, you might have some under carbonated bottles from not mixing well. But if it is working for you, keep doing it.

 

[Wavery]

I have done my last 5, 6G brews like that. I just give it a slow stir (several times) about have way down. I haven't seen any sediment disturbed, no bombs, and the beer seem clear to me (but what do I know?).

Am I the only dummy that does it this way???

 

[jethro55]

If it works, then it works ! So many variables that what works for some, will not work for others.

 

[unionrdr]

Sounds like you're using a Cooper's fermenter? One of my fermenters is the older Cooper's Micro Brew FV & I still use the bottling bucket I built for $13. I prepare the priming solution-which, by the way, need not be boiled again- while racking the beer into it, I pour the priming solution into the swirling surface of the beer. Having the racking tube come out of primary on a high spot down to half way round the bottom of the bottling bucket induces the swirl.

 

[jordanchampine]

What they all said about mixing the priming sugar, plus my bottling bucket has a spigot, which made things way easier.

 

[unionrdr]

I have spigots on my fermenters as well as the bottling bucket. Makes life easier, but you do have to clean them after every use.

 

[kh54s10]

Reasons I would not bottle from primary. 1) I am certain you are stirring up some trub and yeast when stirring in the priming solution. 2) Pouring in the priming solution, unless you have a way to stop all splashing, might oxidize the beer. 3) Even with gentle stirring I would worry about uneven mixing. 4) When I transfer and use my bottling bucket a little sediment is left in the bottom of the bottling bucket. I would rather not have that in my bottles. 5) If you are using a siphon to bottle it would seem very difficult to not stir up the trub with it or at least suck trub into the last bottle or two.

Check out this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

Afterward you may want to change to using a bottling bucket.

 

[Wavery]

Sounds like you're using a Cooper's fermenter? One of my fermenters is the older Cooper's Micro Brew FV & I still use the bottling bucket I built for $13. I prepare the priming solution-which, by the way, need not be boiled again- while racking the beer into it, I pour the priming solution into the swirling surface of the beer. Having the racking tube come out of primary on a high spot down to half way round the bottom of the bottling bucket induces the swirl.

You are spot on...... actually, I have 2 Coopers fermenters. I guess that I could just sanitize the other one and let one pour into the other...... then clean-up both fermenters ......... I just don't see going to all that hassle.

I'll try it on my next batch. I just went out and looked at one of my bottles from my last brew. It's crystal clear.... but..... I inverted it and I can see sediment in it now.

Will putting it in a 2nd bucket eliminate that sediment?

 

[kh54s10]

Will putting it in a 2nd bucket eliminate that sediment?

Not entirely. Some of that is yeast that was in solution when the bottle was filled, now dead or dormant and settled on the bottom of the bottle. That is why it is best to pour homebrew into a glass and leave the last 1/8" or so in the bottle.

I don't really like the taste of yeast.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, you can't avoid at least a light dusting on the bottom of the bottles. But in my experience, giving the beer another 3-7 days after it hits a stable FG to clean up by-products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty helps a lot. I get only a dusting of grainy stuff in the bottling bucket that settles out rather quickly & doesn't get in the bottles. Properly done, the bottling bucket is easier & cleaner.

 

[jethro55]

I do go to the hassle of putting everything to secondary and also use the bottling bucket. There is still a thin film of yeast on the bottom of the bottles, much like you see in Hen's Tooth. No way around it for a natural carb.

 

[beergolf]

You are spot on...... actually, I have 2 Coopers fermenters. I guess that I could just sanitize the other one and let one pour into the other...... then clean-up both fermenters ......... I just don't see going to all that hassle.

I'll try it on my next batch. I just went out and looked at one of my bottles from my last brew. It's crystal clear.... but..... I inverted it and I can see sediment in it now.

Will putting it in a 2nd bucket eliminate that sediment?

You DO NOT want to just pour from one to the other. You will introduce oxygen into your beer. Ehich at this point is a bad thing.You need to carefully rack to the bottling bucket.

 

[cadarnell]

if i were going to bottle from a fermenter with a spigot I'd just add the sugar to the bottles so i didn't have to stir my beer

 

[jethro55]

You DO NOT want to just pour from one to the other. You will introduce oxygen into your beer. Ehich at this point is a bad thing.You need to carefully rack to the bottling bucket.

I can agree if storage time is important. If not, then no problem. Just refrigerate after it is carb'd and you have a few months until oxidation off-flavors become evident.

 

[Wavery]

OK....... I think I got it...... the idea is to SIPHON the beer from one bucket to the other..... crap...... Now I have to remember what I did with that siphon hose. I guess I can just throw that in the bottling bucket when I sanitize it.... Then wash the darn thing when I wash both buckets....... after having a few beers....

now I don't remember why I brought up this topic..... it ain't broke....

This reminds me of the time that I pulled the spark plugs out of my perfectly good running Dodge Intrepid @ 100,000 miles just because "They must be worn out". When I got them out, they looked like new. Not even any soot or anything. I checked the gap on all the plugs and they were perfect. I put them back in, took the new set of plugs back to the store and went another 100,000 miles on that thing before I sold it. What a waste of an afternoon. I'll never get that 4 hours back...

 

[gbx]

Bottling buckets are a dumb idea from a time long past. Its an unnecessary transfer and you will oxidize your beer that way. If you don't think so, your palate isn't as great as you think it is. If you must bottle condition, either use carbonation tabs or mix up a priming solution to a known concentration, add to each bottle with a medicine dropper and then siphon directly from the fermenter to the bottle.

 

[Wavery]

Bottling buckets are a dumb idea from a time long past. Its an unnecessary transfer and you will oxidize your beer that way. If you don't think so, your palate isn't as great as you think it is. If you must bottle condition, either use carbonation tabs or mix up a priming solution to a known concentration, add to each bottle with a medicine dropper and then siphon directly from the fermenter to the bottle.

OMG!!!!! Oxidation????? I think I'm gonna be ill.....

OK.... am I back to the way I was doing it in my 1st post.

Will lightly stirring the sugar water into my fermented beer oxidize it?

 

[adamdillabo]

Anytime the surface tension is broken and oxygen Is introduced you will slightly oxidize your beer.

I just want to say I think it's insane to add priming sugar to your fermenter and stirring it.

 

[beergolf]

OMG!!!!! Oxidation????? I think I'm gonna be ill.....

OK.... am I back to the way I was doing it in my 1st post.

Will lightly stirring the sugar water into my fermented beer oxidize it?

You ask for advice. Good advive is given and you want to blow it off. Do what you want but experienced brewers will never suggest that you want to do.

We try to help but if you do not want it then do whatever you want. Troll

 

[Wavery]

Anytime the surface tension is broken and oxygen Is introduced you will slightly oxidize your beer.

I just want to say I think it's insane to add priming sugar to your fermenter and stirring it.

Oh good......now, not only am I gonna die from rusty beer..... I am now "Insane"...

OK...... so the answer to regaining my sanity (if I ever had any in the 1st place ) is to....... what???? Now I'm more confused then when I started...... no wonder I'm insane.:fro:

The way that I've been doing it sure makes good beer...... If it takes awhile for oxidation (rusty beer) to set in..... I guess I'll just have to drink it faster..

All kidding aside...... I'll try siphoning it GENTLY into a clean bucket (with the sugar already in there) then bottle it from there. OMG........ this is worse than smoking a Christmas turkey... then having to clean up the mess myself ..... an I don't even eat turkey.

 

[Wavery]

Reasons I would not bottle from primary. 1) I am certain you are stirring up some trub and yeast when stirring in the priming solution. 2) Pouring in the priming solution, unless you have a way to stop all splashing, might oxidize the beer. 3) Even with gentle stirring I would worry about uneven mixing. 4) When I transfer and use my bottling bucket a little sediment is left in the bottom of the bottling bucket. I would rather not have that in my bottles. 5) If you are using a siphon to bottle it would seem very difficult to not stir up the trub with it or at least suck trub into the last bottle or two.

Check out this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

Afterward you may want to change to using a bottling bucket.

1st off...... I would like to thank everyone for your help in this thread....

While reading your helpful comments (and obviously drinking too much beer ), I missed the link in this post. I was reading back over the post just now and saw it. I found it to be quite helpful... especially this paragraph, "I set my bottling bucket below the fermenter and pour half of the priming solution into the bottom of the bucket then I start racking the beer on top of it. When I get to 2.5 gallons, I add the remainder of the solution to the bucket."

I've gotta be honest here. I am NOT a cook or a chemist. I hate cooking and if I had to cook for myself I would starve to death. I think this is part of my problem with this entire beer making process. I'm just simply not smart enough to be a chemist. I have built my own race cars, I built my own yacht (which I sailed around the world) and I built my own house but (for some odd reason), I can't cook a meal. That said, I love the idea of brewing my own beer....... I just can't figure out why.

I really appreciate the help that I have received from you guys (even if I did make some "Insane" mistakes......

I'm going to set up today to put a Coopers Australian Ale in primary today. I'll let you know how my bottling process goes in about 3 weeks. That link was a great inspiration.....

Thanks again.

 

[lowtones84]

Bottling buckets are a dumb idea from a time long past. Its an unnecessary transfer and you will oxidize your beer that way. If you don't think so, your palate isn't as great as you think it is. If you must bottle condition, either use carbonation tabs or mix up a priming solution to a known concentration, add to each bottle with a medicine dropper and then siphon directly from the fermenter to the bottle.

Umm...right...

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, really. Since when is a bottling bucket a "dumb idea from the past"? The secondary is becoming outmoded except when adding oaked liquor or fruit, etc. But the bottling bucket is completely safe when properly done. The racking tube I run from the spigot of the primary on top of my fermenter stand halfway around the bottom of the bottling bucket on the floor. When a few inches of beer fills the bucket (from the bottom up), I pour the priming solution into the swirling surface of the beer. I set the lid on top of the bottling bucket as far over as I can to keep anything from settling in ti while racking. No oxidation or any of that.

 

[RM-MN]

1st off...... I would like to thank everyone for your help in this thread....

While reading your helpful comments (and obviously drinking too much beer ), I missed the link in this post. I was reading back over the post just now and saw it. I found it to be quite helpful... especially this paragraph, "I set my bottling bucket below the fermenter and pour half of the priming solution into the bottom of the bucket then I start racking the beer on top of it. When I get to 2.5 gallons, I add the remainder of the solution to the bucket."

I've gotta be honest here. I am NOT a cook or a chemist. I hate cooking and if I had to cook for myself I would starve to death. I think this is part of my problem with this entire beer making process. I'm just simply not smart enough to be a chemist. I have built my own race cars, I built my own yacht (which I sailed around the world) and I built my own house but (for some odd reason), I can't cook a meal. That said, I love the idea of brewing my own beer....... I just can't figure out why.

I really appreciate the help that I have received from you guys (even if I did make some "Insane" mistakes......

I'm going to set up today to put a Coopers Australian Ale in primary today. I'll let you know how my bottling process goes in about 3 weeks. That link was a great inspiration.....

Thanks again.

Ah, I have an answer to that. I have no interest in race cars or house boats but you build me a yacht and I'll cook you a meal. :rockin:

 

[gbx]

Yeah, really. Since when is a bottling bucket a "dumb idea from the past"? The secondary is becoming outmoded except when adding oaked liquor or fruit, etc. But the bottling bucket is completely safe when properly done. The racking tube I run from the spigot of the primary on top of my fermenter stand halfway around the bottom of the bottling bucket on the floor. When a few inches of beer fills the bucket (from the bottom up), I pour the priming solution into the swirling surface of the beer. I set the lid on top of the bottling bucket as far over as I can to keep anything from settling in ti while racking. No oxidation or any of that.

Go to any Hot Side Aeration thread and read the posts of the true believers. Everyone of them uses a bottling bucket and in complete denial that their problem is entirely cold side. You will never find a brewer suffering from the dreaded HSA who kegs and purges transfers.

The secondary is not dead, just doing a secondary in a carboy is outmoded. The less you handle your beer, the better it will be. But secondary can be completely safe and beneficial if you are doing it in a purged keg. Everyone with kegs does a secondary whether or not they call it that. Purged kegs also make perfect bottling buckets for the styles your really want to bottle condition.

 

[unionrdr]

Not so. Kegging is not a cure all for all things brewing. If you can safely rack to a secondary, then why do you think it cannot be done with a bottling bucket? Illogical says I. Proper use of a racking tube from fermenter to bottling bucket is perfectly safe, as I've done it for years & seriously doubt your kegged version are better merely for being kegged rather than bottled. One doesn't need to bottle from a purged keg to get good bottled beers. The racking tube takes care of that. Cold side/hot side aeration aren't the big boogieman people think it is. Besides, as I said, proper racking technique will prevent any oxidation if done correctly. And conditioning is a relative term. Relative to how much conditioning a particular beer needs before it's deemed ready to drink. Could be 3 weeks, could be 10 or more, depending on the beer.

 

[jethro55]

Thinking that secondary is outdated or out-moded? That suggests that we should all brew the same way. Reminds of the Mockingjay movie series.

You can find the best way to brew for yourself, a way that would work for anyone else. Is it possible that there are others ways that are similar? Is there a holy grail to brewing?

 

[1977Brewer]

Thinking that secondary is outdated or out-moded? That suggests that we should all brew the same way. Reminds of the Mockingjay movie series.

You can find the best way to brew for yourself, a way that would work for anyone else. Is it possible that there are others ways that are similar? Is there a holy grail to brewing?

Perhaps suggesting that thinking something is tantamount to mandating it is more in line with totalitarianism than you realize.

No one says to never secondary, they just point out that it's unnecessary in most cases.

Using a bottling bucket is just good practice. Bottling from a siphon is clumsy and awful anyway. Batch priming us far more accurate and scalable than using priming drops or priming per bottle.

 

[gbx]

Not so. Kegging is not a cure all for all things brewing. If you can safely rack to a secondary, then why do you think it cannot be done with a bottling bucket? Illogical says I. Proper use of a racking tube from fermenter to bottling bucket is perfectly safe, as I've done it for years & seriously doubt your kegged version are better merely for being kegged rather than bottled. One doesn't need to bottle from a purged keg to get good bottled beers. The racking tube takes care of that. Cold side/hot side aeration aren't the big boogieman people think it is. Besides, as I said, proper racking technique will prevent any oxidation if done correctly. And conditioning is a relative term. Relative to how much conditioning a particular beer needs before it's deemed ready to drink. Could be 3 weeks, could be 10 or more, depending on the beer.

Agree that kegging is not a cure all for all things brewing (I just spent the last hour and half cursing at the ****ing thing) but it does cure oxidation. I traded my belief in HSA and "hints of oxidation" on my scoresheets for a bunch of new problems and spraying foam all over my kitchen And not illogical, I think the only way you can safely rack to a secondary or bottling bucket is by first filling it with pure CO2. If you don't have a kegging system, its not possible so probably better to skip the transfers and go straight to the bottle from the primary.

 

[lowtones84]

If your transferring technique is bad perhaps, but I bottle exclusively and always use a bottling bucket. Of course there have been a couple of times I could pick up oxidation after some time, but there are also several brews that I've done, forgotten about for 2 years and pulled one from the back of the closet with no sign of oxidation.

With anything that you do, it's about technique as well as equipment, not just equipment. But I guess you could just tell everybody that their palate sucks and they just can't pick up their off flavors.

 

[Wavery]

Not so. Kegging is not a cure all for all things brewing. If you can safely rack to a secondary, then why do you think it cannot be done with a bottling bucket? Illogical says I. Proper use of a racking tube from fermenter to bottling bucket is perfectly safe, as I've done it for years & seriously doubt your kegged version are better merely for being kegged rather than bottled. One doesn't need to bottle from a purged keg to get good bottled beers. The racking tube takes care of that. Cold side/hot side aeration aren't the big boogieman people think it is. Besides, as I said, proper racking technique will prevent any oxidation if done correctly. And conditioning is a relative term. Relative to how much conditioning a particular beer needs before it's deemed ready to drink. Could be 3 weeks, could be 10 or more, depending on the beer.

Unionrdr....... Do you have pics of your "Racking tube". I'm not sure that I understand what it is. Is it just a plastic tube or is it molded or what? That sounds like it would be the way to go because I wouldn't be sticking a siphon tube through the top of my beer and always having to be concerned about the level of the tube in the beer. It also just sounds all around cleaner.

 

[jethro55]

Perhaps suggesting that thinking something is tantamount to mandating it is more in line with totalitarianism than you realize.

No one says to never secondary, they just point out that it's unnecessary in most cases.

Using a bottling bucket is just good practice. Bottling from a siphon is clumsy and awful anyway. Batch priming us far more accurate and scalable than using priming drops or priming per bottle.

Oh, I misinterpreted that you were mandating valid ideas and experiences. You definitely misinterpreted, I meant that it is totally unnecessary to use a primary only technique, no matter what the circumstance.

I thought you were the one that you had successes without a bottling bucket? Wait a minute,let me double back and change my claims.

 

[kh54s10]

Bottling buckets are a dumb idea from a time long past. Its an unnecessary transfer and you will oxidize your beer that way. If you don't think so, your palate isn't as great as you think it is. If you must bottle condition, either use carbonation tabs or mix up a priming solution to a known concentration, add to each bottle with a medicine dropper and then siphon directly from the fermenter to the bottle.

Really?? With, I would argue, a majority of people are using bottling buckets and not experiencing oxidation...

Besides, it is a total waste of time to prime each bottle individually for an imperceptible decrease in possible oxidation.

Besides that, bottling from primary will lose you a few bottles of beer, or those few will have crud in them... It is impossible siphon that carefully. If you suck some trub when using a bottling bucket it will settle in the bucket rather than in the bottles.

And someone else mentioned hot side aeration.. How this is a concern when bottling?????

 

[gbx]

Really?? With, I would argue, a majority of people are using bottling buckets and not experiencing oxidation...

Besides, it is a total waste of time to prime each bottle individually for an imperceptible decrease in possible oxidation.

Besides that, bottling from primary will lose you a few bottles of beer, or those few will have crud in them... It is impossible siphon that carefully. If you suck some trub when using a bottling bucket it will settle in the bucket rather than in the bottles.

And someone else mentioned hot side aeration.. How this is a concern when bottling?????

You might not be getting the classic mouth full of cardboard but you probably are getting muted aroma and flavour compared to what you could have gotten with less oxidation. I didn't believe it either until I started kegging. I had a very noticeable improvement on light coloured hoppy beers and I've talked to other homebrewers who noticed the same thing.

And I don't mind sacrificing a few pints for the good of the batch (not that a few bottles with extra trub is a sacrifice, i just wouldn't serve those to others).

 

[Yooper]

Folks, let's try to remember some of our forum rules, please! While discussion is great, and why we are here, let's remember that the topic of the thread is "Why a bottling bucket?" and we are in the "Beginner's Forum".

Kegging is not at all part of the topic, nor is HSA. It's important to acknowledge such things of course, but in the beginner's forum a person asking about a bottling bucket is probably not in the kegging part of the hobby, nor ready for a controversial subject.

Please remember the 'golden rule' and the 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything' part of that. The OP got back on track, but for a while it looked like some snarkiness and namecalling was going on. Let's keep on topic, and be nice and remember our manners, especially in the beginner's forum. Thanks!

 

[Wavery]

For what it's worth..... I have ZERO interest in kegging..... not sure how entered this topic.

I bottle beer to take camping, take to friends house and just give away bottles to family that enjoy a particular brew. I'm not about to drag around a keg or give them away. I'm very happy with bottling.

 

[gbx]

Folks, let's try to remember some of our forum rules, please! While discussion is great, and why we are here, let's remember that the topic of the thread is "Why a bottling bucket?" and we are in the "Beginner's Forum".

Kegging is not at all part of the topic, nor is HSA. It's important to acknowledge such things of course, but in the beginner's forum a person asking about a bottling bucket is probably not in the kegging part of the hobby, nor ready for a controversial subject.

Please remember the 'golden rule' and the 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything' part of that. The OP got back on track, but for a while it looked like some snarkiness and namecalling was going on. Let's keep on topic, and be nice and remember our manners, especially in the beginner's forum. Thanks!

sorry, yooper In the spirit of the beginner forum, please ignore my previous comments and insert "I don't think you need a bottling bucket and think you would have better results using carbonation tabs and bottling from the fermenter"