Bottling - Carbonation

[Goudie]

I have successfully finished my first brew and bottling was made easier by the fact I didn't have to add any further sugar.

Issue is my next brew does and I am looking for some advice.

I have been hoarding empties and these are your standard 330ml and 500ml ale/beer bottles. I had bought Coopers carbonation drops and they recommend 1 drop for a 345-370ml bottle and 2 drops for a 740-750ml bottle. Now I am aware that over carbonation can lead to explosions never mind an inferior brew.

Not wanting to chop these things down to size, and measuring out sugar per bottle for 23Ltrs of brew is an overhead I would prefer to avoid. Am I being over cautious?

I had thought about opening up the FV and adding the sugar as required to the whole lot and mix, then bottle. But was unsure as the suagr may not evenly disperse/dissolve into the mix.

Anyway, any help would be appreciated.

Cheers

Lee

 

[pittsy]

Hi Lee , your best and easiest method is to have a second fv and if a 23 litre brew and like a lager you want around 500 ml of water with 140g of normal sugar and boil for 10 mins then (cool to room temp) pop into clean fv and then transfer your beer onto it (avoid splashing) then give it a gentle stir when done and now bottle .
belgian/weizen 150/160g
lager 140g
lively ale 120g
bitter 100g
low end carb beer 80g

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Hi Lee , your best and easiest method is to have a second fv and if a 23 litre brew and like a lager you want around 500 ml of water with 140g of normal sugar and boil for 10 mins then (cool to room temp) pop into clean fv and then transfer your beer onto it (avoid splashing) then give it a gentle stir when done and now bottle .
belgian/weizen 150/160g
lager 140g
lively ale 120g
bitter 100g
low end carb beer 80g

The only trouble with this method is that you cannot guarantee that the sugar is thoroughly mixed

 

[marksa222]

I use carb drops all the time.

2 for lagers
1 for ales

In 500ml bottles, the carbonation has been spot on. It would work out cheaper if you add sugar, but if you have the carb drops already, just use them. They sell them in tesco direct btw if you need more.

 

[Fil]

Hi Lee, whats the beer that dosent need priming once primary has completed? or did you not finish on primary?
im a bit confused..

however the next brew.. dont stir in sugar into the finished fermentation u will risk adding in air and nasties AND you will disturb the sediment you want to leave behind and by the time its settled a fair proportion of the priming sugar may well have been consumed.

you can and many do use a bottling bucket, syphon your beer off the sediment in the primary fermentor into a clean sterile fermenting bucket with a tap into which you have your sugar disolved in some boiling water (cup full) which will readily mix with the clear beer you syphon in.

then bottle thru the tap and a tube to feed into the bottle bottom, or many use the little bottler which frees your hands from opening and closing the tap.

hope that helps

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Get yourself a little funnel and a teaspoon and prime every bottle individually

 

[IOMMick]

Hi Lee , your best and easiest method is to have a second fv and if a 23 litre brew and like a lager you want around 500 ml of water with 140g of normal sugar and boil for 10 mins then (cool to room temp) pop into clean fv and then transfer your beer onto it (avoid splashing) then give it a gentle stir when done and now bottle .
belgian/weizen 150/160g
lager 140g
lively ale 120g
bitter 100g
low end carb beer 80g

The only trouble with this method is that you cannot guarantee that the sugar is thoroughly mixed

I would think that by putting your fully dissolved sugar into the empty bottling barrel first, then siphoning in your beer from your FV it will be thoroughly mixed - and it wouldn't do any harm to give it a bit of a stir (with no splashing) to make sure.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Hi Lee , your best and easiest method is to have a second fv and if a 23 litre brew and like a lager you want around 500 ml of water with 140g of normal sugar and boil for 10 mins then (cool to room temp) pop into clean fv and then transfer your beer onto it (avoid splashing) then give it a gentle stir when done and now bottle .
belgian/weizen 150/160g
lager 140g
lively ale 120g
bitter 100g
low end carb beer 80g

The only trouble with this method is that you cannot guarantee that the sugar is thoroughly mixed

I would think that by putting your fully dissolved sugar into the empty bottling barrel first, then siphoning in your beer from your FV it will be thoroughly mixed - and it wouldn't do any harm to give it a bit of a stir (with no splashing) to make sure.

In theory, yes but in practice, its not very consistant (sp)...Heres a little test if you ever get bored.
Get hold of some dry/powdered food colouring (pennies)....mix a pinch with 1/tsp of sugar, but into a pint glass and top up with water, give it a good mix and see what happens. The saturated sugar solution sink to the bottom...this is exactly what happens in your bottling bucket

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Prime every bottle individually gives a better result. IMHO
If your not confident about measuring the correct amount, get yourself a "Parisienne Ball" cutter

 

[NickW]

Hi Lee , your best and easiest method is to have a second fv and if a 23 litre brew and like a lager you want around 500 ml of water with 140g of normal sugar and boil for 10 mins then (cool to room temp) pop into clean fv and then transfer your beer onto it (avoid splashing) then give it a gentle stir when done and now bottle .
belgian/weizen 150/160g
lager 140g
lively ale 120g
bitter 100g
low end carb beer 80g

+1.

So much less hassle and every single bottle will be identical. To be doubly sure, stir the brew as it syphons, without splashing.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Hi Lee , your best and easiest method is to have a second fv and if a 23 litre brew and like a lager you want around 500 ml of water with 140g of normal sugar and boil for 10 mins then (cool to room temp) pop into clean fv and then transfer your beer onto it (avoid splashing) then give it a gentle stir when done and now bottle .
belgian/weizen 150/160g
lager 140g
lively ale 120g
bitter 100g
low end carb beer 80g

+1.

So much less hassle and every single bottle will be identical. To be doubly sure, stir the brew as it syphons, without splashing.

It takes about 3 mins to prime individual bottles.......see my above post

 

[pittsy]

when boiled the sugar dissolves fully into a syrup , even if left for a while it will still be dissolved however you brew is now diluting it and as mentioned a stir is also require to insure evenly mixed .
Or doing small amounts (2 to 3 g) and with different sized bottles , i know which method i find easier .

 

[johnnyboy1965]

when boiled the sugar dissolves fully into a syrup , even if left for a while it will still be dissolved however you brew is now diluting it and as mentioned a stir is also require to insure evenly mixed .
Or doing small amounts (2 to 3 g) and with different sized bottles , i know which method i find easier .

Any saturated solution will be heavier than its host, and will sink, your right in saying that if you leave it long enough the denser liquid will eventually disperse through the beer, but not in the given time between mixing and bottling...see my above post

 

[craigite]

I always batch prime.
I devolve usually 80g of sugar in boiler water in a sterilised jug. Pour into by bottling bin which is just another fermenting bucket, via tubing put brew in bottling bin, when the brew is transferred I use the tube to gently stir. Then bottle.
I usually bottle near 1000 a year, always works and never have any inconsistancies.

 

[NickW]

I add it straight from the pan. Near boiling. Then syphon immediately onto it. Works a treat.

Individually priming bottles has never appealed to me. You can't be precise enough, for me anyway.

 

[shaman7117]

You mentioned carb drops and 330ml bottles..... I have used these before and put one per bottle which worked but (for some) may have overly sweetened the finished beers. It didn't bother me ( or those who tried them) but I wouldn't use them again as plain sugar does exactly the same with barely ( if any ) taste difference. So far using 330ml bottles I found getting a kids medicine spoon and using the small end ( 2.5ml I think) and a funnel to put in each bottle worked out perfectly. Admittedly it is a faff but so far not a single flat or overly fizzy one. Don't worry about being exact I've put more in some and less in others with no major differences. So longs as its about the same.

I'll probably be corrected by someone an told I'm wrong but it works for me.

Also no exploding ones yet. Just to push it I put two carb drops in one 330ml bottle, it didn't explode but it did jump out the bottle onto the floor when opening. I use bud bottles and magners bottles as that's what my work mates drink.

 

[Goudie]

Thanks for all the replies folks, much to think about and try out. I may do a combination of different things, as this is my second brewing attempt it will be a learning experience so may be a chance to see what works best and also not waste said carbonation drops :)

For information the first brew was Brewferm Christmas Ale, and as per instruction it required no sugar to be put into the bottle after first fermentation. Will tell you in three months how that worked out.

Thanks again.

Lee

 

[Underground Joe]

I batch prime in a bottling bucket and find it mixes absolutely fine and is always very consistent across the batch.

 

[CaptainMallard]

I have successfully finished my first brew

Congratulations :clap: I've not tried a Brewferm yet - there are /so many/ varieties!

Re: carbonation
I'm surprised too see the full range of options being recommend. I'm currently priming each bottle individually with sugar and a funnel, but that's only because I /don't have/ carbonation drops or a bottling bucket! I do get some variation so I want to move to a bottling bucket.

M

 

[Billyb83]

I think you can see from this that there is no right or wrong way, both batch priming and bottle priming work. Personally I batch prime and find that works really well (for the small amount of brews I have done) and is lots easier than putting a small amount of sugar in every bottle. This obviously depends on the equipment you have, if you don't have a spare bucket to be a bottling bucket then that's not an option anyway.

Basically, take the tips and make your own mind up on what is best for you. Personally though you cant beat batch priming in a bottling bucket with a bottling wand to help, makes it so much easier.