Bottling Day - some questions

[hambrook]

My Coopers English Bitter has been in the FV since Brew Day on 22 December, it's ready to be bottled. I am giving the glass bottles a 70 degree, no detergent blast in the dishashwer (they were already rinsed when I received them).

As I only have the one FV I am going to prime with Coopers Carbonation drops. General consensus is 1 per 500ml bottle.

1) The beer is constant 1005 gravity for 4 days and still cloudy. I read yesterday that some recommend string up the yeast residue at the base of the FV. Is this a good idea? The idea being that more yeast in the bottles aids carbonation. Any thoughts or best practices?

2) I bought some Star San yesterday, is it worth immersing the bottles for 1 minute, even though they will have been out of the dishasher for 10 mins prior to bottling

3) Should I soak the crown caps is star san prior to bottling?

4) Should I store the bottled brew in the warmth of a lounge ~20 degrees or a store room ~ 14 degrees?

5) Ale seems to get better with age, but whats the maxiumum / best before date?

 

[clibit]

1. Do NOT stir the yeast up. There will be plenty of yeast without doing this. Your bottles would be full of yeast. You should do the opposite, put the fv somewhere cold for 24 hours to clear it.

2. Yes. A 70 degree wash is not guaranteed to kill everything.

3. Yes.

4. 20 degrees

5. Varies.

 

[hambrook]

Made up the Star San solution which was cloudy, even tried smaller mix using filtered water from American style fridge, still cloudy - but there's a whole thread about that- ashbeck here I come.

Nevertheless, I rinsed and Star San ed every bottle for the 1 minute contact time, also sterilised all crown caps and screw tops. Attached is the result now the waiting game. Birthday is in 3 weeks time, hoping to have something drinkable by then!

 

[clibit]

They look great. Keep them in the dark.

 

[DoctorMick]

Just to add in case you aren't already aware, you only need to keep them in the warmth for 2 weeks to carbonate, then you should move them to somewhere cool.