Disgorging Beer

[hinterglem]

Hi,

I searched the forum about this and was unable to find an answer, so please forgive me if this has been covered before and I just couldn't find it, and sorry for the length of the question but...

I brewed my first beer kit about 3 months ago - a Cooper's European lager. It has been conditioning in 2 litre bottles for a couple of months, and as far as I can tell, all seems ok - the bottles are obviously under pressure (hard to the touch) so I think the secondary fermentation was successful. There is of course a sludge of yeast at the bottom of each bottle. I intend to leave it at least another month or two before trying it.

The instructions say to just pour it carefully into a glass to leave the sediment behind, or to gently invert the bottle if you are a 'cloudy beer enthusiast'. I don't like the idea of cloudy beer! And I just know that however carefully I pour, some of the yeast will end up in the glass. Also, my fridge is not big enough to chill a 2 litre bottle upright, so I would have to either lay it on its side (disturbing the yeast), transfer it somehow to smaller bottles, or drink it warm :sick:

I have read that some people disgorge beer in a similar way to champagne - by storing the bottle upside down so the yeast collects in the neck, then freezing it (whilst upside down), then opening the bottle and scraping out the yeast. However, my freezer is also not big enough to store upside down 2 litre bottles.

I was wondering then whether there is any reason why I can't just rack the beer off its sediment into another 2 litre bottle so I can chill the clear beer on its side in the fridge? I know it will lose some CO2 in the process, but I wouldn't have thought it would make a huge difference. Is there any reason why that wouldn't work or shouldn't be attempted? If I try this, would it be best to do so just before drinking, or can I let it carry on conditioning for a few months after racking? Does anybody have any other suggestions or recommendations for disgorging?

TIA.

 

[pittsy]

what i would do if i was you is just pour beer into a jug as carefully as possible and leave to settle for 10 or so mins in fridge and carefully pour into a glass from jug ....simples :thumb:

 

[abeyptfc]

put your bottle outside for 30 mins and it should chill ok. the only thing with bottling in 2 ltr bottles is that you have to drink it in one go

 

[bobsbeer]

You could try to really chill the bottle to near freezing then open and carefully transfer the beer into smaller bottles. By chilling down you will disolve the co2 and won't loose too much in the transfer. Then let it warm again for a week or so, then back to a cooler area to finish maturing/conditioning. The result will be a slightly less carbonated lager but it should be clear. But for the hassle I would store on their side now and when you want to drink it do as Pitsey says.

 

[joe1002]

Or you could store the bottles up side down for a little while thus making the sediment settle in the lid. Then you can very gently open the lid slightly over the sink (whilst up side down) and most of the sediment should wash out. You will the be able to put it in the fridge on its side.

 

[hinterglem]

Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate it. :thumb:

what i would do if i was you is just pour beer into a jug as carefully as possible and leave to settle for 10 or so mins in fridge and carefully pour into a glass from jug ....simples :thumb:

Hmm - not a bad idea, kind of like racking twice in a row, but it wouldn't get very cold in 10 minutes. I like my beer reeeaally cold - in fact, the fridge isn't cold enough for me - I usually put beer in the freezer for 30 mins even if it has already been stored in the fridge! Thanks for the suggestion though.

put your bottle outside for 30 mins and it should chill ok.

I guess that would work if I wait until next winter.

the only thing with bottling in 2 ltr bottles is that you have to drink it in one go

Aw shucks, what a shame! :lol: The reason I used 2 ltr bottles is that I was trying to keep costs down - I found that the cheapest way to get bottles that could withstand pressure was to buy the cheapest (most disgusting) orangeade from the supermarket - 25p per 2 litre bottle.

You could try to really chill the bottle to near freezing then open and carefully transfer the beer into smaller bottles. By chilling down you will disolve the co2 and won't loose too much in the transfer.

Thanks for the tip, I think I might try this with one bottle and see how it goes (although I might have trouble lowering the temperature with insufficient room in the freezer, so again might have to wait for a really cold day).

Or you could store the bottles up side down for a little while thus making the sediment settle in the lid. Then you can very gently open the lid slightly over the sink (whilst up side down) and most of the sediment should wash out. You will the be able to put it in the fridge on its side.

Another good idea, thanks.

 

[graysalchemy]

T
I like my beer reeeaally cold - in fact, the fridge isn't cold enough for me - I usually put beer in the freezer for 30 mins even if it has already been stored in the fridge! Thanks for the suggestion though.

Not trying to be critical but if you drink your beer slightly warmer you actually appreciate more of the taste and aroma. The reason why larger is sold in pubs so cold is because............... it has no taste in the first place.

10-15 minutes in the fridge :thumb: Your coopers kit will probably have a lot more flavour than you average gassy pop served in the pub.