To siphon or not? First time bottling

[milkfloat]

My first brew (Coopers IPA kit) has been in a fermenter for a week, and I think I'm now ready for bottling.

I have two fermentation vessels; one with a tap and little bottler attachment (the beer is fermenting in this one) and the second one without tap (currently empty).

All the instructional videos and articles I've seen on the topic suggest that I need to siphon from the first FV into a second one for bottling. However, seeing as I have only used one FV, and my bottling tap is on that one, is there any need for me to siphon the beer into a second FV?

If I use the second one, it would mean that I have to clean the sediment from the first one, the siphon my brew back into it for bottling (seeing as only that one has a bottling tap). Is it worth the effort?

Thanks.

 

[SiWHU]

Personally, I would leave it a bit longer in the original FV and bottle from there.
One week can often be a little too soon to start bottling (best confirm by checking for consistent SG readings on your hydrometer).

Once it's ready, then you could probably get away with bottling from the FV that its sitting in. The reason for transferring to another, is generally to reduce the amount of sediment thats mixed with your beer.

My first two brews, I only had a single FV (with tap) so couldn't transfer, but they turned out fine.

 

[Tony1951]

I'd definitely wait another week to do the bottling. Even if you have achieved the FG already which is likely, the brew will settle out a stack of yeast in the next week, giving you a far smaller deposit in the bottles down the line.

Using the tap in the bottom of a bottling vessel /bucket makes an easier job than bottling from a syphon with a bottling stick on it. Perhaps, transfer temporarily to your tapless bucket, clean the FV with a tap and move it back into that one for bottling. Obviously take care to add as little air as possible when doing the transfers - it isn't ideal to do it twice, but if done carefully with the syphon or tap tube held into the bottom of the receiving vessel so as to minimise splash and turbulence, you should get away with it.

I have a FV with a tap that I keep just for bottling and batch priming.

 

[milkfloat]

The hydrometer readings have been steady for 3 days, and I do live in a hot country so the FV temperature has been between 27-30c the whole time.

I'll take your advice though and leave it for several more days.
Thanks.

 

[MyQul]

and I do live in a hot country so the FV temperature has been between 27-30c the whole time.

.

:shock:

Have you tasted any of your hydrometer readings? Unless you used a temp tolerant yeast I fear your beer may be full of off flavours

 

[dad_of_jon]

:shock:

Have you tasted any of your hydrometer readings? Unless you used a temp tolerant yeast I fear your beer may be full of off flavours

In Wales I can only dream of off-flavours! :pray:

bubblegum & banana minus fusils of course ;-)

I use an auto syphon to rack to bottling bucket , but you could just bottle from your fv. Then you'd have to individually prime each bottle. I've always bucket primed but if going to bottle prime would make a syrup and use a 10 ml syringe to prime.

 

[MyQul]

In Wales I can only dream of off-flavours! :pray:

bubblegum & banana minus fusils of course ;-)

I use an auto syphon to rack to bottling bucket , but you could just bottle from your fv. Then you'd have to individually prime each bottle. I've always bucket primed but if going to bottle prime would make a syrup and use a 10 ml syringe to prime.

@milkfloat d_o_J has to a 70 mile round trip walk to his local home brew shop to buy ingredients. Up hill both ways. Off-Flavours in your beer! Luxury! :lol:

 

[dad_of_jon]

@milkfloat d_o_J has to a 70 mile round trip walk to his local home brew shop to buy ingredients. Up hill both ways. Off-Flavours in your beer! Luxury! :lol:

and when I got to the shop I was flogged soundly, all the way back to my home. (I say it was home it was more a hole in the ground) Off flavours in our beer? we couldn't afford beer we had to drink dried bricks!:lol: