Nice! I have to remarks: 1.not all yeast will finish at or below 1.010 (so better will be to have constant gravity for 2-3 days before bottling) and 2.the airlock could still be boubling even if the fermentation is done (as co2 will escape), so best rule, see point 1. 😊
I've found the best way to monitor carbonation is to include at least one plastic soda bottle in the batch. After a week, check the plastic bottle everyday for firmness. Once totally firm, throw the batch in the fridge. Sure, one of your bottles isn't going to be glass, but it ensures congruent carbonation in the rest of the batch.
I do that as well! When I started home brewing I bought a bunch of dark amber 600ml bottles, because I wasn't able to buy the bottler. Now I use it to measure the carbonation progress
I do that with things like cider and mead, where I'm back sweetening with fermentable sugars....and then pasteurizing the bottles when that sample plastic bottle is firm. It isn't exact, but that's about the only way I know to carbonate in bottles with back sweetening with fermentable sugars.
3:30 Sanitizer directions. Yes! I dedicated a 1 gal jug just for premixed star san. 1/2 tbsp to 1 gal water. Same strength/vol every time. I then dispense from that into whatever I need: bowl for the bottle caps, refill the spray bottle, etc.
Note to new brewers... finished beer CAN sometimes continue bubbling in the air lock. There can be some off-gassing that releases a bubble or two every once in a while and that can often throw new brewers off.
I honestly wish this was uploaded yesterday as I was bottling up (First time doing it) and already did so many steps wrong :') Very useful vid for next time !!
My additional pro tip: skip the bottling bucket and use a fermenter that has a spigot. Bottling straight from the fermenter and using carbonation drops changed my life. No more oxidation. Period. Don’t fear a little bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
I tilt my fermenter tap side up during fermentation so that the yeast drops down to the opposite site. When it comes to bottling I add a bottling attachement (tube with a spring at the end so it only lets the beer trhough if pressed against something, i.e. the bottom of the bottle). At the end of the bottling process I slowly tilt it back to get every bit of beer out. With that method I get clear beers, a nice yeast cake leftover, and virtually no wasted beer. I wish I hadn't wasted that much time with siphons, I always stirred up the yeast. I also use swing cap bottles, no worries about capping the bottle here.
If reusing bottles, a pro tip would be to rinse that bottle out as soon as you pour the beer out. That way you're not scrubbing dried on yeast and what not when cleaning your bottles out.
My best tip is to bottle from a keg. What I do is I use a keg, add priming sugar, then "shake" it to mix the sugar. Then I use CO2 to force the beer into the bottles. This makes for a really good mix of the priming sugars and an easy way to dispense the beer into the bottles. I do this with all my Belgian Beers. Then do not open any bottles after two weeks. Wait at least 4 weeks.
@@justthebrttrk I have the volume from my fermenter. I can also just see what the volume transferred to the keg is by just looking, there is a weld seem at the top I aim for, which is a known volume. It has worked for me for years, with no inconsistencies in the carbonation level.
Hence why I always also use the weld seam on the keg. I get the same volume. How exact do you want it? Do you take into account the already existing C02 in the beer. I mean Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Homebrew.
What about bottling from a keg? How would you do it? Obviously you wouldn't need priming sugar... One thing that I do with my mead/hydromel is to add the priming sugar to the batch, mix it up (carefully) and then bottle it from there, it carbonates in a few days... But I am looking for a easier bottling method now...
What do you mean by "they can't be screw-capped"? I have used them without any problem, although I prefer swing-top bottles (which are also even simpler to use).
I have had bad experiences on both sides. Had a seltzer we made over carbonate and we lost that entire batch. Also have had beers not carbonate at all. Typically I just keg now but I have had a thought of force carbonating in a keg and then bottling from the keg. Has anyone tried this?
lmao just bottled my first batch in a few years today and immediately decided that the next batch is going in a keg. My back and hands can't do it anymore.
My last 3-4 batches I’ve made more than my corny keg will hold and I’ve been putting the remainder in bottles with a party tap with zero oxidation issues, even with a heavily hopped hazy IPA. I assume the refermentation in the bottle is scrubbing out any remaining oxygen.
Don't bottle. It's a miserable experience. Your house will be full of empty beer bottles. You will have beers that fail to carbonate correctly. You'll always be washing bottles. Bottling days will be horrible, lengthy ordeals. Get a freezer and turn it into a keezer. You'll save time, and you'll have real draft beer, like a big boy. If you want to be able to travel with your beer, get a little keg with ball lock posts, plus a hand CO2 charger, some EVA barrier, a Nukatap mini, and a Kegland plastic flow control disconnect. Put it in a cooler, and you're set. Otherwise, you'll have to tell your friends to put their smelly empties in your car when you go home, and you'll get to wash them all by yourself.
No way home brewer for life.(started in 1989) If you home brew it is not dead. Who cares how many people do it ? You only have 1 home. Just keep brewing.
Nice! I have to remarks: 1.not all yeast will finish at or below 1.010 (so better will be to have constant gravity for 2-3 days before bottling) and 2.the airlock could still be boubling even if the fermentation is done (as co2 will escape), so best rule, see point 1. 😊
I've found the best way to monitor carbonation is to include at least one plastic soda bottle in the batch. After a week, check the plastic bottle everyday for firmness. Once totally firm, throw the batch in the fridge. Sure, one of your bottles isn't going to be glass, but it ensures congruent carbonation in the rest of the batch.
I do that as well! When I started home brewing I bought a bunch of dark amber 600ml bottles, because I wasn't able to buy the bottler. Now I use it to measure the carbonation progress
I do that with things like cider and mead, where I'm back sweetening with fermentable sugars....and then pasteurizing the bottles when that sample plastic bottle is firm.
It isn't exact, but that's about the only way I know to carbonate in bottles with back sweetening with fermentable sugars.
Great idea! I'm brewing my first beer this week trying to get prepared for bottling!
3:30 Sanitizer directions. Yes! I dedicated a 1 gal jug just for premixed star san. 1/2 tbsp to 1 gal water. Same strength/vol every time. I then dispense from that into whatever I need: bowl for the bottle caps, refill the spray bottle, etc.
Note to new brewers... finished beer CAN sometimes continue bubbling in the air lock. There can be some off-gassing that releases a bubble or two every once in a while and that can often throw new brewers off.
I honestly wish this was uploaded yesterday as I was bottling up (First time doing it) and already did so many steps wrong :') Very useful vid for next time !!
My additional pro tip: skip the bottling bucket and use a fermenter that has a spigot. Bottling straight from the fermenter and using carbonation drops changed my life. No more oxidation. Period. Don’t fear a little bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
I tilt my fermenter tap side up during fermentation so that the yeast drops down to the opposite site. When it comes to bottling I add a bottling attachement (tube with a spring at the end so it only lets the beer trhough if pressed against something, i.e. the bottom of the bottle). At the end of the bottling process I slowly tilt it back to get every bit of beer out. With that method I get clear beers, a nice yeast cake leftover, and virtually no wasted beer. I wish I hadn't wasted that much time with siphons, I always stirred up the yeast.
I also use swing cap bottles, no worries about capping the bottle here.
If reusing bottles, a pro tip would be to rinse that bottle out as soon as you pour the beer out. That way you're not scrubbing dried on yeast and what not when cleaning your bottles out.
Bottling is my least favorite part of homebrewing. I know it isn't in everyone's price range, but kegging is so much simpler.
My best tip is to bottle from a keg. What I do is I use a keg, add priming sugar, then "shake" it to mix the sugar. Then I use CO2 to force the beer into the bottles. This makes for a really good mix of the priming sugars and an easy way to dispense the beer into the bottles. I do this with all my Belgian Beers. Then do not open any bottles after two weeks. Wait at least 4 weeks.
@@justthebrttrk I have the volume from my fermenter. I can also just see what the volume transferred to the keg is by just looking, there is a weld seem at the top I aim for, which is a known volume. It has worked for me for years, with no inconsistencies in the carbonation level.
Hence why I always also use the weld seam on the keg. I get the same volume. How exact do you want it? Do you take into account the already existing C02 in the beer. I mean Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Homebrew.
What about bottling from a keg? How would you do it? Obviously you wouldn't need priming sugar...
One thing that I do with my mead/hydromel is to add the priming sugar to the batch, mix it up (carefully) and then bottle it from there, it carbonates in a few days... But I am looking for a easier bottling method now...
Have been using twist top bottles with no issues for over 5 years.
Ok I have tried this for 2 batches and it works try Mason jars for bottling.
They are easier to store and you can reuse the lids.
I use swing-tip bottles. They're more expensive, but way easier than having to worry about capping every time!
What do you mean by "they can't be screw-capped"?
I have used them without any problem, although I prefer swing-top bottles (which are also even simpler to use).
So glad youl made this video I actually want to do both bottling and kegging (if that's a word)
I have had bad experiences on both sides. Had a seltzer we made over carbonate and we lost that entire batch. Also have had beers not carbonate at all. Typically I just keg now but I have had a thought of force carbonating in a keg and then bottling from the keg.
Has anyone tried this?
How to start bottling beer:
Step 1 - move to kegging as soon as possible
Step 2 - Follow steps listed in the video
lmao just bottled my first batch in a few years today and immediately decided that the next batch is going in a keg. My back and hands can't do it anymore.
the final gravity number means nothing, it's that fact it stays the same over a period that matters
“YOU mean nothing!!!”
-Final Gravity
See video description for more info on this.
My last 3-4 batches I’ve made more than my corny keg will hold and I’ve been putting the remainder in bottles with a party tap with zero oxidation issues, even with a heavily hopped hazy IPA. I assume the refermentation in the bottle is scrubbing out any remaining oxygen.
Great info as usual! I keg some bottle most. I have looked into getting a Boels Itap to fill off keg. Has anybody tried that itap to fill bottles?
4:32 You show but don't state that the bottle should be in a pot to catch spills. I like that idea a lot! I'm gonna try that next time.
Pro pro tip… use a bottling wand that is spring loaded! Extra insurance against spilled beer!
Are we not mentioning high fills or just keeping it a secret?
To bottle a beer that is force-carbonated (e.g., with a target CO2 volume of 2.4), how much should I overcarbonate it prior to bottling?
I use screw top bottles never had a problem 👍
Adding priming sugar to the main tub is way easier than priming each individual bottle
Can I use sterilizing tablets to sterilize everything?
I rarely bottle anymore but when I do there’s always inconsistency. Some bottles get carbed some don’t.
Kyle you sound like Kermit in this one lol. Something happened to your voice. I do this same method when I bottle as well. You nailed it.
I drank… all weekend. Guessing that has something to do with it!
I miss there old video format where they just brew beer and showcase their recipes
Another tip, teach your non-beer geek friends how to “pour to the shoulder” before giving them BC beers.
I use screw cap bottles. They work fine. The thread on the bottle embeds itself into the cap.
❤a❤❤❤❤❤❤
Don't bottle. It's a miserable experience. Your house will be full of empty beer bottles. You will have beers that fail to carbonate correctly. You'll always be washing bottles. Bottling days will be horrible, lengthy ordeals.
Get a freezer and turn it into a keezer. You'll save time, and you'll have real draft beer, like a big boy.
If you want to be able to travel with your beer, get a little keg with ball lock posts, plus a hand CO2 charger, some EVA barrier, a Nukatap mini, and a Kegland plastic flow control disconnect. Put it in a cooler, and you're set. Otherwise, you'll have to tell your friends to put their smelly empties in your car when you go home, and you'll get to wash them all by yourself.
Anyone else feel like homebrewing is dead ?
[raises hand]
@@ClawhammerSupply I Remember the wave dawg, rip homebrewing. Had the best time of my life doing it as an undergrad
No way home brewer for life.(started in 1989) If you home brew it is not dead. Who cares how many people do it ? You only have 1 home. Just keep brewing.
Keg… but if you really want to bottle and you are in the Harrison twnp area? 48045.. I have brand new bottles you can have.
How you supposed to share your brewskis with your broskis in different cities?