Looking for some bottling tips please

Use bombers.

 

Ha ha, upon first reading the header "Looking for some bottling tips" my funny but true answer was going to be "Start kegging instead!". Unfortunately you have to bottle. I'll assume you're counter pressure filling and have the equipment for that. If not, find someone who has it and borrow it. Other than that all I can say is get another person to help you. You fill while they cap and clean and label. There's really not much more to it than that. It'll get boring so have someone you can talk to, and have a few beers as well. Good luck and have fun.

 

easy breezy tips:

1. dont fear the sanitizer foam.
2. dont forget to sanitize the caps.
3. gravity is your friend.
4. bombers are way easier than filling up 30+ 12 oz bottles.
5. put a towel down as some is bound to get on the floor.

 

All good advice, also if someone else can cap or flip the tops closed, you will also save time. Also they make quart and half gallon flip top bottles if you desire.

 

• Since you have CO2, use it to purge the bottles before filling.
• Cold crash the beer if you can. For example, put it in the kegerator. It is easier to bottle clear beer, and less sediment in the bottle too.
• Remember why you went to kegging in the first place.

 

I try to brew a little short of the recipe's liquid amount so that I can mix the priming sugar into a larger solution of boiling water, usually around a quart short. The thinner solution mixes more easily into the beer for even distribution; however, I still stir the beer 3-4 times per each 5-gallon batch when filling.

The suggestion above about a second person to do the capping is something that I practice. My wife is my chief bottle-capper, and bottling goes much quicker.

 

I personally would keg and force carb as normal, then use a picnic tap with a bottle filler tube to fill the bottles. I use a the tube from one of the spring loaded bottle fillers, but with the tube cut at both ends, one side at a slight angle. The tube fits right inside the picnic tap and allows you to control the fill rate. Easy way to bottle a batch for long term storage, gifts, or competition.

If you google filling bottles from keg there are many threads with the components and how to assemble.

 

Sounds like an excuse for a bigger keezer and more kegs for Xmas!!

 

If going from keg to bottle, the Last Straw bottle filler worked out well for me. Shop around. There may be something similar by other manufacturers too.

If going from fermenter to bottle, rack to bottle bucket equipped with spigot and bottle wand. Add sugar according to online priming calculators. Stir ver gently and wait 15 min to allow mixing before bottling. Bottle. Allow 3 weeks to carbonate.

Beforehand clean and sanitize meticulously. Select your favorite playlists or get an audiobook.

 

I've always heard the 14 days to 3 weeks to carb...but in my experiences usually after 7 days it's just fine. Maybe it's my impatience.

 

Get on it quick as a little quality control tasting is part of the process. Have some fruitcake ready if you end up being disappointed

 

If bottling beer for me, I’ll start in on it sooner. I prefer to do this to see how things change. If you look for it, you’ll notice that carbonation increases over time and sweetness from the added sugar declines. 2 weeks, 3 weeks, i wouldn’t worry too much. Not every batch carbonates at the same rate. Just don’t give people flat homebrew as a gift.

 

I agree that starting sooner rather then later is the best point.

This is probably just me personally but I prefer bottling... I got a keg and thought "wow this is great and it went so fast and easy" , so went out and bought another keg. Then I had over carbed beer, then under carbed, then over again. Second keg filling was just as quick and easy, and same issues pouring plus had some hardware go that had to be replaced and lost me some beer. I am sure I am doing something wrong, but no mater who I talk to or what I watch/read seems to help me. So now when it comes bottling time, I tend to count my bottles and if I am close, I wait until I have enough emptied before I keg.

 

I got into home brewing later than many others in my area. Suddenly, I was accepting cases of swing top bottles from many Brewers who had quit or were moving. Now I have hundreds of swing tops, all sizes, shapes some just strange. I'm always ready to bottle and the boys know to be on the lookout for more. So, if your a beer sharer, let the shareie know your lookin for bottles.

 

A friend of mine used to tell people "If you liked the beer and want to keep the pipeline flowing, return a clean bottle and I'll refill it for you."

 

And I say no return, no refill!

 

What other people have said. Except for the stick to kegging bit.
Make sure your vols are right with your corn sugar, or whatever sugar you use, and add it before you rack in so that it mixes in completely. Ignore it for a while so they get familiar with each other, and whatever you happen to pull over settles out. IF you can yeast off of your fermenter. I'd advise doing that. If you don't, and it's from a carboy. DO NOT Pull over that last half gallon. Make peace with the angels share and let it go. It's messy, and a waste of time. That's what no temperature control means. If you have it. Ignore.
I can typically get bottles to fully carbonate in under 7 days. At 3 weeks, they are drinking beautifully. Christmas is right around the corner.