So tomorrow is the day that I have been waiting for, bottling day. My daughter and i, who is 8 (she's in it for the science) brewed out first batch together. We talked about fermentation as how the yeast (little pacmans) eat all the sugars and then shoots out pacmans toots which is how fermentation goes. I know, weird but I had to make it kid friendly-she's my assistant brewer. Anyhow, we did a 5 gallon extract chinook ipa brew. Did the secondary, she wanted t see some movement, I would have left it myself in the primary. Anyhow, tomorrow is bottle day which was well anticipated! It was a great first process and an fulfilling experience that we will enjoy several hundred times moving foward! No real questions or concerns in guess. Just excited to finally put a product in a bottle finally. I also have a slight obsession with beer and it's the first I've produced by myslef. Only question being:my bottling bucket does not have a top. I would assume that this should be covered while botteling, correct? Cheers!
I agree with Vikeman. Some air needs to get in there to replace the area vacated by the beer or your beer will not freely flow from the spigot. I'll also recommend that you use something that is easy off, easy on (read don't use plastic wrap unless it's really sticky) so that you can remove it several times during bottling to gently stir (no splashing of the beer) your beer to keep the priming sugar in suspension. Otherwise you risk having different amounts of sugar in bottles and inconsistent carbonation amounts to the point that some will be gushers.
It should be covered (but not completely airtight) like Vikeman says because you don't want light or any other stuff getting at your beer. If you are confident you won't get that stuff, you can leave it uncovered. I do sometimes.
Got it, have plastic wrap on hand. Ibe been pretty anak about every aspect of the brew and the fermentation period. I don't belive light would be a concern while bottling but would like to take ever precaution neccesary (also teaching the importance of patients and attention to detail to my little lady)
Maybe you misread it, but above I recommended against using plastic wrap UNLESS it is really sticky on your plastic bucket and can be repeatedly reattached after temporary removal. Otherwise, when you move it back in order to stir the beer it easily could droop down into the bucket. Do you have a metal tray or other large flat item that can be sanitized, and then just lay it across the top of the bucket? If you don't have something convenient to use, I'd go without as long as you're not bottling in a dusty area, etc.
Don't fuss too much about covering or stirring your bottling bucket and contents, either. Add priming sugar which was boiled in water to bucket first and rack on top for mixing. Yeah it won't be a totally homogeneous mixture but... you're making beer in your house with your daughter, which is about as awesome as it can get, IMO, which again is why I wouldn't fuss the cover and stirring (never did that in all of my bottling days with no issue, yeah some bottles have more carb than others but all are carbed). RDWHAHB and way to go dad.
Me too. A bung for a carboy is totally the wrong size though. Aluminum foil or if a Homer Bucket lid is the same size, that would keep everyone happy.
I bottled with an open top as well and was suprised at how quick the bottling went, honestly. I was told by several friends who brew regularly that bottling was not a fun activity and time consuming. Well, preparing was time consuming but was still enjoyable. Everything went well and ended up with exactly 2 cases filled to acceptable levels. Now it's just hanging out on the closet again for several weeks. Already have another brew on the way. Friends have encouraged me to keg stating that beer is consumable much ealier due to forced carb. Think I'll just stick with bottles for now, much more work for the little lady which she enjoys.
