So far, I have brewed only using the 1 gallon kits as I wanted to proceed slowly before my ultimate goal of kegging…
Anyway, the 1 gallon kit recommends bottling right from the primary. Should I be racking to a secondary?
Also, when bottling, I read in some places to stir the beer. I have not done this, is that necessary.
Granted, I have only brewed 4 one gallon batches so far and each time I have left in the primary for 3 weeks and bottled straight from there with fizz drops…
Thanks!
You can bottle directly from the primary, if you add the priming sugar/solution to each bottle before filling. Bottling from the primary will take some careful siphoning to avoid stirring up the trub layer.
There would be less chance of stirring up the trub layer when siphoning to a bottling bucket. The siphon only needs to be manipulated once instead of for each bottle.
You can also bulk prime your beer in the bottling bucket with the priming sugar solution. The beer can be gently stirred in the bottling bucket to make sure the solution is evenly distributed. A bottling bucket, with a spigot, makes it easy to fill each bottle to the same level by attaching a bottling wand to the spigot.
A secondary is not necessary except for some additions like fruit or oak cubes.
Good answer, flars. I use the 5 gallon kit which comes with a bottling bucket which is definitely helpful for using priming sugar. If you’re using the fizz tabs that’s not necessary. The bottling bucket just makes it a little easier to manipulate. Definitely don’t stir in primary because it’ll just kick the sludge up, again the stirring is just for priming sugar. If you’re going straight to bottle from primary I’d say the fizz tabs are definitely the way to go for the sake of simplicity and consistency. Also, unless doing more intricate late additions to your brew, racking to secondary is not necessary.
