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Problem with bottling, advice please

Northern Brewer General
#1

I have a dual tap kegging system, so I have never bottled. I bottled my first batch 2 weeks ago and I somehow screwed up… about half my bottles have little to no carbonation, and the other half are over-carbonated.

I think I know what I did, but I wanted to confirm… I syphoned the beer out of the fermenter and into the bottling bucket… THEN I poured in my 16oz priming solution into the bottling bucket and lightly stirred the mixture before bottling. I think this was my problem- I SHOULD have poured the priming solution into the bottling bucket FIRST, then syphoned out the beer from the fermenter into the bucket with the primer.

I have a batch that I will be bottling next week, its a special blend I am making for a family reunion at the end of June, so I can NOT screw it up. Please help me out- am I correct in identifying my error??

Thank you!

#2

I guess I will answer I always do it the 2nd way you mentioned - I pour the priming sugar solution (5 oz sugar boiled with about 3/4 cup water, then cooled) into the bucket, then siphon. You can see the circular motion as it siphons in. Also I will note I then give it a gentle stir as well when it is done siphoning AND also maybe 1-2 times while bottling (obviously with a sanitized spoon each time).

but yes I would personally always pour sugar in first. I have bottled 30 + batches (man, I need to get a keg system…) and never had uneven carbonation that I am aware of.

#3

You could carbonate it in the keg. Then bottle.

OR

Add the priming sugar to the keg and then bottle. Allowing it to carbonate in the bottle. This way you could rock/shake/toss the keg around to mix it up.

#4

Thats something else I screwed up… I didnt let the priming solution cool before I mixed it into the beer. Probably not the complete cause of my problem, but Im sure it didnt help.

So if I force carbonate the beer in the keg, then bottle it… it will retain its carbonation?

Mark

#5

[quote=“mmessier2”]Thats something else I screwed up… I didnt let the priming solution cool before I mixed it into the beer. Probably not the complete cause of my problem, but Im sure it didnt help.
Mark[/quote]
A cup or two of hot priming solution in 5 G of cool beer is AOK. You couldn’t raise temps enough to kill any of your precious yeast. I too add the priming solution then siphon onto it. No carbonation problems in 20+batches(as long as I wait long enough- 2weeks minimum, 3 is better, and the flavor seems to be prime at about 6). A little tweaking on procedure, and your reunion batch should be great!

#6

[quote=“mmessier2”]Thats something else I screwed up… I didnt let the priming solution cool before I mixed it into the beer. Probably not the complete cause of my problem, but Im sure it didnt help.

If I bottle I don’t cool the priming sugar. It will cool quickly with no harm when added to/or before the beer.

So if I force carbonate the beer in the keg, then bottle it… it will retain its carbonation?

Mark

[color=#0000FF]Only if you cap the bottles. :wink:
Here is one way of filling the bottles from a carbonated keg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kad0zWY8Ua4 [/color]

[/quote]

#7

Thank you all for your replies. I will make the recommended adjustments!

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