Bottling

1. A Guide to Bottling.

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   First post by Beachbum, 16 years ago

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   A Guide to Bottling
   
   By Michael Gardner (Beachbum)
   
   Most brewers’ introduction to bottling consists of instructions on a kit “Add a teaspoon of sugar to a large sterilised bottle or half a teaspoon to a small one, fill with beer, cap and leave for n weeks till mature”. However there’s a wealth of interesting background issues.
   
   The majority of home brewers start their career with bottling, and many do not go on to kegging. As a kegger myself I nevertheless have a few bottles left over from...

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   I have never used carb drops personally, but you want to be careful not to overcarb. At least using PET you won't get glass grenades.
   
   I would think your questions would really depend on the size of the bottle, and the recommended volume for the carb drops. If you really want to dial in your carbonation levels, there are priming calculators that can help you use the correct amount of sugar for the volume you are carbing, at the temp you are carbing.
   
   I personally prefer to batch prime with...
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   Last post by goulaigan
   10 years ago
2. Bottling....

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   First post by lambert, 13 years ago

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   All,
   Had nothing better to do so I though that I'll do a botteling and pitching-from-cube pictorial . :interesting: :roll:
   
   Comments, suggestions and critisism welcome!
   
   Botteling
   1. Bottles washed and on the bottle tree. I normally rinse my bottles immediately after pouring a beer. On botteling day I just rinse the bottels with warm water and then rinse them with Iodiophor or Starsan. After that, onto the botteling tree. If I get bottles from other people I would soak them in a cleaner...

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   Hey hey! So the wife bought me a Party Star Deluxe Tap for my birthday! I used it to tap my black IPA that was sitting in my mini-keg (check the black ipa thread to see the amazing recipe).... I can not even describe how incredible my beer tasted on tap. I don't know if it's the cask conditioning that the 5l keg does, or if it's the beer being dispensed with co2, or both, but it was amazing. I was drinking it right next to Stone, Bruery, Bootleggers, and Sam Adams beers and preferred it over...
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   Last post by WilliamH
   13 years ago
3. swing top enclosures

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   First post by bebilja, 9 years ago

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   I wonder if anyone can help me? I have bought some swing top bottle fasteners with metal strips to be able to use with any bottle but I cannot get the metal strips tight around the bottle neck, so the top is not secure. Anyone else had this problem? Thanks in advance

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   I bought these ages ago. Waste of space.
   
   Essentially you retrofit a collar around any bottle with a dimpled metal strip, which can secure the flip top stopper in place without having to drill pits in the bottle or anything.
   
   Then after destroying your hands, with 5 of them done, you look at how uneven they have gone onto the bottles and wonder about how well they can withstand any pressure.
   
   Thats the point where you realise that you have been had.
   
   Wing cappers are pretty cheap, even good...
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   Last post by RichardConroy
   8 years ago
4. Replaceing bottling bucket

   2 Replies 10366 Views

   First post by EvilGobi, 9 years ago

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   Hey everybody.
   Im looking into replacing all my bottling stuff and was wondering if someone might be able to answer a question for me. All of the buckets I've found recently have been 20L size. Except one that my butcher hooked me up with, the thing is it previously contained hog casings . After an oxyclean soak and a good Starsanning, is this bucket going to be alright to use for bottling? Any body have any ideas about this?
   
   Thanks

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   This was sort of the answer I was expecting, I wouldnt think of ever fermenting in it but the thought had crossed my mind that it just might be alright as a bottling bucket.
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   Last post by EvilGobi
   9 years ago
5. Bottle storage options.

   2 Replies 10405 Views

   First post by Muggy Dawson, 9 years ago

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   As a bottler I'm limited for places which are reasonably temperature stable to store my bottles. My best option is the spare room in my shed. I'm done with ill-fitting cardboard boxes and only use them now for empties.
   Not sure which site I saw this, but someone (not me) as usual has done the hard thinking (definitely not me) in this field and come up with this absolute pearler of an idea. My local 2nd hand place has heaps of them at $20-$80 each depending on their condition
   My filing skills...

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   Not yet. The majority of my bottles are in the bottom drawers though. These are also anti-tilt, allowing just one drawer to be opened at a time. Still going to fix to the wall.
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   Last post by Muggy Dawson
   9 years ago
6. Bottle Priming/Carbonation - We need your numbers!

   6 Replies 18433 Views

   First post by Pat, 10 years ago

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   We've had several threads over the years on priming bottles to get the right carbonation. One thing those threads have shown is that there is a massive variance in recommendations*.
   
   We've nailed tricky stuff like this before so we might as well do it again.
   
   Can you please click on the link below that applies to you or that you have experience in, and then follow the instructions there to give us your numbers on what works or has not worked for you?
   
   If you are a bottler and prime your...

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   That's fantastic thanks goulaigan and thanks very much for your PM as well :salute:.
   
   Yeast Strain
   
   In his PM, goulaigan said, Something I have really wondered about is yeast strain having an effect... I think maybe the particular yeasts ability to eat them may also come into play... Not all yeast strains produce the same amount of C02 and alcohol from the same amount of sugar. Whilst we do have yeast strain in the template (main yeast and that used for bottling, if any), it wasn't until...
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   Last post by Pat
   10 years ago
7. Carbonation Problem (or lack of) in a BIG beer

   6 Replies 17906 Views

   First post by SweetMoFo, 11 years ago

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   Hi all,
   I brewed a big IPA using US-05, I hand wrote the recipe on the fly and was planning a 90 min boil where I would add hops every 5 mins, this should of given me a nice 8-9% hoppy IPA.
   
   This was my second brew of the day and I drank my way through the first one so writing a recipe for the second without using the calculator was probably not the best idea, looking back at it now I realise my mistake. I worked out that 200 grams of hops over 90 mins was 5 grams every 5 mins with 10 grams...

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   Just a little update. I left the bottles ages to carb up by themselves (not through choice but through a very busy life) and they still had no life in them. I finally got the time to fill a 5L demijohn with some of the bottles and some of that yeast recommended by Joshua and it looks like it's doing the job. I was away for the weekend so didn't see it bubble but there is a nice yeast cake at the bottom so I'm assuming it has done the job. I'll check the gravity next weekend when I re-bottle it...
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   Last post by SweetMoFo
   11 years ago
8. clear bottles

   6 Replies 16170 Views

   First post by jrodie, 11 years ago

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   I have some clear (corona) bottles I was thinking of bottling a hefeweizen in. Is it correct that the negative affect of light on beer comes from the interaction with hop oils? If so, would that mean that a lightly hopped beer like a hef, would be minimally affected by light?

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   UpDate:
   
   If it is a very sunny day, pour 3 clear glasses of your favorite Beer.
   Take Glasses 2 outside in the Sun, place one glass in a dark box or cover it with a light proof Cover, leave the second glass in the Sun, and put the third in a refrigerator.
   
   Wait 20 minutes..........
   
   Bring the cold brew outside, remove the Cover on the Second, and taste test the 3 glasses and see how heat and Light can affect Homebrew beer.
   
   Try this again, with your Favorite Mega-Swile, and see how Iso-Hops work.
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   Last post by joshua
   11 years ago
9. BIABacus Bulk Priming Calculator

   15 Replies 29135 Views

   First post by hermanpeckel, 12 years ago

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   So, I'm assuming that because there aren't already posts here on the issue that the problem is my end, but I can't work it out and would love some help.
   
   Before BIABing, hence before discovering this site, I had been using one of the many bulk priming calculators on the web. After making the transition, I still relied on these rather than BIABacus, usually because it was easier to quickly access via my phone.
   
   Now I have moved to all BIABacus, I have noticed the amount of dextrose required to...

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   Erl, those Temperature are good for the Bottles and the beer, Well Done!
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   Last post by joshua
   11 years ago
10. Adjusting priming sugar to specific gravity

    2 Replies 13231 Views

    First post by jube, 12 years ago

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    17 days ago I brewed 50 litres of the famous BIAB amarillo APA. After putting it in the fermenters it didn't really show much activity, which I am putting down to a leak some where on the fermentation buckets which is letting out the pressure somewhere. I'm not really worried that it hasn't fermented because there is yeast action but I can't tell if it has stopped or not. So I have some questions...
    
    What should the final gravity of the Amarillo APA be? It was 1.058 into the fermenter.
    
    How...

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    Hi PP,
    
    Thanks for your answer...I just managed to measure my FG and it is down to 1.010 so it all looks like it is ready for bottling tomorrow. :-)
    
    It smelt great too... I've only had one offish batch but its always a relief to open the fermenter and be greeted by the Amarillo aroma.
    
    Thanks for the tip about having a separate vessel for measuring FG.
    
    Brew on :-)
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    Last post by jube
    12 years ago
11. Consensus on Temp to input when using a priming calculator?

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    First post by 2trout, 13 years ago

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    Im ready to bottle my Pilsner, but Im always confused as to which temperature to use with the priming calculators.
    
    I Batch Prime and bottle.
    
    Primary fermentation at about 55*F 12.77*C.
    
    Secondary/lagering 35F-45F 1.6C-7.2C. (been lagering for around 45 days at this point)
    
    What if I were to bring the beer to room temp before primimg/bottling?
    
    Just one of the thing I cant seen to remember, or find a consistent/clear answer to. :scratch:
    
    Trout

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    Bumping this thread to ask...
    
    If you have feedback on what priming sugar rates are working for you, can you please post them in this thread even if you have already done so above? This would really help to finalise the BIABacus priming formula.
    
    Please note your height above sea level as well if you can. Much appreciated :peace:.
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    Last post by PistolPatch
    12 years ago
12. Priming Sugar?

    7 Replies 16587 Views

    First post by windrider, 12 years ago

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    My first BIAB brew is nearly ready and I’m going to bottle this weekend. I have a question about priming sugar.
    
    I’ve used a recipe with BIABacus for a strong English Bitter. I have a bottling bucket ready and going to bulk prime. I’m spot on with my OG / FG and it’s coming out at 5% ABV.
    
    I want to aim for a 1.5 CO2 level for my 500ml bottles and the BIABacus is giving me a reading of 1.95oz of corn flower. Is there an alternative can I use( i.e. normal caster or brown sugar) without any...

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    My first BIAB brew is nearly ready and I’m going to bottle this weekend. I have a question about priming sugar.
    
    I want to aim for a 1.5 CO2 level for my 500ml bottles and the BIABacus is giving me a reading of 1.95oz of corn flower. Is there an alternative can I use( i.e. normal caster or brown sugar) without any adverse effects or should I stick to cornflower from a homebrew shop?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Hi Windrider,
    
    Just to correct you firstly Its Corn Sugar (aka Dextrose) not Corn Flower . ;) Corn...
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    Last post by bundy
    12 years ago
13. Flavoring at the time of Bottling

    3 Replies 12722 Views

    First post by 2trout, 12 years ago

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    I found this over at HomeBrewTalk,
    
    I've been playing around with flavoring my priming solution at bottling time for that last bit of mouth hit and aroma when you open the bottle. I've done chilies, citrus peels, and even some spices in the boil and strained out after. I decided to add 1.5 ounces of ginger to my priming sugar boil.
    
    This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 720x540.
    
    As you can see it has a nice straw color as opposed...

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    Oh I understand now, Flavoured priming sugar !! Good idea as all of the flavour will be contained in the bottle. I reckon a strong ginger syrup will put you on the road to ginger beer.
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    Last post by Yeasty
    12 years ago
14. Make Your Own Beer Crates

    4 Replies 19935 Views

    First post by rockbotton, 13 years ago

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    First let me say this is not my idea but I have made several crates and they work well. For reference here is the link I used Beer Crates .
    
    Top crate with bottles holds 12 22 oz bombers.
    This is how I made mine.
    This will actually let you make 2 full crates with 5 total piece since the 1x2 strip can be used across 2 differen crates by only using it for the vertical pieces.
    
    Summary of the breakdown for one crate for 24 X 12 oz bottles:
    
    1x3 Furring strips: 18.5 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 10.5 |...

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    Nifty!
    One of the local hardware stores (Sears) receives garden tractors, the boxes are supported inside with scrap wood slats 1/2 x 3 x several feet. I should try to convert some to beer crates. Perhaps places with motorcycles or ATVs will also have scrap wood.
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    Last post by Epimetheus
    12 years ago
15. Bottling bucket modification

    3 Replies 14595 Views

    First post by rockbotton, 13 years ago

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    This link will take you to a bottling bucket modification that will get practically all the beer from your bottle bucket without tilting. This is not a new mod but it is simple and does a good job.
    
    I did this mod on my bottling bucket and now looks like I will have to do again if I add the second bottling wand. :think:

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    This is what I bought and use on my fermentation buckets. You replace the regular nut with this invert tube. Simple but not free. do it yourself is OK too!
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    Last post by BobBrews
    13 years ago
16. Bottling Shortcuts

    12 Replies 23840 Views

    First post by GuingesRock, 13 years ago

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    Before I kegged, I bottled. Bottling is tedious (so is cleaning kegs). I came up with a time saving solution to bottling which someone might find useful. I’m also wondering if anyone else has any time saving bottling tips to pass on.
    
    I started using wide necked stainless steel drink bottles. I liked them because with the wide necks I could wash them with the dishes in the dishwasher at the end of the evening, and on bottling day I’d sanitize them in the dishwasher (on sanitize setting) with a...

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    Just did this for the first time last week. Got 44 bottles filled in just over 20 minutes. Delighted with the speed up. Expect to easily get it under 20 mins when I streamline my process as I didn't have stuff within easy reach and had a few overflows trying to watch 2 bottles at once
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    Last post by Lars
    13 years ago
17. Under Primed Bottles

    5 Replies 14676 Views

    First post by 2trout, 13 years ago

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    So my last batch of Amarican Pale Ale was cold crashed for several days, and then Bottled. The bottling Carbonation Calculator said to use a rather small amount of sugar to prime. It told me that because I told it the wrong info. :idiot: The beer is tasty, just kinda flat :roll: . My question is, can I top up my bottles so to speak with a calculated bit-o-sugar, recap, and drink in a week or so?

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    If you pop the cap and add a few cartabs. You should be OK. The light carbonation should have the bottle filled with C02. The C02 should keep any oxygen out and not cause oxidation? The bottle my erupt when the cartabs (4?) are added? :argh: Good luck! :luck:
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    Last post by BobBrews
    13 years ago
18. Priming free bottling

    7 Replies 17580 Views

    First post by mally, 13 years ago

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    Just a quick question for anyone that has an idea;
    
    Is it easy to work out when to bottle a beer so that it finishes the fermentation in the bottle without adding priming sugar?
    
    Here is an example; say i have a wort that is at 1.020, and i KNOW it will end up at around 1.010 when complete. How many volumes of C02 will that give me?
    I was just wondering if i could crash chill a fermentation at a certain gravity (to help drop yeast) then bottle it?
    
    I am also going to presume that this will not...

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    Cheers Todd,
    
    That was an interesting piece of history, certainly made me laugh anyway. :lol:
    
    I know of Brett secondary, but even that scares me, as i have heard of others having FG below 1 :argh:
    Imagine if i bottled at 1.008, and it went to 1.000 (I am thinking artillery)!
    
    I have also seen others that install a tyre (tire) valve into their cap for force carbonating, but could also be used for pressure relief i suppose.
    
    tyre cap.jpg
    
    I was hoping to avoid all this though, and just try...
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    Last post by mally
    13 years ago
19. Blobby bottle problem .....

    2 Replies 13192 Views

    First post by Gyro, 14 years ago

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    I bottled a Marzen style lagerbier 10 days ago, and when I checked it, there are white blobby bits around the neck. They look almost like tiny bits of wadded paper.
    
    Oh no! I thought, infection! SO I opened one. It didn't gush (maybe foamed just a little), and didn't taste particularly bad, but it wasn't really as carbonated as I thought it should be.
    
    Either it's clumps of yeast hanging around (6.8%abv), or it IS an infection, but maybe a milder one. My big concern is the lack of carbonation....

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    Conditioned in the FV around at least the 70c mark, with the aid of a heating belt for a day or two, and then 2nd week racked to secondary a little cooler (but nowhere near lagering). Used finings the night before bottling too.
    
    Will give it another week or so and will try another bottle....
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    Last post by Gyro
    14 years ago
20. Carbonation in stronger ales ...

    4 Replies 14305 Views

    First post by Gyro, 14 years ago

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    I'm currently mashing a very rich, very hoppy wheat-ish porter, which is likely to be in the 7%+ ABV mark.
    
    When priming bottles for higher alcohol beers, do you need to use more sugar or not?
    
    (reason I ask is that the last porter I made which was close to 7% was quite flat out of the bottle. Not unpleasant or totally non-carbonated, just a bit like engine oil in a glass..)

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    Gyro
    Bob,I'm not basing my 'rules' on one brew, but was just curious.
    
    Curious Gyro,
    
    If you use the same exact amount of sugar each and every time your carbonation will be exactly different ?
    
    Here is the thing! The density of the yeast may be different, amount of wort slightly different, the viability of the yeast is different, The temperature and it's rise and fall will be different, The yeast may be actually slightly different from the same manufacture. Nutrients may be lacking? The...
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    Last post by BobBrews
    14 years ago
21. over carbonation

    6 Replies 16011 Views

    First post by shibolet, 15 years ago

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    question about bottling beer out of a keg:
    
    if i have beer that has been force carbonated in a corny, and than filled from that corny into bottles,
    and if the beer was over carbonated in the keg, would that cause gushing beer when opening the bottles?
    
    or do i have an infection :think: ?

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    Were you using a counter pressure type bottle filler ?
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    Last post by Hippy
    15 years ago
22. carbonator cap question

    2 Replies 12952 Views

    First post by bing09, 15 years ago

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    I have recently come across the carbonator cap for carbonating plastic bottles. Does anyone know if these fit on the tap a draft bottles. I believe they are 6 liter bottles but the opening is slightly larger than a standard two liter bottle. I did some google searching but found only answers saying it fits on two liters.
    
    Thanks in advance
    Cheers

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    tap a draft is the size like on large gallon jugs of apple cider and things.. over 38mm threads. it only works on 1L, 2L, 3L, and all the various water bottle sizes including the brown plastic beer bottles.
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    Last post by mordantly
    15 years ago
23. Honey instead of sugar

    6 Replies 18301 Views

    First post by aussiebeerslave, 15 years ago

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    hey guys,
    
    was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on adding a little honey (liquified) instead of sugar when bottling.
    
    Any thoughts and ideas would be appreciated.
    
    Cheers,
    
    Beerslave.

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    I am kegging a Amarillo Ale this morning. I substituted a hop new to me called Citra! The beer will be called Citra Ass Down !
    
    All.
    I have since tried the All Citra ale. It turned out great. The Citra hops was reminiscent of Amarillo or Cascade but enough difference to make it unique. I also added all the timed hops (10 min. 5 min. flameout) to the primary after fermentation. I used a secondary this time and dry hopped there too! A hop bomb for sure! At the very least I know now what Citra...
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    Last post by BobBrews
    15 years ago
24. For you guys who use PET bottles

    5 Replies 15798 Views

    First post by Yeasty, 15 years ago

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    What do you think of these..? Would they work for beer?
    
    The first glass may be a bit cloudy tho!!

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    Intersting thing with the keykeg is that the air pressure can be used to dispense with no spoiling, which also means the brewery can control the carbonation. This also means you can draught dispense flat beverages, like British ale ;)
    
    Also see for more mundane one way kegs
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    Last post by stux
    15 years ago
25. DME vs Dextrose for priming bottles

    14 Replies 29345 Views

    First post by iijakii, 16 years ago

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    Used DME on a stout this weekend instead of the usual corn sugar since I was out. I've heard a lot of debate on pros and cons, curious if you gents have any experience.
    
    Pros I have heard:
    Creamier/frothier head.
    
    Cons:
    Longer to carbonate
    Uneven carbonation (although I think this is a user mistake from not mixing properly)
    Effects the taste while dextrose wouldnt (I'm not worried about a tiny amount in a stout though, maybe a clean lager I would be weary of)
    Corn sugar is cheaper.

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    I was really intrigued by a podcast where a guy used fruit juices for priming. Not bad for a fruity beer. I usually use priming sugar as it is cheap and reliable.
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    Last post by Two If By Sea
    15 years ago