I have my first batch fermenting away in my new Spike Conical. I bought the bottling nipple, But unclear on the process. Do I open the sealed fermenter and just mix my sugar and then re-seal lid and bottle away ?? Any help would be great.
Just as a data point: When I bottle my small batches straight from the fermenter I charge each bottle with sugar before filling.
Also, I do remove the blowoff tube from the jar but don’t open the fermenter. I believe the air being sucked thru the airlock hose interacts with the top surface of the beer …but I leave that surface layer by drawing from below it via a spigot, fill from the bottom of the bottle, and leave very little headspace all in an attempt to avoid oxidation.
This may be impractical for a larger batch of beer.
When I do bottle, it’s straight from the fermenter. I have never been one to encourage the whole racking to a bottling bucket, adding in a priming sugar solution, stirring, letting it sit around exposed in the air…more things to clean, sanitize and chances of contamination and oxidation…especially for a new brewer.
If you are using 12 oz. bottles, 1 Domino Dot (sugar cube) per 12 oz bottle is pretty good carbonation for most styles…I think they have changed the size recently but ones I have and use are 1/2 tsp a piece. Makes things quick and easy…been using them for many years. If you can attach a bottling wand to your spigot on the fermenter or make one work maybe with a piece of tubing to join the two or even just use tubing from the spigot to your bottle your best bet is to fill from the bottom of the bottle up like mentioned already and avoid any splashing, shaking, etc. Bottle away.
+1 to both of these guys. I have been brewing a lot of 1 gallon batches and I bottle right from the fermenter priming the bottles directly. I have never tried the sugar cubes but 1/2 tsp is what I use.
Also, for displacing the air in the fermenter I have been playing around with filling a collapsible bag with Co2 and attaching that to the blowoff so that it replaces the headspace with Co2. Works well for small batches but I have not tried it for anything larger than a 1 gallon batch. With a conical you may be able to just attack your co2 and turn the regulator down very low if you have the proper connections.
I would like to bottle straight from fermenter. I have the 5oz pack of sugar that came with a kit. is there a chart that tells me how much to add to 22 oz bottle. All I find tells me to mix with water first ??
For 22 oz bottle about 1 tsp shouold be good per bottle. You don’t have to use corn sugar if you don;t want to.
Here’s a calculator.
These work great for priming individual bottles
I agree they give a good carb level but I can never get the drop into the bottle without hitting it with something. Then I’m nervous about chipping the bottle.
They need to retool their mold so those drops easily slip into the bottle.
Interesting. I haven’t used them in a few years, but I’ve never had a problem with them fitting in the bottle necks. There are always a few chipped ones in each bag, and a few that are stuck together, but most of them are shaped between a cough drop and a root beer barrel and slip right in. Maybe their QC has slipped in recent years.
Also, If I had bottles that I was worried about chipping from a sugar drop, I probably wouldn’t be using them to bottle my beer.
Lol. It’s not the sugar drop but what i used to hammer them in that i was concerned over. [emoji23]
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2.2-2.3g of table sugar per 12 oz bottle
I bottle straight from the Spike Conical and carb with the Cooper’s drops. The carb is good enough for most styles. Having the racking arm in the Spike helps ensure that you draw just above the trub.
After removing airlock, 22 oz bottles are filled directly from fermenter,
Although I’m reluctant to admit it, Denny was right, secondary not needed.
One teaspoon organic sugar (Florida Crystals, Cane Sugar) is measured and filled in each
22 oz bottle using a small funnel, PRIOR to filling. I no longer have any
carbonation issues. Cubes and drops are not as accurate than measuring sugar.
Most cubes/drops are chipped, broken, not uniform, and I question what is
used for sugar to stick together.