Just bottled first batch

General Homebrew Discussion
1

Well as stated, I just bottled my first brew I had a O.G. of 1.050 and a F.G. of 1.010 which should give me a 5.89 ABV. I will say this bottling is a pain in the butt. I am thinking about kegging and my question is do you still have to add the sugar water just before you keg or no being that you are going to force carbonate?

Thanks
Lee

2

Lee, priming sugar is not required if you plan on force carbonating.

3

No need to prime when force carbonating. You won’t regret going to kegging, guaranteed!

4

Congrats on your first bottle,  glad to hear your fermentation issues were taken care of.  I am sure it’s going to be great.

5

You’ll love kegging but bottle a batch about once a year.
It will remind you why you love kegging.

6

Been brewing since 1974, never kegged.

Have gone to oxygen barrier caps (started with cork lined caps from the hardware store) and only using brown bottles over the years (my first brew was bottled in Bud long-necks, but I had a large collection of green Molson bottles).

As my wife and I brew together (since I taught her in '83); one fills, the other caps…goes nice and smooth (both of our cappers were made in 1921).  We use a dedicated bottling tun and spring valve racking cane.  We add 1 packet of unflavored gelatin powder with our priming sugar, helps the bottle trub to settle out in a more solid form, which is less likely to end up in your glass.

Only have had 2 or 3 “poppers” over the years.

For samples to take to our club meetings, I have a few 1.75 liter Grolsch bottles.

7

I like the idea of the gelatin. Haven’t heard of that approach before!

8

Thanks :slight_smile:

Learned that from a fellow we bought our supplies from when we were stationed at Eglin AFB, FL from '82 - '86.  1 packet for 5 - 6 gallons.

Whisk the gelatin powder into 2 cups of the new brew, bring it to a boil and let it thicken slightly, take off the heat and dissolve in extra-light DME for priming (we use Promash to figure the number of ounces).

Run about 1/2 gallon of ale into the bottling tun and as the siphon is still running, slowly pour in the gelatin-malt solution so the rising fluid mixes it without any stirring.

Very rarely do we end up with a cloudy pour.