Bottling

[thesaintv12]

I have two beers on the go – A TTL clone (SA04 yeast) and Graham Wheelers ‘Basic Lager’ (Nottingham yeast)

I want to have a go at bottling these due to the scary amount of money I seem to be spending on Co2 for the corrnies.

My questions are (for both beers)

1) Should I bottle straight from the FV or put them into secondary for a couple of weeks as if I was going to keg them?

2) I have read that ½ a teaspoon of sugar/bottle is about right for the ales, but what should I add to get the high level of carbonation associated with ‘basic’ lagers?

3) What is the best way to get the new style plastic labels off of bottles? …bloody things…grumble…grumble

[richard_senior]

Oh man.. sticky retail labels on everything.. one of my biggest grumbles!
No idea how to get them off.. They ought to be banned.
I bottle my lager straight from the primary fermenter when primary bubbling has stopped for at least a week. You have to be sure primary has completely stopped otherwise your bottles will splode!
Sugar obviously depends on bottle size. I add half a teaspoon for a 500ml bottle. If you add too much to lager, it'll fiz out of the bottle when you open it and you'll get about a thimble full, don't be tempted by the devils sugar!
I'd leave the lager for a couple of months somewhere nice and cool. But the TTL should be ready for drinking a couple of weeks later.

[NickL]

Can't help with the first two points but as far as label removal goes I use Jizer engine degreaser, it will get anything off a beer bottle like its not there Its really nasty stuff though so wear rubber gloves, don't get it inside the bottle and rinse very well.

[Aleman]

I have found filling the bottle with hot water softens the adhesive so that the label will peel off in one go . . . Then you have to get the adhesive off the bottle . . . I use Maplins Spray on Label remover, a quick spray, a short wait, and then they scrub off really easy with paper or a green scourer . . . followed up with a dunk in a bowl of hot washing up water . . . job sorted.

[Matt]

2) Can you rig up a bottling bucket? They are mucho handy if you have a spare fv with a tap. You can then bulk prime it and for firm carbing I'd use 140g of brewing sugar for 5 gallons, dissolved in a bowl with a cupful of boiling water.

[lordnoise]

I've been having a bit of a 'do' recently due to over priming/not letting my brews ferment out. Nothing explosive mind - just paperweight snowstorm effects in my bottles as all the yeast flies around due to the over carbonation more especially in this warmish weather.
Because teaspoons come in many sizes I have been looking for an accurate grams per litre weight of sugars too add. There are varying weight estimates on here (for carbonating a standard cooking bitter/lager) so I added 6 of the more sensible sounding ones up and divided by 6 to average them out (a major mathematical triumph for someone who didnt get maths 'O' level ) and came up with the magical figure of 3.75 grams per litre . Hope this helps.

[don'tmakemegobackinthebox]

i've been using the hot water and sugar method measured out with a plastic syringe. 5ml of suagr/water solution per bottle

[richard_senior]

Oh I'm not that accurate..
I have a proper teaspoon and a funnel.. I just chuck a bit in
I like to use granulated sugar because you know once it's gone.. you have gas.

[thesaintv12]

Thanks for all the comments so far.

I was planning on using one of those white plastic medicine spoons as they should be more accurate and consistent than a teaspoon. I do also have a plastic (kids nurofen) syringe which I use for the starsan. I might give that a go to keep it clean.

[Aleman]

Because teaspoons come in many sizes

No a teaspoon has been defined at 5ml, get yourself a set of cooking measuring spoons and eliminate all doubt

I have been looking for an accurate grams per litre weight of sugars too add.

Download the trial version of Promash, it contains a handy carbonation calculator, that will determine, based on the amount of gas you want in the beer, the fermentation/storage temp (Amount of residual CO2 already in the beer prior to carbonation), The type of fermentable used (Sugar/DME), the amount of sugar to add. For example I wanted a low carbonation (1.4 Vols of CO2) in my Golden Ale. I had 9L to bottle, and it was fermented at 20C for 14 days . . . . Using DME I needed 45.6g . . . . Dissolved 45g in 200ml of boiled water and added it to the corny, lid on shaken, and then bottled using my Beer Gun. . . . Job done.

[lordnoise]

Thanks Aleman - I'll pick up a set of those measures. The same seems to go for 'cups' of stuff. I hadnt realised they were 'set in stone' as it were.

As far as Promash goes I have sometimes checked calculations against that and other calculators but because of my poor maths and relative lack of understanding of basic brewing principles I FORCE myself (literally - believe me !) to do ALL my calculations in longhand.

Hopefully it will all eventually sink in this way

[edit1now]

I've been doing OK on carbonation by priming with a level 5ml kitchen measuring spoon (scrape off the excess with the back of a table knife) of gran per 500ml bottle, and definitely not filling them higher than about 4cm from the top.

[Prozac]

I have found filling the bottle with hot water softens the adhesive so that the label will peel off in one go . . . Then you have to get the adhesive off the bottle . . . I use Maplins Spray on Label remover, a quick spray, a short wait, and then they scrub off really easy with paper or a green scourer . . . followed up with a dunk in a bowl of hot washing up water . . . job sorted.

I'm scraping them off with a razor blade..... it's a real ballache but it does the job..... asked the wife to grab a couple of bottles and she came home with Batemans XXXB ....repleat with plastic labels... oh joy!!

[Prozac]

Because teaspoons come in many sizes I have been looking for an accurate grams per litre weight of sugars too add.

I have a breadmaker and that came with a superb measure .... has a 'teaspoon' on one end and 'tablespoon' on nthe other, both are marked with .25, .5 & .75 so I can reasonably accurately measure .75 of a teaspoon should I need to.

[MightyMouth]

I am with Matt, a bottling bucket is the way to go. Much easier, faster and more consistent than adding sugar to each bottle. I recently bottled an ale but used 90g of brewing sugar for 5 gallons and it turned out way too fizzy but it would have been perfect for a lager.