Shaking bottles?

[solomon.wright]

Hi all

After brewing a few kits a couple of years ago with reasonable success, I've just started again. A week ago I bottled (in 1litre PET bottles) a batch of John Bull Best Bitter. At the time I shook them vigorously to dissolve the priming sugar, but have since read here and elsewhere that getting air into the beer is a bad thing, and can cause it to spoil. Is this likely to apply even with the little bit of air in the top of the bottle after capping?

If shaking is a bad idea, how do you get the sugar to dissolve?

A separate question: the bottles aren't firming up as well as I remember previous ones doing, except for the last one filled which had quite a lot of sediment, and is rock-hard. They'll probably sort themselves out in time, but it made me wonder whether intentionally adding sediment when bottling can be a good thing to help fermentation in the bottle...

Any insights much appreciated.
S

[anomalous_result]

Oxygen is bad news for beer once fermented. I don't know how much oxygen does how much damage but as it's easily avoidable you may as well avoid it. DaaB's site includes two methods for bottling (Link), method 1 is the one I use and I haven't found it to be a problem.

Second point. Having more yeast will make it condition quicker, there is still only so much sugar so there will only be so much co2 produced, more yeast will just eat it quicker. But it should be fairly gassy after a week and ready to drink pretty much, although leaving it for longer is advised. What you may have done is perhaps used a different teaspoon in adding the sugar so it might be less fizzy, then you were just a bit generous with another, hence why the above methods of bottling are preferred.

[sparky Paul]

I just use brewer's sugar and let it dissolve on its own in the bottle, it doesn't take long.

I used to invert the bottles gently, but I can't say it made any difference, or spoiled any beer. The sugar falls back down to the bottom anyway...

[daveyk]

I've always added std sugar to the bottle prior to filling with beer and not had a problem.

My last brew involved a bit of an experiment with priming with honey. For this I made a solution and added a carefully measured amount to the bottle prior to filling. I did notice that the bottles primed with honey did come upto pressure quicker than the sugar ones.

I'm not sure if this is as there was more 'engery' in the honey or I suspect it had more to do with the honey being in solution.

Dave.

[Buzz]

When bottling I add the sugar first and gently agitate or swirl the bottle for the first few seconds when filling. Not enough to make it froth up, just gently. Seems to work for me.

[chopperswookie]

i have done it when using 2lt pop bottles filling up the bottle half way, putting a tablespoon of suger (either brewing or tate and lyle) to about 50ml of preboiled water in the bottom of a pint glass(sanitised of course), add it to the bottle then top up. never had a problem.

[Martin the fish]

I buy those carbonation drops. Easy to use and no messing about with tsp's of sugar.
But i bottle about 160 bottles a month and anything to make it quicker is a bonus.

[stevezx7r]

I usually add T+L direct to the keg or bottle. If it's a bottle I fill it up with beer then expell any air by squeezing the bottle then I invert/shake it a bit to mix the sugar.

DaveyK - Re. using honey, I think it's due to it being a more basic version of sugar so it gives the yeast an easier time in converting it to alcohol/c02 thus the bottles firm up quicker.

[anomalous_result]

I buy those carbonation drops.

What's this?

[solomon.wright]

Thanks for all the impressively knowledgeable and prompt replies.

I'll let you know how the John Bull turned out when I sample it in a few weeks.
I've currently got a Munton's Lager on the go, when I bottle that I'll use brewer's sugar dissolved in water and mixed into the wort before bottling. Might try doing a few with honey first - I did that in one of my first brews, a Birkby Bitter, and it was quite nice, though with a richer flavour than the others which got a bit overpowering. Anyone with experience of priming lager with honey? I like it reasonably "fizzy". Daveyk, what was it you primed with honey? How did it affect the flavour if at all?

Cheers!
S