After a short period, things quiet down in the fermentation vessel. This can only mean one thing: fermentation is nearly complete, and it’s time to start bottling your beer. Let’s begin by filling the bottles.
If you’re bottling beer, start by measuring the final specific gravity (SG). This measurement allows you to estimate the alcohol percentage, although it’s not precise; it provides a good indication.
In beer brewing, one thing is crucial: sanitization. This applies to bottling as well. Ensure that everything you use is properly sanitized, including the bottling bucket, automatic siphon hose, bottling wand, crown caps, crown capper, and bottles. This minimizes the risk of contamination during secondary fermentation.
When to Bottle?
You can generally start bottling after 3 to 4 weeks of fermentation. However, keep in mind that different yeast strains have different timelines. Some may be ready in 2 weeks, while others may require more time.
As you can see, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule. The advice is to measure and be informed. If the activity in the airlock is minimal, measure the specific gravity. If it remains constant over several days, it’s time to bottle.
What Do You Need for Bottling?
You can bottle beer using a simple bucket and a hose, but using a (brewing) bucket with a spigot makes things easier.
Essentially, you’ll need:
- Bottling bucket, optionally with a spigot
- Hose for siphoning beer into the bottling bucket
- Bottling wand
- Bottle rinser
- Bottle tree (optional)
- Crown capper
The Bottling Wand
Another helpful tool is the bottling wand, which simplifies the beer-filling process. It has a stopper that engages when lowered, halting the filling precisely when needed.
Ideally, the bottling wand fits onto the spigot of the bottling bucket. If not, you can likely attach it with a piece of hose.
Bottle Rinser and Bottle Tree
For bottles, I use a tabletop bottle rinser. Pressing the bottle onto the device sprays cleaning solution into the bottle with reasonable force.
I then place the bottles on a bottle tree to drain. A good bottle tree can hold over 80 bottles, which is more than sufficient for a 20 to 25-liter batch. Stacking the bottles vertically minimizes the required space.
Crown Capper
I use a tabletop crown capper for sealing the bottles. It provides more stability than a handheld model, reducing the risk of bottles slipping.
How Much Priming Sugar Do You Need?
When bottling beer, you add sugar to induce secondary fermentation in the bottle, creating carbonation. Different beer styles require different amounts of carbonation. Generally, you can use between 4 and 8 grams of sugar per liter. Use 4 grams for low carbonation and 8 grams for high carbonation.
How to Add Priming Sugar?
There are several ways to add sugar to the beer. You can dissolve it in boiled water and add it to the young beer before siphoning it into the bottling bucket. This ensures thorough mixing.
You can administer the sugar solution with a syringe per bottle, add sugar with a spoon to each bottle, or use small sugar cubes that fit through the bottle opening.
My preference is dissolving sugar in hot water and adding it to the bottling bucket before siphoning the beer. This ensures even distribution of sugar.
Free tip: Regular supermarket granulated sugar works perfectly as priming sugar.
What Bottles Are Suitable for Beer?
You can start with the well-known Grolsch swing-top bottles, which are convenient as they don’t require crown caps. Make sure to clean these bottles thoroughly for subsequent batches.
Another option is using disposable 330ml bottles, commonly used by craft beer breweries. Instead of discarding them, just rinse and, if necessary, remove the labels.
I’ve also found that Steinie bottles can be handy. These are the bottles you might recognize from Belgian beer brands like Duvel or La Chouffe. The size is suitable for fitting into your refrigerator with minimal adjustments. This is convenient because you want to store the bottles upright to avoid the yeast sediment settling at the bottom.
Reusing Bottles
Why buy bottles when you can reuse them? After finishing a beer, I immediately rinse the bottle to prevent yeast from sticking to the bottom. Once the label is removed as much as possible, I let the bottles go through a cycle in the dishwasher. This ensures they are thoroughly cleaned.
I have noticed that some breweries use labels with stubborn adhesive. If soaking becomes too challenging, such a bottle might end up in the recycling bin.
Sanitize and Work Clean
I make sure to work with thoroughly cleaned bottles, even if they are new. My principle is to eliminate any risks, so I always clean and sanitize everything.
For the same reason, I always sanitize the crown caps. Prevention is better than regret later.
Bottles Filled, What’s Next?
Once all the bottles are filled, store them at room temperature. The yeast present in the beer will convert the priming sugar into carbonation and a tiny amount of additional alcohol (approximately 0.5%).
After two weeks, the beer is ready for consumption, and you can enjoy it. Chill the bottles beforehand so that the carbonation can properly attach to the beer. Otherwise, you might encounter an enthusiastic beer bottle.
If you experience foamy beers, store them in a cool place and carefully remove the crown cap.
Give Beer Time to Age
For certain beer styles, especially heavier ones, it’s advisable to let the beer sit for an extended period. The yeast may struggle to produce carbonation initially. If you open it too soon, there might be no pressure, resulting in a rather flat beer.
Allowing the beer to age also removes any rough edges. It will condition and improve over time. I must admit that I brew not to preserve the beer but to enjoy it.
Summary: How to Bottle Beer
In summary, follow these steps:
- Measure the final specific gravity.
- Thoroughly clean everything.
- Prepare the required priming sugar.
- Siphon the beer into the bottling bucket.
- Fill the bottles.
- Cap the bottles with crown caps.
- Store the bottles in a warm place.
