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Batch Priming - A Guide By An Idiot

Started by GrahamR, June 02, 2014, 11:10:20 AM

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GrahamR

So I had my first attempt at batch priming yesterday and said I would document it for anyone else planning to try it.

I was bottling a stout so wanted to keep carbonation relatively low. Guides can be found here http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

I decided on a level of 2.0 CO2 so I used 50g of cane sugar.

This is dissolved in two cups of water

Once the water is cooled, it is then added to your freshly sanitized bottling bucket

Using my auto syphon, I then transfer my wort from the primary fermenter

The wort then mixes with the priming solution in the bottling bucket

We then bottle our beer without the need for carb drops or measuring spoons of sugar ensuring an even carbonation throughout our batch of beer.
The finished product, I always like to use 1 clear bottle.

From start to finish it took around 90 mins to prep, bottle and clean up. Much quicker then individually priming each bottle. Will be batch priming all my brews from now on.

Obviously there is risk of infection with introducing another bucket prior to bottling but so long as everything is properly cleaned then you should be ok.
Lifes Too Short To Not Make Beer

Fermenter 1 - Turquoise Lunar Showing

Fermenter 2 - Vitalift Cider

Will_D

Great post!

My Top Tip:  Use a Lucozade bottle of the same size (500 ml usually). Fill leaving a small gap, squeeze the air out and tighten the cap. Then not only can you watch the process (like you can in your clear bottle) you can also feel the bottle stiffen up as it carbs!
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

LordEoin


Sorcerers Apprentice

June 02, 2014, 11:44:42 AM #3 Last Edit: June 02, 2014, 12:01:11 PM by Sorcerers Apprentice
Hi Will,
Not being a fan of Lucozade is there any reason for preferring their bottle over any other PET bottle? I've seen the Lucozade tip mentioned in another thread and am just wondering

PS sorry Graham I should have complimented you on the very clear guide, good work !!
There's no such thing as bad beer - some just taste better than others

GrahamR

Lifes Too Short To Not Make Beer

Fermenter 1 - Turquoise Lunar Showing

Fermenter 2 - Vitalift Cider

Qs

Did you stir the sugar at all? I've batch primed once now but I was told to stir everything. Did you skip it to avoid oxidation?

irish_goat

Quote from: Qs on June 02, 2014, 12:06:47 PM
Did you stir the sugar at all? I've batch primed once now but I was told to stir everything. Did you skip it to avoid oxidation?

You don't need to stir if you transfer to a bottling bucket, it'll get mixed up well enough when you add the beer. I sometimes skip the bottling bucket stage and just add the priming sugar solution to the FV and give it a gentle stir. Has always worked grand for me as well.

Garry

Horses for courses I suppose. I usually give mine a gentle stir with a sanitised paddle just to be sure.

Great post Graham  :)

Sorcerers Apprentice

If you keep O2 pick up to a minimum by a gentle transfer between buckets and if for piece of mind a gentle stir as Garry suggests, then the yeast will use up any oxygen as part of the carbonation process.

Sent from my ST26i using Tapatalk

There's no such thing as bad beer - some just taste better than others

GrahamR

No I didn't stir in the bottling bucket, the wort transfer mixes it enough. One of the biggest positives I forgot to mention of transferring to the bottling bucket was the complete lack of sediment in your beer
Lifes Too Short To Not Make Beer

Fermenter 1 - Turquoise Lunar Showing

Fermenter 2 - Vitalift Cider

johnrm

Photography tip: clean lens before photo shoot... ;)

GrahamR

Yea, the poor oul iPhone isn't the Mae west
Lifes Too Short To Not Make Beer

Fermenter 1 - Turquoise Lunar Showing

Fermenter 2 - Vitalift Cider

LordEoin

I connect the tubing from tap to tap, then let gravity do all the work.
It also means that the beer is filled from the bottom and gets stirred well on the way without added aeration.
I generally give a gentle stir afterwards too, just to be sure the priming sugar is evenly mixed.

Will_D

Quote from: Sorcerers Apprentice on June 02, 2014, 11:44:42 AM
Hi Will,
Not being a fan of Lucozade is there any reason for preferring their bottle over any other PET bottle? I've seen the Lucozade tip mentioned in another thread and am just wondering

All sizes of Lucozade bottles are way thicker than most other PET bottles!

Also smooth surface - no ridges and the like.

The reason they ridge the bottles is to stiffen tham as they are so thin!

Big Plus: The rugby club sells a LOT of the 500 mL sport bottles
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

Sorcerers Apprentice

Thanks Will glad to hear you're not drinking it yourself

Sent from my ST26i using Tapatalk

There's no such thing as bad beer - some just taste better than others