How to Bottle Beer
Equipment Needed
- Siphon set
- Bottle filler
- Bottling bucket
- Hydrometer
- Approx. 48 12oz. bottles
- Caps and Capper
- 5oz of priming sugar for every 5 gallons of beer. (1 oz per gallon)
Bottle Conditioning is the process of carbonating beer in the bottle. This guide is to explain how to prepare your beer for bottling.
Note: It is important that your beer has completed fermentation before bottling as this will throw off carbonation volumes.
If you are going to carbonate your beer using something other than priming sugar, the amounts and carbonation times will vary.
- Sanitize everything that will come in contact with your brew before you begin.
- Transfer the beer, via a siphon, into your bottles or your bottling bucket.
- When transferring the beer make sure that:
- the siphon set is assembled properly (the flexible tubing should be attached to the curved end of the umbrella tipped racking tube.
- the umbrella tip is allowed to rest on the bottom of the fermenter.
- the flow of beer is directed to the bottom of the receiving bucket.
- splashing & agitating the beer is avoided, as this will create off flavors.
- take a hydrometer reading (The reading should register within .002 S.G. points of what the recipe predicted.)
- If transferring to a-
- Bottle: secure a bottle filler to the siphon hose, fill each bottle, then add 1/2tsp. of priming sugar to each 12oz. bottle (this is bottle priming).
or - Bottling Bucket: boil the 5 oz sugar in one cup of water. Pour this solution into the bottling bucket and transfer your beer into the bucket (this is bulk priming).
- Bottle: secure a bottle filler to the siphon hose, fill each bottle, then add 1/2tsp. of priming sugar to each 12oz. bottle (this is bottle priming).
- Once the beer has been primed and bottled, secure each bottle with a cap and store in upright position at temperature the beer was fermented at. Within two weeks the beer should be sufficiently clarified and carbonated and ready to enjoy!
