Rack and Bulk prime - Clarification on process.

[AndyCJ]

Hi - first post here, although I'm not new to forums, as my other love is roasting your own coffee. I suspect there'll be a few of us lurking in both places.....

anyhow, on with the question:

Does this sound like the correct steps to follow to rack and bulk prime:

1. Brew beer in fermenter for 1-2 weeks.
2. Rack to a sealed jerrycan (steralised of course) thru food grade plastic hose.
3. At the same time as racking bulk prime.
4. Bottle brew without primer 1 week later.

I'm unsure about step 3 - do you bulk prime during the racking process, or do I bulk prime just before bottling??

Cheers,
Andy

[rwh]

Slight correction:

1. Brew beer in fermenter for 1-2 weeks.
2. Rack to a sealed jerrycan (steralised of course) thru food grade plastic hose.
3. One week later, rack again, add bulk priming sugar.
4. Bottle brew without primer.

[AndyCJ]

ok - couple more things.

After I have racked - how much clearer is the beer going to be, and can you bulk prime in the same jerry-can that you've racked into? (thus avoiding racking 2 times)

What would be people's preferred method of bulk priming? Boiled water with the dex in it? Do I let it cool before mixing it into the brew or is hot ok??

[rwh]

After I have racked - how much clearer is the beer going to be, and can you bulk prime in the same jerry-can that you've racked into? (thus avoiding racking 2 times)

It's only clearer because you've given it another week for the yeast to settle out. Eventually, after time in the bottle, your beer will end up the same clarity whether you rack or not. It'll just have more sediment at the bottom if you don't.

If you only want to rack once, then just rack onto the sugar and bottle immediately.

What would be people's preferred method of bulk priming? Boiled water with the dex in it? Do I let it cool before mixing it into the brew or is hot ok??

I normally boil up my 180g dextrose with a cup of water or so, then I let it cool a bit, and rack straight onto it. Doesn't matter too much if it's hot because it's such a small volume compared to your beer.

[MrDave]

ok - couple more things.

After I have racked - how much clearer is the beer going to be, and can you bulk prime in the same jerry-can that you've racked into? (thus avoiding racking 2 times)

'Clearer' depends on your yeast, but it should be fair bit clearer than when it left the primary fermenter.
Bottling out of a jerry-can with a siphon is going to be a pain in the arse.
A fermenter with a tap and a 'little bottler' is going to be significantly less frustrating.
This is not a good way to try to save yourself some effort

What would be people's preferred method of bulk priming? Boiled water with the dex in it? Do I let it cool before mixing it into the brew or is hot ok??

Hot is fine. You're talking about a couple of cups of water into 25L of beer.

[AndyCJ]

Thank you very much both of you - I am starting to get a few things now.

I'm going to give it a go like this after your informative replies.

1. Brew beer in the fermenter, and leave for 2 weeks.
2. Make up 180g Dex in hot water, and let cool for a bit.
3. Put Dex Water from step 2. into the jerrycan.
4. Rack the beer from the fermenter into the jerrycan using the tube so it mixes with teh Dex Water.
4. Bottle the beer from the jerry can into the bottles (it has a tap on it, and I'll use the bottler attached to it.

Looking forward to a fair bit less sediment in the bottles this time, even if it's a little more work upfront.

Thanks,
Andy

[rwh]

That sounds like a good way to go.