Bottling waste and woes!

Norm McMillan · Post by **Norm McMillan** » Sunday Dec 11, 2005 4:56 pm

G'day,
I'm pretty new to this, or should I say newly returned. I don't remeber having this problem before.

When I bottle, the beer is very lively, I waste nearly a full 750 ml bottle per brew, which is lost as "head" as I bottle.

I remember (just) bottling some for a mate and it was "dead" with no waste at all!

I use one of the new "blue" bottlers into Coopers 740ml plastic bottles using Coopers carbonation "lollies".

"Australian Bitter" kit
250gms of sucrose (I know, I know, "brewers sugar" next time)
Brewed 7 days @ 24C
SG 1027 at start, 1006 at end (2 days in a row, so it really only brewed 5 days)

First batch has been bottled a week and no explosions so far!

Should I worry, (other than the spilt beer)

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Sunday Dec 11, 2005 5:32 pm

Norm,
Welcome back to the fold,and welcome to the forum.
Are you putting the beer lollies (carb drops) in before or after you fill?

Skoti · Post by **Skoti** » Sunday Dec 11, 2005 6:02 pm

When I bottle , the first bottle is always the top-up bottle and contains no primer .
If any of the bottles I'm filling look to overflow , I start a new bottle and leave the other to stand .
Then I just top them up once it's settled .

sleonard · Post by **sleonard** » Sunday Dec 11, 2005 6:24 pm

I think I can see a bulk priming prompt coming up here....

But anyway, in my opinion (ameture), the beer may need longer to ferment. (?????)

Opening this up to the masses......

Simon

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Sunday Dec 11, 2005 6:55 pm

An easy solution is to simply turn your fermenter's tap down a bit when you bottle. You don't need it on full bore.

Norm McMillan · Post by **Norm McMillan** » Monday Dec 12, 2005 4:40 pm

undercover1 wrote:Norm,
Welcome back to the fold,and welcome to the forum.
Are you putting the beer lollies (carb drops) in before or after you fill?

Before I bottle... just like when using sugar.

Skoti wrote: When I bottle , the first bottle is always the top-up bottle and contains no primer .
If any of the bottles I'm filling look to overflow , I start a new bottle and leave the other to stand .
Then I just top them up once it's settled .

Alas... It happens to all, not just the first bottle. That would be too easy

sleonard wrote: I think I can see a bulk priming prompt coming up here....

But anyway, in my opinion (ameture), the beer may need longer to ferment. (?????)

Opening this up to the masses......

I've been looking at this!!!

Chris wrote: An easy solution is to simply turn your fermenter's tap down a bit when you bottle. You don't need it on full bore.

I'll try that next time!

OK,
I'll let it brew a little longer next time, although went 1006 two days in a row. Gotta say it raced a bit at the start so I'll try to keep it a bit cooler.

Just tried one from the first brew and it is only maybe a little too gassy.

Many thanks to all... I'll keep you posted!

Norm McMillan · Post by **Norm McMillan** » Monday Dec 12, 2005 9:05 pm

OK,
so I tried one of the first brew today, just to satisfy myself that it isn't over carbonated. It was still "green", only been bottled for a week, and if anything, a little under carbonated, but it had a nice fine, persitant bead.

Guess it will improve with keeping. This is all part of a new order... first time in plastic bottles and first time using carbonation drops.... the suspense is killing me!