Ron Hawkins Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 I can't find any reference that tells me if I only fill bottles till the tap no longer flows, and just toss the leftovers, or are the dregs worth bottling also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberfiend Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 13 minutes ago, Ron Hawkins said: I can't find any reference that tells me if I only fill bottles till the tap no longer flows, and just toss the leftovers, or are the dregs worth bottling also? i just done my first bottling yesterday (i have done two batches prior using pet bottles), i filled 64 x 330ml bottles, the last 4-5 were a bit milky because i had to tilt the fermenter, im expecting all that milkyness to settle based upon what ive observed in the very last pet bottle i filled by tilting the FV, it was super milky but looking at it now it has pretty much all settled like a mini trub in that pet bottle quite quickly, although i intend to let it sit for another few weeks, the other bottles in that batch will have passed the two week point next monday and i will be looking forward to throwing a few in the fridge to sample anyway i know its probably not the exact definite answer you were looking for, but i hope it helps give some kind of idea of what to expect ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 I tilt my FV away from the tap while it is fermenting, cold crashing etc. (see pic) Then I also tilt it when transferring to keg or bottle. As it approaches the tap level I remove the chock, then as it approaches the tap level again I tilt it forward. I don't like to waste the beer. The tilt means the trub builds up away from the tap, and it only moves very slowly 'downhill' as you are emptying the beer out so if you don't shake the FV and stir it up, you can get all but a few mls from the brew. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 41 minutes ago, Ron Hawkins said: I can't find any reference that tells me if I only fill bottles till the tap no longer flows, and just toss the leftovers, or are the dregs worth bottling also? That's wasting way too much beer. When it stops flowing with an open tap, I leave it open and tilt to fill bottles. I get virtually all the beer out, but leave a bit in to swirl the trub and pour into bottles, if I'm going to reuse it in the next brew. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Who are you trying to call on that tin-can phone @Journeyman? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Ruddager Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Oh yeah, to answer the question, I tilt. Twice actually - the firs time to go from the fermenter to bottling bucket, and then again for the last few bottles out of that. I always mark my first bottle and the last few so that I know which ones might be "inconsistent" due to being first or last out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 27 minutes ago, King Ruddager said: Who are you trying to call on that tin-can phone @Journeyman? All those comedians out of a job and you're looking for work! That's my heater - 45W bulb in there. Works beautifully. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hawkins Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 Thx to all those that replied. It's my first brew, so I played it safe and filled the bottles almost to the top, and then tilted the fermenter to get enough to top the bottles up. Yes, I think I wasted too much beer, but I'll see how this lot tastes. I like the idea of marking the the first and last bottles. I'll add a "tilt" mark as well to check for any change in taste and sediment. Bottoms up Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 10 minutes ago, Ron Hawkins said: It's my first brew, so I played it safe and filled the bottles almost to the top, and then tilted the fermenter to get enough to top the bottles up. You need head space in the bottles for the co2 for the carbonation. You don't fill them to the top. Everyone who bottles uses a bottling wand that goes into the bottles to create the displacement needed. When you shut it off and take it out, you have the correct headspace. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickers Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 @Ron Hawkins maybe when you bottle them that full you might want to pop them in a really sturdy plastic storage tub with a decent lid, maybe weigh it down with some pavers or bricks and keep it away from loved ones and prized possessions 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberfiend Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Stickers said: @Ron Hawkins maybe when you bottle them that full you might want to pop them in a really sturdy plastic storage tub with a decent lid, maybe weigh it down with some pavers or bricks and keep it away from loved ones and prized possessions thats kind of a concern im dealing with right now also as the batch i just bottled were the first in glass with crown caps on em, i have no idea of what to expect ? (i was distracted a bunch of times during the process and theres about three bottles where i think i may have doubled up on the carbonation drops and one other where i suspect i may have not put one in at all ? i have quarantined those ones in three layers of plastic bags lol, hope it works if something does go wrong?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hawkins Posted September 18, 2020 Author Share Posted September 18, 2020 FYI I did leave about 1.5cm air gap from the top of the bottle rim. I should be more precise with my description. @Amberfriend: I think I may have missed one bottle with the carbonation drops. @Lab Cat: the gap I left was about the same as filling to the very brim, and then withdrawing the filling wand, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. Now the two week wait. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberfiend Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 10 minutes ago, Ron Hawkins said: FYI I did leave about 1.5cm air gap from the top of the bottle rim. I should be more precise with my description. @Amberfriend: I think I may have missed one bottle with the carbonation drops. @Lab Cat: the gap I left was about the same as filling to the very brim, and then withdrawing the filling wand, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. Now the two week wait. no doubt it will be drinkable but i suspect it may be weak on the bubbles ? i just put one the hoppy pale ale bottles i bottled nearly two weeks ago in the frifge to let sit for a few days, its generally pretty clear now but doesnt take to much agitation to get little whirls pools of sediment to arise,, will see what a few days in the fridge do to it i guess ? *not in the least bit concerned about drinking a little bit of sediment yeah, i do it most of the time anyway with commercial brews that were brewed in the bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottyMac Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 This almost reads like a scrunch or fold conversation. I'm a tipper also. Going with what @Lab Cat said earlier on, too much beer to waste. If you look at the tap on your fermenter it's probably sitting at about the 5L mark. That's a couple 6 packs sitting below the tap outlet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 I use a thick book (kayaking around Australia) to tilt when the level gets to top of tap level. I don't think holding is good as I have to let go and then mixing of beer and trub occurs. Marking the last dreg bottle is a good idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 I'm with Marvin on this. I tilt and place a few bits of timber under the FV to keep it tilted. It seems to reduce the amount of sediment stirred up that tilting back and forth by hand can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonPolo Posted September 20, 2020 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Some good tips here. It does worry me when I'm tilting the FV back and forth at the end of the bottling process. Is there a consensus on tilting the FV back during the fermenting process? It certain sound feasible if the trub doesn't start flowing down hill during the bottling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 1 hour ago, DonPolo said: Some good tips here. It does worry me when I'm tilting the FV back and forth at the end of the bottling process. Is there a consensus on tilting the FV back during the fermenting process? It certain sound feasible if the trub doesn't start flowing down hill during the bottling. It works great for me - maybe because I also cold crash it so the trub gets thicker? But haven't had any murky beer in bottles or keg since I started doing the tilt back. Just be careful near the end to make no sudden movements. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergy1987 Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 I tip my fermenter to get a couple extra bottles but I also get a couple of bottles that dont carb properly. I never know if this is some dodgy bottles/lids, or if they are the bottles from the bottom of the fermenter and for some reason they dont want to carb up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted September 21, 2020 Share Posted September 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Fergy1987 said: I tip my fermenter to get a couple extra bottles but I also get a couple of bottles that dont carb properly. I never know if this is some dodgy bottles/lids, or if they are the bottles from the bottom of the fermenter and for some reason they dont want to carb up. Have you removed the 'collar' of plastic from the bottles? If not, do that and see if it resolves the no-carb issue. Logically, the ones with a little trub should have more yeast in them and carb faster. Other possibilities are temps - are the non-carbs maybe in the coolest part of storage? Sugar - is it possible you missed bottles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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