Just a short update tonight. This morning I bottled and barrelled my beer. It was a relatively pain-free process, just a case of cleaning and sanitizing everything (and rinsing it well afterwards), then making up a priming solution. I used 80gm of plain white sugar in a pint of boiling water, which went into the bottom of the barrel.
I poured the beer from the FV through the tap fitted to it through a piece of plastic tubing, to make sure it had as little contact with the air as possible. With the beer all primed I fitted the Little Bottler attachment to its tap and filled seven bottles with it, just to keep some back to see what difference bottle conditioning makes on this occasion. You’ll have to excuse the poor picture, but here it is.
21 litres of beer, in bottles and a barrel. Good times!
There’s not really much to learn from today if I’m honest, it was plain sailing. I think I’ll get some narrowed diameter food tubing for the transfer for next time, 10mm worked but I think 8mm would have been better. Oh and remember to sanitize everything, that includes the bottle caps. 10 minutes in boiling water seemed to do the trick – I hope.
I’m going to hold out for a week if I can before I try the stuff in the barrel, and at least two weeks for the bottles.
I’m actually pretty proud of this. To take those bags of grains and hops, add some water and some yeast, and end with with what I’ve got is a minor miracle. The fact that I made the mash tun that helped produce makes it that little bit more special. I’ve not got too long to feel proud of myself though, on Friday my next set of ingredients turned up, so it’s brewday again as soon as I can. Citra Pale Ale here we come!