Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Bottling questions  (Read 3186 times)

Offline petermmitchell

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 44
Bottling questions
« on: July 14, 2014, 07:26:33 am »
Yesterday I bottled 6 gallons of pale ale and noticed more foam in the bottles than usual as I was filling.  I was wondering if any of the following issues might be the cause:

1. Temperature of the beer at bottling - I did not let the beer fully rise from 62 to 70 / room temp before I racked it to the bottling bucket

2. Bottling tubing - I have 4 feet of 3/8 inch (inner diameter) tubing hooked up to my bottling bucket and my spring bottle wand.  Not sure if this is the standard diameter to use or not.

Could either of these be the cause?  I had some difficulty restarting the auto-siphon as I was nearing the end of transferring to the bottling bucket.  Would more of a height difference help?  Usually this is not a problem either.  Also do you think foam during bottle filling could lead to any off flavors, like oxidation?  Just curious.    I appreciate your help!

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2014, 07:34:43 am »
Could be either or both, but I doubt it is the temperature. Did you notice air coming in where the tubing connects to the wand or bucket? Was the beer fully fermented?

Offline Jeff M

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 821
  • Currently upgrading to Brewery 3.0
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2014, 07:35:01 am »
Foam in a bottle would probably indicate a small leak in your setup somewhere allowing air to come in during siphon forming bubbles.  If you have a 5/16ths siphon and are using 3/8 hose this would probably be the culprit.  Take your siphon to a LHBS and size it tight to your bottle filler and siphon.

Cheers,
Jeff
Granite Coast Brewing Company.
Building a clone of The Electric Brewery to use as a pilot system for new recipes!

Offline petermmitchell

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 44
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2014, 07:44:33 am »
I didn't noticed air coming in but since I got this new tubing I noticed that it fits more loosely than before with my old tubing.  I will take a look at this.  I am pretty sure it was done fermenting.  The og was 1048 and gravity at bottling was 1006.  Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2014, 07:50:56 am »
Hose clamps. I use them near everywhere. I bought some from autozone that have a Wingnut built in.

Offline petermmitchell

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 44
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2014, 09:00:15 am »
For the pale ale I bottled already, do you think the foaming will impact anything?  Aside from it being really annoying :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline brewinhard

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3272
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2014, 09:22:59 am »
If air was ingressing through tubing connection then you could have some oxidation occurring.

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2014, 09:56:36 am »
It will be an interesting experiment. there is talk on here implying that yeast bearing beer will not oxidize. we may have an opportunity to see science in action here.

You could keep a 6 pack or even just a couple bottles somewhere warm for say 2 months after carbing and keep another couple cold for the same period and taste for oxidation off flavors.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline duboman

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1578
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2014, 10:00:17 am »
So you use star San? Is it possible there was more residue from it in the bottles this time? This will cause a bit of foaming as the bottles fill.

Otherwise I'd agree with the above suggestions:)
Peace....Love......Beer......

The Commune Brewing Company-Perfecting the craft of beer since 2010

Offline petermmitchell

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 44
Bottling questions
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2014, 10:41:02 am »
I will do that and reply back with the results.  Also will try to get feedback from some of the beer judges in my club who may better at detecting it than me

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
« Last Edit: July 14, 2014, 10:43:24 am by petermmitchell »

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27129
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2014, 10:46:06 am »
there is talk on here implying that yeast bearing beer will not oxidize.

Based on my experience (many times), I assure you that it will.

I also think that it's as likely the foam was caused by dissolved CO2 as anything else.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline petermmitchell

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 44
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2014, 11:14:57 am »
If the foam was caused by dissolved co2 instead of air from the tubing, I am wondering if it would be oxidized as much then.  Anyway I will wait and find out :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2014, 01:29:06 pm »
If the foam was caused by dissolved co2 instead of air from the tubing, I am wondering if it would be oxidized as much then.  Anyway I will wait and find out :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

if it was co2 coming out of solution then there is no worry about oxidation from that.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline beersk

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3721
  • In the night!
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2014, 08:58:17 am »
OP: for you future reference, this thread is all you need to help you on bottling day. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/
Jesse

Offline beerstache

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 97
Re: Bottling questions
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2014, 03:20:24 pm »
I dont know if this will eliminate the foaming, but I use a small section of tubing about 2 to 3 inches long connected to my bottling wand and to the bucket spicket, thus eliminating the 4 feet of hose.  I just put a bottle up to the wand, fill and cap.  Much easier than moving the wand and hose to each bottle.