Getting Bottled (Or, How Long Before I Can Drink It?)
In a cool corner, your first beer burbles away, taunting you with impending deliciousness. The anticipation of sweet nectar kills you. So just how long do you have to wait before the beer is finally yours to enjoy?
The answer is, it depends. Some projects can take years to complete. Fortunately, this chapter's recipes require approximately a week before they are done fermenting. Wait until the beer ceases bubbling before proceeding to bottle unless you want an exploding bottle rhythm section!
Bottles exploding? Don a pair of goggles and gloves and get to work. You can uncap the bottles and release some of the pressure. Alternatively, shuttle the bottles carefully to a fridge. The cold retards the yeast, preventing more carbonation. Drink quickly though!
Once the beer ceases fermenting, clean and sanitize the bottling bucket and siphoning gear. Pay close attention to any bottling wands or spouts. Failure to clean these can ruin all the hard work you've done. Wash out 50 bottles. Drop the bottles into the bucket full of sanitizer. After the appropriate soak, drain the bottles and cover with foil.
To a cup of water, add ¾ cup (4.4 ounce by weight) of priming (corn) sugar and bring to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Add to the bottling bucket and keep covered. Carefully siphon the beer out of the fermenter into the bucket. Siphon from above the yeast layer to keep the beer fairly clear. Let the beer swirl through the sugar syrup. Thorough mixing is the key to consistent carbonation from bottle to bottle.
Attach a hose and bottling wand to your bucket's spigot (or a siphon-ready racking cane). Press the wand to the bottom of each bottle. When the beer reaches the top of the bottle, pull the wand out. The remaining space is perfect. Cover the bottle with a cap and move on.
Once the bottles are filled, break out the capper and crimp the caps firmly to the bottle. Press multiple times, rotating the bottle each time, to ensure a solid seal. If you have a brew partner, they can cap while you fill.
Save yourself a lot of work before your next bottling day! After you pour a bottle into a glass, immediately rinse it out and let dry. This prevents hard, scrub-resistant deposits, and you can then sanitize your cleaned bottles. Cap dry, sanitized bottles firmly with foil and use in a day or two.
Set the bottles in a warmer spot (70°F) for two weeks, then place a bottle in the fridge to chill. When you the pop the cap you should hear a reassuring hiss of escaping CO2. Decant the beer in one smooth pour to avoid adding the accumulated yeast in your glass. If you don't hear a pfft, check the remaining bottle temperatures. Wait another week and check again.
