Some questions regarding bottling...

[bungle666]

Im going to have a go at a brew kit in the next week or 2. the problem is im on a budget (a serious budget) and the question of storing my brew has cropped up.

now idealy i would like a pressure barrel, the beer (so i have been told) will last a month or so and it is the easyest solution. trouble is SWMBO has put her foot down regarding the expense..... BOOO!!

anyhow, i was talking to an old boy a few months ago and he reckons 2litre POP bottles are the way forward "just stick a tsp of sugar in the bottom before you fill em, and its reet" he said. hmmmmmmm im not so convinced!!

so (i think this is obvious by now) can you use 2litre pop bottles, and if you can what is the best method of using them??!!??!!

thanks chaps

B..

[GrandMalt]

I've used pop bottle - 1 litre ones, but I'm sure 2 litre would be fine. They're designed to hold the pressure of carbonated drinks so should be fine with the pressure produced in secondary fermentation. I recently brewed quite a fizzy cider, and the bottles held up without a hitch.

I prime my brews in a secondary by dissolving the sugar in water and then siphoning in from the primary, but adding a teaspoon of sugar directly to the bottle would be fine. Most people work on half a teaspoon per pint, so 1 teaspoon 1 litre would be about right IMO.

[mickhew]

I use them all the time. I buy Tesco sparkling water, at 12p a bottle, empty them, sanitise them, prime, then fill. Although I always add a small amount of warm water, to the primed bottle, and shake it, to dissolve the sugar, making a little sugar solution. I doubt this is necessary, as it isn't when using barrels, you just add sugar, then beer. The swirling motion of the beer going in is enough to mix it up.
Remind your other half, that homebrewing is a MASSIVE saving over supermarket, and pub beer, so getting a barrel with save you money and time, so you can do more DIY on the house, this worked for me !

[bungle666]

Thanks chaps, thats just what i wanted to hear!!

as a final question, once bottled how long will it last for?? and what do i need to do with it to make it last the test of time??

thanks again chaps


B..

[trucker5774]

I use all sizes of pop bottles. I have a few which are 8 months old and taste as good as the day I first opened one.

[bungle666]

I use all sizes of pop bottles. I have a few which are 8 months old and taste as good as the day I first opened one.

so anything brewed now will happily last till crimbo then!! haha winner!!

if my first brew is a success, then i fully intend to start brewing/bottling for Christmas and new year. if i keep a couple of bottles from every brew i do back, then i will; have a good supply!!

thanks again

B..

[GrandMalt]

Plastic bottles will let some oxygen through, so the beer will deteriorate slightly over time. However, a few months shouldn't hurt. Keep them out of sunlight, though.

[Station]

yeah, I'd been told up to 18months is ok, after that the oxygen gets through the plastic.
Keep them in the dark though, especially if they're clear bottles.

For 750mls I use a heaped teaspoon sugar for a fizzier lager, a level one for an ale, seems about right.