How to Bottle Beer

January 23, 2025 peacefulvalley

Bottling Beer at Home

Bottling your homebrew is an essential part of the beer-making process. Here's a step-by-step guide to ensure your beer is properly racked, bottled, and ready to enjoy.

Steps for Bottling Beer

Rack the Beer: Transfer the beer from the primary fermenter to the secondary fermenter using an auto siphon. Avoid disturbing the sediment at the bottom of the container.
Measure Specific Gravity: Take a hydrometer reading to calculate the alcohol by volume (ABV) of your finished beer.
Sanitize Equipment: Clean and sanitize all equipment, including bottles, caps, siphons, and hoses. Use boiling water to sanitize bottle caps.
Prepare Corn Sugar: Dissolve 3/4 cup of corn sugar in 2 cups of water and add it to the sanitized bottling bucket to ensure proper carbonation.
Rack into Bottling Bucket: Transfer the beer into the bottling bucket containing the corn sugar solution. Place the bucket on a higher surface to allow for easy bottling.
Bottle the Beer: Attach a bottling wand to the siphon hose. Fill each bottle up to 3/4 inch from the top and seal with a sanitized cap using a capper.
Store and Wait: Store bottles in a cool, dark place for two weeks to allow carbonation to develop. After two weeks, your beer will be ready to enjoy!

Additional Tips

Ensure all equipment is thoroughly sanitized to avoid contamination.
Having a friend assist with the process can make bottling day easier and more fun!
Track your hydrometer readings to understand the progress and final alcohol content of your beer.