Need advice - had a hiccup with bottling!!

[wineshop]

Ok - so tonight I planned on bottling. I transferred priming sugar and wort to my bottling bucket. I got my bottles ready and started to bottle. But the valve I use to fill is plugged. Or broken. I've done all I can and can't get anything to flow through it. I don't have another way to bottle. So - I popped a lid on my bottling bucket. I stuck a bubbler in it and put it back in my cooler (controlling at same fermenting temp). I'll have to go get another valve tomorrow. Will I be ok with leaving the beer (with priming sugar in it) in the cooler overnight? Ugh. I swear it's always something. I'm starting to think I just suck at this.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

What do you mean by valve? Spigot? Wand?

And, yes. You should be fine with it in a cooler overnight.

 

[Yooper]

Ok - so tonight I planned on bottling. I transferred priming sugar and wort to my bottling bucket. I got my bottles ready and started to bottle. But the valve I use to fill is plugged. Or broken. I've done all I can and can't get anything to flow through it. I don't have another way to bottle. So - I popped a lid on my bottling bucket. I stuck a bubbler in it and put it back in my cooler (controlling at same fermenting temp). I'll have to go get another valve tomorrow. Will I be ok with leaving the beer (with priming sugar in it) in the cooler overnight? Ugh. I swear it's always something. I'm starting to think I just suck at this.

Yes, it'll be fine.

BUT........the priming sugar will ferment some of the sugar but you won't know how much. So I'd let that ferment out all the way, say for three days or more, and then reprime and bottle at that time. There just isn't really a way to know how much priming sugar has fermented overnight, unless you have a super accurate hydrometer and that would concern me.

 

[Calder]

You are ok. You don't need to control temp. The yeast will ferment the sugar, which is what will protect the beer, so you will need to re-prime.

 

[beergolf]

I would give it a couple of days or more, so the yeast can eat the priming sugar. It would be better to let it warm up so the priming sugar gets used up. Then once it has done that I would prime again and bottle.

If you bottle now you do not know how much sugar is left. So your carb level is just a guess. Let the sugar ferment out and then try again with the right amount of priming sugar.

 

[wineshop]

It would be better to let it warm up so the priming sugar gets used up.

Can you give me an idea of about how warm? Just room temp (out of the cooler alltogether?) Or is there a temp setpoint I should raise my controller to? Hope that question makes sense. FYI it's set at about 66-67 now. Thank you.

Thanks to all for your replies. I would have simply bottled tomorrow and screwed the whole batch up. So thank you.

 

[wineshop]

What do you mean by valve? Spigot? Wand?

My bottling bucket has a spigot on the bottom. So basically I run a hose from that into the bottle, but I have a small spring loaded valve in between. When I squeeze the valve beer flows. I let up it stops. It works really well. Or it did until tonight.

 

[beergolf]

Just room temp is fine. It is only a few oz of sugar, so it should only take a few days for the yeast to gobble that up. Then you can start again.

Don't worry. Not a major mistake. Easy fix. So just relax and bottle in a couple of days. Just figure out your problem and proceed. Easy.

 

[ThomasPaine]

I've bottled with a siphon before. Not to hard if you have a long enough hose and the bucket up high.

 

[wineshop]

Don't worry. Not a major mistake. Easy fix. So just relax and bottle in a couple of days. Just figure out your problem and proceed. Easy.

Awesome , man. That does make me feel better. I'll try and bottle Thursday night! Also - should I use the same amount of priming sugar as the recipe calls for?

 

[wineshop]

I've bottled with a siphon before. Not to hard if you have a long enough hose and the bucket up high.

Man - I've seen it done and I know it can be done. But I tried it once and made a huge mess! Lol.

 

[beergolf]

Yes, once the few oz, you added ferments out you are back to square one. Just start over.

 

[SteveM]

As for the wand, take it apart (they can be pulled apart). It will have sludge trapped it. Clean it out, reassemble and sanitize it.

 

[ThomasPaine]

Man - I've seen it done and I know it can be done. But I tried it once and made a huge mess! Lol.

Yeah it was way back when I just started brewing. For some reason I had one of those little white hose pincher shut off things. It worked pretty well. Also had a cooler for drips, and it was needed.

 

[Brew_G]

As for the wand, take it apart (they can be pulled apart). It will have sludge trapped it. Clean it out, reassemble and sanitize it.

Yup - good place to check.

That was the source of three straight bottle infections for me. I didn't realize the thing could be taken apart, so I didn't clean it out. Lo and behold, there was crap in it that infected the bottles I was filling with it.

 

[wineshop]

Yes, once the few oz, you added ferments out you are back to square one. Just start over.

Ok. One last question - there's no risk of overcarbonation after I bottle? I originally put 2/3 cup of sugar with 16oz water in the bucket. So once that ferments out and I re-prime that won't be an issue?

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[ThomasPaine]

Yes, but only use just enough water to dissolve the sugar. Like a 1/4 cup

 

[slym2none]

If you want to add a teaspoon extra sugar for the additional 16 oz of water, you can, but I doubt you'll notice a difference.

 

[wineshop]

My bubbler is still bubbling. I was planning on bottling tonight. Guess I need to wait a bit longer. Once it stops bubbling am I good? Should I continue to wait a few days after?? Sorry - this is new ground for me.

 

[Yooper]

My bubbler is still bubbling. I was planning on bottling tonight. Guess I need to wait a bit longer. Once it stops bubbling am I good? Should I continue to wait a few days after?? Sorry - this is new ground for me.

It could be bubbling for many reasons, even from a barometic pressure change.

Take an SG reading today.

Take on in another day or so. If they are not changing, you're good to reprime and bottle.

 

[wineshop]

I'll do it. Thank you!