Halfing priming sugar

[Monoxide1355]

I am doing my first ever brew with a premade extract recipe. It is a 5 gallon batch and I am coming up to bottling time and I don't have enough bottles yet. I ordered some more but they won't be here until after my scheduled bottling day. My thoughts was to split the batch into a second fermentation in half and maybe add some fruit to the first half and bottle the second half. If I did this would I just split the priming sugar and water and do half for each?

 

[Minbari]

Yes. Only dose the half you are gonna bottle, obviously

 

[Josh Hughes]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Monoxide1355]

Welcome to the forum

Thank you, I'm looking forward to a lot more brews

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

I am doing my first ever brew with a premade extract recipe. It is a 5 gallon batch and I am coming up to bottling time and I don't have enough bottles yet. I ordered some more but they won't be here until after my scheduled bottling day. My thoughts was to split the batch into a second fermentation in half and maybe add some fruit to the first half and bottle the second half. If I did this would I just split the priming sugar and water and do half for each?

Splitting would work, but is an added complication for someone new to brewing. I would recommend you wait until your bottles arrive and bottle all at once. Your beer can sit in the primary fermenter (on the yeast) for quite a while (2+ months) before it even begins to have a chance of being a problem. If you do proceed to split the batch, do you have a smaller vessel to transfer the remaining beer into? You don't want to drain half of a 5 gallon batch and have the other half full of air. That beer will be oxidized before you can bottle it.

 

[Monoxide1355]

Splitting would work, but is an added complication for someone new to brewing. I would recommend you wait until your bottles arrive and bottle all at once. Your beer can sit in the primary fermenter (on the yeast) for quite a while (2+ months) before it even begins to have a chance of being a problem. If you do proceed to split the batch, do you have a smaller vessel to transfer the remaining beer into? You don't want to drain half of a 5 gallon batch and have the other half full of air. That beer will be oxidized before you can bottle it.

I just have 2, 6.5 gallon buckets that came in the kit. I was going to move 2.5 gallons to one bucket and add fruit of some sort. I would bottle the other 2.5 gallons. I don't have anything smaller than that at the moment, I only have what came in the beginner brewer kit I got.

 

[Zambi]

I'm with barbarian brewer. Wait till you have enough bottles.
You can use pet bottles as well. Maybe you got those?

 

[Monoxide1355]

Thanks for the info, I didn't know putting half in a larger bucket would have adverse affects, you learn something new everyday. I'll wait until I get all the bottles. Will there be the same oxidation if I start with a 2.5 gallon batch in a 6.5 gallon bucket?

 

[Zambi]

Not really as initially the yeast will use oxygen and enough CO2 is formed to push out oxygen via the airlock.
It might take longer to see bubbles escaping from the airlock.
I've done 10 litres in 30 litre fermenters before, although I prefer to get the fermenter about 3/4 full

 

[Minbari]

Thanks for the info, I didn't know putting half in a larger bucket would have adverse affects, you learn something new everyday. I'll wait until I get all the bottles. Will there be the same oxidation if I start with a 2.5 gallon batch in a 6.5 gallon bucket?

No, because oxygen before fermentation is ok. I use 100% oxygen to give the yeast a kick start.

 

[Donoroto]

Indeed, liquid yeast needs oxygen to get going.

 

[Ward Chillington]

Barbi's right, wait...patience makes a good beer and a better brewer!

At this point , pay more attention to the sanitation. You've got things this far so keep it clean, don't splash the wort into the bottles...if you have a bottling wand, great, that keeps the air exposure and splash down, if you don't, put your siphon hose to the bottom of the bottle then fill to the top...when you remove the wand or tube, you will have the right amount of head space in the bottle to crown it. Clean off the bottles and condition at around 70°f for a couple weeks then enjoy the fruits of your labor!

I didn't see what you brewed...did I miss that? Welcome to the clubhouse!

 

[Sandy Feet]

Yup. Bottle when you have everything. Be very careful about splashing. I liked to bottle with bombers before I got my keg because it was easier. I filled to a specific point on the neck. If you can get the cheap toys like a bottle wand and siphon, get them. Weigh you priming sugar carefully.

 

[Monoxide1355]

Barbi's right, wait...patience makes a good beer and a better brewer!

At this point , pay more attention to the sanitation. You've got things this far so keep it clean, don't splash the wort into the bottles...if you have a bottling wand, great, that keeps the air exposure and splash down, if you don't, put your siphon hose to the bottom of the bottle then fill to the top...when you remove the wand or tube, you will have the right amount of head space in the bottle to crown it. Clean off the bottles and condition at around 70°f for a couple weeks then enjoy the fruits of your labor!

I didn't see what you brewed...did I miss that? Welcome to the clubhouse!

It was a Hefe. One of the northern brewer kits

 

[z-bob]

You're going to bottle half and referment the other with fruit? That shouldn't be a problem, the fruit will help keep the beer from getting oxidized.

if you're using 12oz or 330ml bottles, put 1/2 tsp of white granulated sugar in each bottle for priming. If you're using 16oz or 500ml bottles, use 3/4 tsp of sugar. It's not nearly as tedious as it sounds, especially if you use a small funnel to add the sugar. HTH

 

[Brewdomestix]

Belated welcome. This is a good place to ask questions.

I hope all is well with your beer whichever way you decided to go.

Plastic lemonade/cider bottles work fine, cleaned and sterilised they can last for ages. Some of mine are best part of 15 years old and have beer/cider up to 12 months in them which is what happens when you save one or two from each batch. If you have family who regularly throw these type of bottles out can save yourself some money.

I use a 6 gallon fermenting bin and transfer to kegs and bottles via a 5 gallon keg (equivalent to your second bucket). You don't have to top the made up recipe kits to a full 5 gallons. Altering the amount of water, sugars or yeast slightly will aid your development as a brewer without the need for any extra equipment beyond your basics at that stage. I rarely put over 4.5 gallons total volume in the fermenter as it can bubble up and cake the underside of the lid plus drive gunk through the airlock (and some of those are virtually impossible to fully clean out when that happens). Some made up kits come with the extract split into two pouches or cans. I occasionally make these separately as 2-2.5 gallon batches in the same 6 gallon fermenter - no probs so far - don't panic if the airlock doesn't bubble, that's often the case with such measurements.

Happy brewing