Mario Knows (NOT) Homemade Brew
Alright, I’ve just begun looking into the home brewing process. I have little experience with even drinking the stuff, let alone making it:)
Who knows a proper (meaning clean and efficient) way of removing the dregs before the bottling process?
Care to share your method or experience?
A retrospectively funny story would be nice!
Also, feel free to ask a question. I might even help you research it:)
The only way I know of is to filter it before bottling. I have two fermentation buckets, one I use to bottle, the other for primary fermentation. It would be pretty easy to use a filter with some cheese cloth and filter the beer while transferring it to the bottling bucket. Also, when I siphon from the fermenting bucket to the bottling bucket, I leave behind most of the dregs in the fermenter. Not sure what your setup is (mine is primitive but simple) but that’s the only way I know of.
If you still have unwanted gunk when you do bottle, then a bit of unflavored gelatin will cause all that to the bottom of your bottles.
The cheapest and easiest way is to just have a fermenter with a tap at the bottom. If you let the sediment settle, take the lid off it and use the tap, then all the sediment stays at the bottom of the vat.
If you want to carbonate the beer in the bottle, you will need to add some sugar as well, which means there will be a little bit of sediment in there. There’s nothing wrong with it, though if you don’t like your beer cloudy you can just pour it into a glass and drink it clear.
Like the Beer Dude said there is nothing wrong with the sediment in the bottle but one method I’ve tried with so-so success is to pour the beer from the bottle through a funnel lined with cheesecloth into a glass.
Downside is that you don’t get good head with this method. Personally, and what I recommend on my homemade beer site is to pour carefully and leave the last 1/8 inch in the bottle. Most of the sediment stays in the bottle that way.