Bottling is a great way to enjoy and share your brew. It provides you with a way to store your beer for long periods of time, and allows you to even enter your beer into brewing competitions. Improper bottling can lead to leaks, overcarbonation, contamination, or at worst, broken bottles. Always make sure all of your equipment is completely spotless and sanitized before you fill them with your beer. To succeed at bottling your beer you will need several items. A bottling bucket with a spigot, siphon hose, and a bottle filler will make your job a lot easier. Bottles and crowns are obvious. You will also need a capper to safely crimp the crowns onto your bottles.

So lets review how to bottle your beer. First, attach your siphon hose to the spigot on your bucket filled with your beer and priming sugar. Attach your bottle filler to the other end of the siphon hose. After turning the spigot to "on" carefully insert the bottle filler into the first bottle. The black tip is a one-way valve, so you must touch the bottom of the bottle for beer to come out.

Allow the bottle to fill all-the-way up to the top before removing the filler. When you completely remove the filler from the bottle, the perfect amount of air is left behind in the bottle, called ”head-space.” This is important for proper carbonation of your beer. Use your capper to crimp the crown around the top of each bottle. When you are done filling your bottles and capping them, place your beer in a cool, dark place such as a closet or bathroom. Store for 2 weeks to let the second fermentation naturally carbonate your beer. When ready, be sure to refrigerate your beer overnight before serving. Keep carbonated beer refrigerated for best results