Bottling homebrew

Check the final gravity is stable over several days. Bottling too early traps unfinished fermentation, and the extra pressure can burst bottles. Wash and sanitise bottles, caps and the siphon.

Dissolve the priming sugar in a little boiled water and stir it gently into the beer in a bottling bucket. Work out the right amount with the carbonation and priming calculator: it depends on the beer volume, the temperature, and the carbonation level you want.

Siphon the beer into bottles, leaving about 2.5 cm of headspace below the rim. Cap straight away. Use bottles meant for beer: those made for fizzy drinks can take the pressure, thin or old bottles may not.

Keep the bottles at about 20 C for two weeks, so the yeast eats the sugar and makes CO2. Then chill one and taste it. If it is flat, give it another week.

Never add more priming sugar than the calculator says. Over-carbonated bottles can explode. Store bottles in a box or cupboard while they condition, and open them with care.