How to Bottle Home Brew Beer — Step-by-Step Bottling Guide

When can you bottle home brew beer?

Bottle your beer only when fermentation is completely finished — confirmed by two identical hydrometer readings taken 24–48 hours apart. Most kit beers finish in 5–7 days at 20–22°C. Never bottle based on time alone or by airlock activity — only a stable gravity reading confirms fermentation is done. Bottling too early causes over-carbonated or exploding bottles.

What do you need to bottle home brew beer?

Step-by-step bottling process

Step 1 — Confirm fermentation is complete with two hydrometer readings 24–48 hours apart. Both must be identical and match your kit's expected FG.

Step 2 — Clean and sterilise everything. Wash every bottle, cap, and piece of equipment, then sterilise with Young's Steriliser. Rinse thoroughly with cold water. Contamination at this stage ruins an entire batch.

Step 3 — Prepare priming sugar. Dissolve the correct amount of brewing sugar in 200ml of boiling water and cool completely. Use our Priming Sugar Calculator for the exact quantity. Alternatively, add one Coopers Carbonation Drop directly into each 500ml bottle.

Step 4 — Fill bottles. Add the cooled sugar solution to a sterilised bucket, siphon your beer on top, stir gently, then fill each bottle to within 3–4cm of the top.

Step 5 — Cap firmly. Apply crown caps and crimp with your capper. Check every cap is fully seated — a loose cap means a flat bottle.

Step 6 — Condition. Store upright at room temperature (18–22°C) for 1 week, then somewhere cooler for at least another week. Most kit beers need 3–4 weeks total for best results.

How much priming sugar per 500ml bottle?

Rather than per-bottle additions, calculate the total for your whole batch and mix it into the beer before bottling. Use our Priming Sugar Calculator — as a guide, a 23-litre British ale needs around 80–90g of dextrose total (roughly 2g per 500ml bottle).

Can I use Carbonation Drops instead of priming sugar?

Yes — Coopers Carbonation Drops are the easiest option. Drop one into each 500ml bottle before filling. No weighing, no dissolving, consistent carbonation every time.

Why is my bottled home brew flat?

Flat bottles are caused by insufficient priming sugar, caps not properly sealed, beer bottled before fermentation was complete, or insufficient conditioning time. If multiple bottles are flat, warm to 22°C for 3–4 days to encourage remaining yeast to work.

Buy everything you need: Brewing Sugar, Carbonation Drops, 500ml Glass Bottles, and Crown Caps. Use our Priming Sugar Calculator for exact quantities.

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