Lager Bottle Storage

BaronVanDuck

Evening,

Im new to Brewing and currently have my first batch of Coopers Australian Lager on the go, once bottled what is the best temperature to store the bottles at?

Once bottled can they be stored in the shed for 2-3 weeks or do they need to be stored at a warmer temperature?

If any use...

The current temperature of my fermentation barrel is between 22-26 degrees daily with use of a brew belt. I hope to take my first Hydro reading on Thursday and a 2nd on Saturday... Hopefully bottling on Sunday, Priming with 1 1/2 Carbonation Drops. 

Many thanks in advance,

Si

HBO_Staff

Once bottled you need to store it somewhere warm for a around a week, to allow the priming sugar (either sugar or carbonation drops) you add to each bottle to ferment as part of the 'secondary fermentation'. It can then be moved somewhere cooler for a few weeks which helps it condition, this will improve the carbonation and allow the flavours to fully develop, ideally you leave it for as long as possible as it can continue to improve for a couple of months. The manufacturers are a little vague on temperatures, but cooler is good around 12 to 15 degrees, sometimes people store outside but just make sure they don't freeze.

22 to 26 degrees is a good brewing temperature and will speed things along, just make sure you have 2 hydro readings the same on two days in a row and all the small bubbles have stopped rising to the surface. If using 500ml bottles then one or two carbonation drops will be fine, 2 would make it nicely carbonated, or if it's easier than breaking the drops in half and you want one and a half, use one drop and a bit of granulated sugar in each bottle. If using larger bottles than 500ml increase the amount of drops/sugar accordingly

BaronVanDuck

Thats great, thanks very much