DeanMachine

Recipes 

Anyone got any tips on bottling in a 1/2 gallon growler? I HATE bottling and capping and am considering buying a few for my next party.

Thanks, Dean

bosox

Recipes 

Don't!!!! :| It will explode. I've found the majority of growlers are NOT meant to condition in, they are meant for already conditioned beer, like from a keg, for storage. Unless they specifically are for conditioning, and come with some crazy champagne like lock cap, it WILL explode. I've had 2 growlers blow up on me, and it's a pretty dangerous, messy, and waaassstteefulll experience.

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Secondary: Empty
Bottled: Christmas Ale
Conditioning: Nothing
On Deck: Oktoberfest/Summer Ale
In The Garden: 2nd year Cascades

DeanMachine

Recipes 

Whoa really? The glass shattered or the top just popped off?

Has it ever been done? What about ceramic with a locking fliptop?

Could I just buy some champagne bottles and put it in there?

There must be a way to do this

DeanMachine

Recipes 

Okay, found a little discussion here:

http://www.brewingkb.com/bottling/Bottling-Half-Gallon-Growlers-3459.html


I want to try it anyway

DeanMachine

Recipes 

also here you go, for all you noobs to the forum out there like me

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/bottle-conditioning-growler-78808/

bosox

Recipes 

Yeah the glass completely shattered. One time it happened to me in the middle of the night, I heard an explosion, woke up and ventured downstairs to see my conditioning area completely covered in beer, smelling like beer, and glass everywhere. The 2nd time I had it conditioning on my top step to my basement, after checking the temps a few times with my head right in front of the growler, I went to check on them one day and the same thing. Glass everywhere down the stairs, all over my other carboard boxes of conditioning bottles, and beer everywhere.

They have growlers that are made for conditioning, but they are not the norm, and you have to specifically seek them.

I'd suggest buying a 2.5 gallon keg or maybe a 12 pack of 24oz bottles if you want to bring to a party. Growlers are scary :|

__________________
Primary: Empty
Secondary: Empty
Bottled: Christmas Ale
Conditioning: Nothing
On Deck: Oktoberfest/Summer Ale
In The Garden: 2nd year Cascades

rawlus

Recipes 

if you hate bottling and capping, its a good excuse/reason to get into kegging. very easy to pull off growlers from the tap when you need travel beer.

alexdagrate

Recipes 

If you use the Polyseal caps and the brown, thick glass growlers (like the ones Rogue uses to ship some of their beers in) you'll be fine.

i'm intrigued with the suggestion in that other post where someone talks about using 64 ounce naglene bottles. sounds perfect for conditioning and then taking camping.

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DeanMachine

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Whoa I just googled naglene bottles. Those things are advertised as unbreakable sometimes. Who has done that?

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greyhoundbrewing

Recipes 

with every batch i do i always bottle a couple of growlers. none have ever shattered. i have had them be over carbed and be gushers but never broke. i have always used the polyseal caps like alex mentioned. i would issue a word of caution, double check your priming sugar