Kegging Before Bottling

So unlike most people on the forum, I really dont mind bottling. The process itself can get a little old but I definitely prefer the end result of having individual bottles. One thing I hate about bottle conditioning is the need to have it sit at warm temps for 3 -6 weeks to carbonate before cold conditioning them or being able to drink them!
I would like to keg but I also still want to have bottles. Also, I dont have room right now for a kegerator since I already one freezer for my fermentations. I'm thinking a good option might be to get one or two kegs to carbonate with, and then use something like the beergun to bottle from there. is this a decent option? if so, what would i need? just a keg, CO2, and a beergun?

Thanks!

You will want to bottle from a cold keg to keep as much co2 in solution when filling!! If you bottle warm it will be nutin but foam... I use the blichmann beer gun and like it alot

cool, thanks. so if I just cool down the keg to 35 degrees or so for 24 - 48 hours before bottling, will that be good enough? So I could do this pretty cheap then...?

Beer gun w/ accessories = $100
5 gallon keg w/ CO2 tank and regulator = ~$200
what else would I need as far as fittings, accessories, etc go?

You'll need to split the co2 line.. 1 for the keg and 1 for the gun.. You might want the kit for the beergun if you can't just piece it together after you get it... Its just a fitting and tubing in the kit.. Gas/liquid quick connects for the keg.. And most the time I won't move the keg and do it from my mini fridge so not to kick up sediment but your situation is different so be gentil and wait a half hour before you start after moving the keg... I do 8 bottles at a time and start by blanketing the bottles first then I purge the keg just a little after changing my pressure to about 4psi and start pouring but I get a little foam first so my first pull of the trigger is usually in a cup until it runs smooth.. I fill the 8 and just put a little more co2 on top put the caps on and crimp.. I usually can do a batch in under 1 hour..

Cool thanks. I only understood half of that because I have never kegged.... but I will do some research.

+1 to the blichmann beer gun! Bought one a few months ago because I was brewing more than drinking so it was a chance to clear the keg out and stockpile previous batches for future comparison. Works great. Just added a splitter from my regulator so I have one line going to the keg like normal and one dedicated for the beer gun; it stays coiled around the co2 tank most the time. Each have their own valve.

Chill the sanitized bottles for a couple hrs in advance along with the sanitized gun and you're ready to go.

The gun is really easy to disassemble for cleaning too which is great. Only lesson I learned the hard way was hooking up the gun's beer line to the keg before the gun....... Pressurized beer with an open ended hose = quite a mess lol!

I can take pictures if you need but it's simple stuff

Thank you. No need for pics or further explanation until I buy the stuff I guess. How do you chill your bottles while maintaining proper sanitation?

beergun users, correct me if i'm wrong, the splitter means you don't have to change a line off your manifold every time you use the gun right? or if you have an extra... err 'nipple' on the manifold then you would leave the beergun line on permanently? is there a convenient way to use the pressure in the keg that you are going to vent anyways to purge the bottles? i have been using the cheap wand and stopper method to varying degrees of success, the OP can check the sticky on 'we don't need no stinking beergun', you will get arguments on both sides, i tend to get a lot of bubbles in the line and subsequently undercarbed beer with this method, but then sometimes i'm an idiot so who knows
thanks

dinnerstick said:

beergun users, correct me if i'm wrong, the splitter means you don't have to change a line off your manifold every time you use the gun right? or if you have an extra... err 'nipple' on the manifold then you would leave the beergun line on permanently? is there a convenient way to use the pressure in the keg that you are going to vent anyways to purge the bottles? i have been using the cheap wand and stopper method to varying degrees of success, the OP can check the sticky on 'we don't need no stinking beergun', you will get arguments on both sides, i tend to get a lot of bubbles in the line and subsequently undercarbed beer with this method, but then sometimes i'm an idiot so who knows
thanks

Click to expand...

As long as you have a shut off on the manifold you can leave the hose connected because its only a threaded fitting attaching it too the gun.. I did put a quick disconnect on my manifold so I can leave the hose on the gun.. I did start out wth the DIY beer gun and dedicated it to the sours so I dont cross contaminate.. Sounds like you have turbulence in your line.. I set my reg at 4psi and dump the head pressure before I start.. If you stop filling too long, the keg will try to re-equillibrate(?) its self again so before I go to the next round of bottles I purge just a little off the head space.. IDK about reusing the head pressure co2 for priming the bottles, I guess you could tee the gas and put a couple small ball valves to direct it out the gun..

Edit: Forgot to mention that I do force carb a couple psi more to account for a little co2 that does get knocked out