Camping with Homebrew

So how does everyone do it? I keg so bottling is out of the question, I was thinking of just filling some growlers before I go, but bringing a 5gal corny would be sweet.

It depends on how far the hike is! I've brought 5 gal and 2.5 gal cornies with me when the hike was only a few miles and I had some buddies to help. A keg and co2 tank can be heavy.

Growlers in a cooler will work well, unless they don't allow glass.

A KEGLove will you past the first evening, but extra ice packs will extend the cooling time. A lot depends on ambient temp.

Here are my portable systems.

5 Gallon with Paintball tank.


3 Gallon with 12 gram CO2 cartridge system.



Here's the thread on them.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/my-new-portable-keg-system-72105/

Taking the keg along works very well. I rig up my Innovations CO2 inflator with either a 16 gram or 40 gram cartridge to dispense the beer. It usually take ~60 grams of CO2 to dispense an entire keg for me. YMMV.

I bring my 20lbs co2 tank the regulator and a party hose tap. The whole shabangabang comes with me. I use a trash can full of ice and put the keg in it. Easy as pie.

I use the BMBF to fill bottles for parties.

Works great and doesn't take long.






If you want to rig a portable CO2 system pretty quick, you can check out the first few posts of my "Rolling Kegerator" thread (link below). Weighs hardly anything and would fit easily in a back pack.

I just fill 2 liter soda bottles - then with a carb-cap you can inject CO2 to keep it carbonated. Glass and camping are usually not a good idea.

Special Hops said:

I just fill 2 liter soda bottles - then with a carb-cap you can inject CO2 to keep it carbonated. Glass and camping are usually not a good idea.

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Along with this idea, I am working with recycled 20oz soda bottles. Free if you have access to the recycle bins where you work or in your town. Another option is through your network of friends who drink soda/pop/coke. Especially those friends you plan to share with at the camping area. Make'em earn it

The bottles work great so far. I am carbing an apple/blackberry wine in some to see how it works. Since you are going to keep them in a cooler anyway, the risk of skunking would be reduced.

but the risk of soda sweetness changing your beer increases. bleh.

carnevoodoo said:

but the risk of soda sweetness changing your beer increases. bleh.

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If you properly clean them you shouldn't have issues, as with any other bottle.

Kilgore_Trout said:

If you properly clean them you shouldn't have issues, as with any other bottle.

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Well, that's not necessarily true. I don't know what the permeability of soda bottles is off the top of my head, but they're not made to be reusable containers. I'm guessing if it is consumed in a day or two there's no big deal, but I still wouldn't put my beer in them.

carnevoodoo said:

Well, that's not necessarily true. I don't know what the permeability of soda bottles is off the top of my head, but they're not made to be reusable containers. I'm guessing if it is consumed in a day or two there's no big deal, but I still wouldn't put my beer in them.

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I have had wine, beer, and soda in these bottles with no effects from the previous batch. I wash them thoroughly with soapy water, rinse in hot tap water, then soak in a bleach solution to remove any stray scents.

Has worked so far. Some have been reused at least 8 times(with pressure).

But to each his own. I just threw that idea out because it has worked for me. A portable kegging system would be sweet but the soda bottle idea fits my current grad school budget. I would rather shift my $$ to ingredients than equipment right now.

There is also the mini-keg setup (though I don't recommend it if you don't already minikeg).
** Click a picture to see a larger version **
Here it is travel ready.


Here it is assembled and ready to pour.


Inside. Note there is only water in the lines right now to check for gas and liquid leaks.


Force carbing can be done by using my co2 tank (actually a paintball tank).


It works great as pictured, though I actually have modifications/improvements I intend to do to it.

Nice work Baron! Love the perlicks with the Micromatic tap handles! Just keep drunks away from pulling the cartridge trigger though.

Brew-Happy said:

I have had wine, beer, and soda in these bottles with no effects from the previous batch. I wash them thoroughly with soapy water, rinse in hot tap water, then soak in a bleach solution to remove any stray scents.

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I use the plastic bottle/carb cap combo all the time, to me it's the perfect way to bring previously kegged beer to a camping trip or other destination. A quick washing with dish soap and a thorough rinse is all that's necessary, and the bottles retain absolutely no scent or flavor. So long as the bottle smells clean, and not like the previous contents, your beer is perfectly safe. I slip a short piece of tubing over the faucet and into the bottle, to minimize foaming.

My favorites are from some kind of vitamin water my girlfriend tried last year...I can't recall the brand. The plastic is substantially thicker than typical soda bottles, so they're quite durable and have no trouble standing up to high pressure shots of Co2. I've refilled these two bottles dozens of times.

Never had a problem with residual sugars or whatever from Soda bottles. now I don't keep beer long term for that. I fill the bottle from the keg, hit it with CO2,. Then it is typically consumed within a few days.

We can bring glass in so the growlers won't be an issue. The place we camp is in SE Wisconsin and it will be at the end of October so the temps will be fairly cool.

EdWort I really like your portable system, just need to find some more money.
This newly found Hobby is sucking me dry. Whooohooo!!!!

I also Keg. I simply Bring along a 5 Gallon Round Home Deap Throat Cooler, and I place my 5 gallon Keg into the Cooler. Fill with ice and water, cover with Blanky during warmer days, drink cold beer.

carnevoodoo said:

Well, that's not necessarily true. I don't know what the permeability of soda bottles is off the top of my head, but they're not made to be reusable containers. I'm guessing if it is consumed in a day or two there's no big deal, but I still wouldn't put my beer in them.

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I'm guessing permeability isn't too much of a concern. I bet room temp carbonated soda can stay on a grocery store shelf for a while without losing much carbonation. As for oxidation if the bottle is in fact permeable, if the pressure inside of the bottle is many times greater than the atmospheric pressure outside, shouldn't CO2 leak out rather than O2 leak in? Gasses don't generally travel up a pressure gradient.

Back to the topic, I also use 2 liter soda bottles (or 1 liter or 3 liter) to transport my brew. You can make a DIY carbonator cap (out of pretty much any cap for any size/shape bottle) for about 5 dollars.

Depends on how much you are drinking. If alot, cornie. But if not, use the 3 litre soda bottles. Here is a link where you can hookup a bike CO2 to them to keep them from going flat. Just keep them in a dark place till ready to drink.

Cheap 3 Liter Kegs