Bottling or Kegging - which produces better beer?

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xmacro

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I've been reading the threads for awhile, and while most keg threads are about setup or pressures, there's a common theme in bottling threads - the controlling of off-flavors and mellowing of the beer over weeks/months.

It's said that the beer takes a few weeks in bottles to mellow out, get rid of off flavors, and and go from good beer to great beer, but this is never said about kegs - if anything, the theme for kegs is faster carbonation = better, with the occasional "proper kegging carbonation takes as long as bottling" - but no explanation why

So can someone who knows clear this up?

Does kegging allow for mellowing like kegging does?

How long/what pressure should a "proper" kegging do for?

How often does that extra time in bottles produce superior beer than beer that's been force carbed?
 
Many get into kegging because they believe it speeds the process up. It doesn't. Well, maybe better said....it can, but you still have to wait for the beer to condition (unless you like green beer). Kegging allows you to carbonate the beer faster if you wish. This does not make better beer. A keg is just a large bottle. You should/can treat it the same. After 3-4 weeks in the fermenter, transfer the beer to a keg. Seal and purge. Then, for most beers, you let the keg sit at room temperature for the same amount of time you would let a bottle condition. Now, the process can be sped up if you have the luxury of carbing the beer while it is at room temperature. This kills two birds with one stone. Many will rush the process by force carbing at an excessive pressure. But once again, your only making green beer with bubbles. So, really, I see no difference in the quality of the beer, rather kegged or bottled. I see it as more of a convenience. I'd rather clean/fill one big stainless bottle, than 52 smaller glass ones. The easiest way to 'properly' get the right amount of carbonation every time is to chill the keg, and then hook up your CO2 pressure at the same pressure you plan to serve (usually 10-12psi). Let it sit for 3 weeks, and voila...perfectly carbed beer everytime.
 
Hammy71 said:
Many get into kegging because they believe it speeds the process up. It doesn't. Well, maybe better said....it can, but you still have to wait for the beer to condition (unless you like green beer). Kegging allows you to carbonate the beer faster if you wish. This does not make better beer. A keg is just a large bottle. You should/can treat it the same. After 3-4 weeks in the fermenter, transfer the beer to a keg. Seal and purge. Then, for most beers, you let the keg sit at room temperature for the same amount of time you would let a bottle condition. Now, the process can be sped up if you have the luxury of carbing the beer while it is at room temperature. This kills two birds with one stone. Many will rush the process by force carbing at an excessive pressure. But once again, your only making green beer with bubbles. So, really, I see no difference in the quality of the beer, rather kegged or bottled. I see it as more of a convenience. I'd rather clean/fill one big stainless bottle, than 52 smaller glass ones. The easiest way to 'properly' get the right amount of carbonation every time is to chill the keg, and then hook up your CO2 pressure at the same pressure you plan to serve (usually 10-12psi). Let it sit for 3 weeks, and voila...perfectly carbed beer everytime.
Click to expand...

+1. Most beers still need 3-4 weeks to condition, but you have the option to have one sooner if you want.
 
"Conditioning" is actually done by the yeast. Once all the fermentable sugars are converted into alcohol the yeast start working on breaking down other compounds and by-products of the fermentation process which can take considerable time since there are not many active yeast left in suspension within the beer.

In addition to yeast conditioning the beer also needs time to clear up. Proteins, yeast, hops and other suspended particles need to drop out and settle as a white layer in the bottom of the bottle/keg.

The benefit of kegging is ease of packaging finished product, storage, fast carbonation, ability to control level of carbonation and ability to chill much more beer in one container.

I prefer bottling because it allows me to give some beer away as gifts and to drink part of a batch an let the rest of the batch age for months or years.
 

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