bottling from keg... beer flat in a couple days.

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

miatawnt2b

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
227
Reaction score
2
Location
Steelers Country
I took some of my homebrew to family so they could sample this x-mas. I just put a small length of vinyl hose on the end of my tap (enough to reach the bottom of the bottle) turned down the keg pressure to 3psi, filled and capped. All 12 oz bottles... I had minimal foam-up, and thought I'd be good to go. The first day, the beer was good, but by the third day, I cracked open a bottle of stout and it was pretty flat.

When you fill bottles or growlers from a keg, is this to be expected?

I am debating just filling my paintball co2 and using PET bottles to force carb when I want to share beer.

-J
 
You can not bottle direct from a keg and expect it to hold it's carbination. You need a counter-pressure filler that can be bought or made for much less. This has been discussed in length if you need further details. Search "Beergun".
 
I have had no problem bottling from a keg. Are you sure your bottle caps were on tight? I fill growlers all the time off my kegerator to take with me and they keep their fizz until you start drinking on them. This is how the brewpubs fill growlers too. I don't know what to tell you, but something is happening.
 
Make a poor man's carbonator cap by installing an all metal schrader valve (tire fill valve) into the cap of a 2-liter soda bottle. Get the filling attachment and install on your CO2 line. Fill the bottle, purge air, top off with co2 to 12psi. It will now stay carbed and fresh indefinitely or until you open it at least.

The valves are like 5 bucks for a two pack at pep boys.
 
You are going to lose some carbonation as the co2 in the beer equalizes the head space in the top of your bottle. So fill them as close to the top as possible.

Also you'll lose some carbonation from the fill as the turbulance and the change of pressure causes some of the co2 to release.

Also having you beer bottles cold when you fill them will help retain some carbonation.
 
Back
Top