Renewed zest for brewing.

When I started brewing, I was obsessed in a big way. I kept moving up, expanding my rig to the point of automated PC control, AG, 10 gal batches, etc. Every waking moment seemed to be devoted to thinking about brewing.... my next recipe, the next modification, how to improve my methods and results. Obsessed like most here.
However, even though I still loved to brew and pretty much thought about it constantly, the frequency started to wane. Filling and capping 100+ bottles at a time was "disenchanting" me with the whole process. I grew tired of that quickly. Gathering bottles, cleaning, storing.... The whole freakin' bottling thing.
Well, I just bought dual-tap tower from KegConnection and got it up and running last week. I can't even begin to describe my excitement while brewing a 10 gal batch last Saturday. Just knowing that I am not going to have to bottle it. But rather, just dump it in the keg, wait 2 to 3 weeks, then pull the handle on that sexy Perlick that is currently taunting me every time I walk through the garage. The other tap is generously dispensing what is left of my last batch of EdWort's Apfelwein.
I have no question here. I just wanted to express my elation and renewed desire to brew!

Prost my friends! Prost! Y Salud a mis Amigos tambien!

Oh the feeling of knowing you don't have to bottle. Its great!

I hear you on bottling... I didn't even want to try it so I went straight for the party pigs. Can't wait to switch to kegs though

Honestly, I don't know why in the world I waited so long to keg..... Oh yeah, the money!
No turning back now.

i like bottled condition beer.... I guess I bottle a whole lot faster now.
It is just sanitize with vitner and start bottling, capping... 1-2 hour for 5 gallon batch.
of course, it can't beat the simplicity of keg...

I bottled in college, then I played around with someone else's kegging system. When I got back into it about a year ago I went straight to kegs and never looked back. It's good to bottle a few up now and then to transport, but kegs are so much easier.

I stared kegging on batch 5. No regrets, well except maybe not starting on batch 3.

IrregularPulse said:

I stared kegging on batch 5. No regrets, well except maybe not starting on batch 3.

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My point exactly.

I had some people over after a gig on Friday for the first time since I've started kegging. It was nothing short of awesome.

They loved the beer and they asked a million questions about my set up. I can totally related, bull.

I bottled one batch and then started to keg, bottling sucks but I will do it for big brews that need to age.

LOL I started on batch 3 and love it. I can clean and fill the keg while waiting for the mash of a new batch to free up the fermenter. Bottling blows in a big way, absolutely no advantages over kegs, with the BMBF I can take a 6'er to someone's house if needed.

hukdizzle said:

I bottled one batch and then started to keg, bottling sucks but I will do it for big brews that need to age.

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I will most likely bottle if I get around to doing a BW or Trippel or something like that. But for 99% of beers, no way.

zanemoseley said:

LOL I started on batch 3 and love it. I can clean and fill the keg while waiting for the mash of a new batch to free up the fermenter. Bottling blows in a big way, absolutely no advantages over kegs, with the BMBF I can take a 6'er to someone's house if needed.

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Did this last weekend. Kegged my RyeNot to clean the carboy while my Wit was mashing. and BMBF rocks.

I definitely have to make a counter-pressure bottle filler. It is nice to have a few bottles to take on the road on occasion.

Congrats on your decision to keg.

I only bottled two batches before kegging. Frankly, I'm surprised with your level of investment in equipment that you didn't make this switch earlier. It's not that expensive and removes 75% of the work from brewing.

I need to come up with a bottling gun, but I definitely prefer the fact that I went straight for the keg setup when I got into this. Bottles have their place... but not at my house!

I brewed 1-2 bacthes a year for the last 4 years. Since i got my keezer setup and 4 kegs, I have done 5 batches in a little over a month, and am planning my next 3 already. I am about to have to slow down a little bit, or brew something that takes longer in primary and secondary to i know i will have an empty keg for it.

Fortunatley, I have friends in town for memorial day, then a party the following weekend, that should give me 2 empty kegs.

bdnoona said:

....Frankly, I'm surprised with your level of investment in equipment that you didn't make this switch earlier. It's not that expensive and removes 75% of the work from brewing.

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Well, being in Industrial Automation and a devoted DIY'er, I have always had tons of assorted, useful "crap" laying around. And, enjoying the hobby very much, I didn't want it to seem like a big financial investment to the SWMBO. So I started small, the way most do, and gradually built up bits and pieces at a time, keeping the purchases small enough to slip in under the radar. The wife has seen wire, valves, contactors, etc around the garage. So, if a LabJack shows up in the electrical enclosure, she doesn't notice.
If a 10lb brushed aluminum tank and shiny 3"SS tower shows up suddenly attached to my garage fridge, then eyebrows are raised. I saved the bigger stuff for last just in case she gets a big burr in her saddle and the play funds dry up for a while.
Plus, the system I wanted was over $400, so it wasn't exactly "not that expensive"! I could have lived with party taps, but I have always been the type to go all out.
Know what I mean?!?!?!

Arkador said:

I brewed 1-2 bacthes a year for the last 4 years. Since i got my keezer setup and 4 kegs, I have done 5 batches in a little over a month, and am planning my next 3 already. I am about to have to slow down a little bit, or brew something that takes longer in primary and secondary to i know i will have an empty keg for it.

Fortunatley, I have friends in town for memorial day, then a party the following weekend, that should give me 2 empty kegs.

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That is what I am worried about. Since I am not dreading the bottling anymore, the urge to brew is incredibly strong. I have to find a deal on some more ball-locks before too long so I don't hit the same bottleneck.

bull8042 said:

Plus, the system I wanted was over $400, so it wasn't exactly "not that expensive"! I could have lived with party taps, but I have always been the type to go all out.
Know what I mean?!?!?!

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I completely understand. I went from the one keg starter kit to a 5.2 cuft keezer with Perlicks pretty quickly. There's no sense doing it, unless you do it right.

bdnoona said:

I completely understand. I went from the one keg starter kit to a 5.2 cuft keezer with Perlicks pretty quickly. There's no sense doing it, unless you do it right.

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I went from a side by side fridge that was in the garage when i moved in (2 keg capacity) to a 7.2cf Magic Chef with a 6 keg capacity in 2 weeks......

bull8042 said:

That is what I am worried about. Since I am not dreading the bottling anymore, the urge to brew is incredibly strong. I have to find a deal on some more ball-locks before too long so I don't hit the same bottleneck.

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I found 2 more kegs from a homebrew clubmate for $25 each. It is already time to invest in a manifold and more picnic taps.... (because my Keezer is in the garage, i think picnics will be easier to keep clean, and save that upgrade for a later date.)