Bottle to Growler for transport?

[nco]

Hi All,

New to home brewing (3 batches in) and now it seems as though everybody wants home brewed beer. I've tried to find this answer online but just couldn't seem to find it so hopefully someone could help.

I'm thinking about brewing a batch of a simple Amber Ale for an upcoming party. I bottle my beer still (hopefully kegging will come soon) and don't want to explain to everyone how to properly pour a home brew without getting sediment in their glass. I'll transfer to a secondary to clear it out more but there's always some left. Is it possible to pour the conditioned bottled beer into growlers a few hours before without them losing their carbonation? I know it'll be a pain in the butt but I won't mind the extra work as i'm not hosting the party.

Thanks in advance! You guys are awesome.

 

[aryoung1980]

I'm very skeptical. Considering the shape of a growler, your beer will basically just fall to the bottom and release the majority of the co2. At least with a glass you have a straight surface for the beer to flow along which allows the liquid to contain the co2.

If you're willing to spend the time pouring bottles into a growler, why not just pour them at the party on demand?

Personally I think you're underestimating your friends' intelligence and their ability to pour a home brew.

 

[zachattack]

why not just pour them at the party on demand?

This is what I do. Wait for someone to ask if I brought them homebrew, then pour it for them.

Alternatively, brew a hefe.

 

[SimonHucko]

I've done this a few times, works out fine. make sure the growler is rinsed well and cold (stash in the fridge for a few hours prior to filling). pour carefully down the neck and cap on the foam when you're done. you'll probably lose some carbonation in the process, but it's no worse than pouring from a tap IMO. note, this probably works less well with highly carbonated beers, but for a normal batch it'll be just fine.

 

[nco]

Thanks all! I wouldn't mind pouring the first few but as the night went one I will be busy drinking myself. I have glass growlers that I've used from
Microbrews before so they're quality. Maybe I'll try a test batch first and see if it stays carbonated for a few hours in a growlers. Thanks again.

 

[TheKeggingPart]

I've done this a few times, works out fine. make sure the growler is rinsed well and cold (stash in the fridge for a few hours prior to filling). pour carefully down the neck and cap on the foam when you're done. you'll probably lose some carbonation in the process, but it's no worse than pouring from a tap IMO. note, this probably works less well with highly carbonated beers, but for a normal batch it'll be just fine.

Couldn't have said it better myself! The key is to get everything COLD COLD COLD! The colder your beer stays, the better it will hold on to the dissolved CO2. I'd also say fill it right up to the tippy top and eliminate all headspace. Since CO2 in solution balances against the pressure of the headspace, less headspace means less CO2 needs to come out of solution to create that balance. Also reduces oxidation, ect, but this shouldn't matter much as it's intended for immediate consumption.

 

[solbes]

You'll be fine. We have 2 growlers that we fill straight from the keg to bring up to the lake. It stays carbonated just fine over the 2 days. Obviously if you drink half the growler and then let it sit for awhile, the CO2 will migrate to the large headspace. But if you are drinking them in series and they are consumed quickly, no worries.

 

[aryoung1980]

You'll be fine. We have 2 growlers that we fill straight from the keg to bring up to the lake.

The difference is that he's not filling from a keg. I wish you the best of luck in getting it to work. It sounds like others have. I'd still say let them pour it themselves.

 

[zachattack]

The difference is that he's not filling from a keg. I wish you the best of luck in getting it to work. It sounds like others have. I'd still say let them pour it themselves.

I was gonna post the exact same thing. I've been in the same situation many times and it's never been a problem to just pour for people, and anyway it's nice to be there when they take their first sip and answer their questions.

 

[solbes]

Well sure its more work to pour from a bottle carefully. But I don't see how pouring straight from the keg is different than carefully pouring from individual bottles with regards to the end result. Beer and CO2 either way.

I don't use anything special on the keg fills. I just disconnect the gas and pour straight from the tap. I don't even chill the growlers, although that will certainly help reduce the foam so a good idea.

 

[nco]

Thank again for the tips! I promise to flow up with a result in about 6 weeks when I do this.

 

[broadbill]

I see this analogous to dirtying extra dishes when cooking....its already in bottles....no sense in putting it into another type of container.

 

[ACbrewer]

I'd personally not do this.

However, as others have already described how, let me make one other point - do this as CLOSE to serving time as possible. If you are going out, chill the growler (as someone suggested I think) and the beer, and then just before you plan to leave, make the transfer. Exposure to air will decrease the quality of the beer. Perhaps not that much over a day, but still some. Even if nobody else notices, you will.