Should I Keg Or Bottle?

[tron]

I am completely new to all of this and really interested in starting to brew my own beer. The trouble I am having is deciding on whether I should keg my beer or bottle it. My big concern is the cost of either method (as this would be the biggest cost I would have to incurr as a new brewer) I have a few paintball co2 cylinders as well which makes kegging intriguing for me. Also what are some of the big benefits of either one. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Rhino17]

There are pros and cons to each. The pros for bottling are that it's cheap. All you need is a capper, some caps, and a bunch of bottles. If you don't have any empties lying around your house, go buy some beer and drink, drink, drink!!!
The cons with bottling is that it is very time consuming, as it take a while to clean, sanitize, and fill all those bottles.

Kegging on the otherhand is very easy. Just one container to clean and sanitize. But it is expensive. You have to factor in the cost of a regulator, CO2 tank, kegs, beer line, a fridge, etc...

I started brewing back in April of last year, and by July I was hunting for parts to start kegging. I now have a full sized fridge with a 20# CO2 tank, 2 taps, and 5 kegs. (The wife was very happy when I got rid of the majority of my 350+ beer bottles ).

Bottling is a great way to start this hobby while reducing the amount of money invested. If you find you really like it, and the beer you make, then invest in a keg system.

Rhino

 

[david_42]

I went straight to kegs (5 liter minis first), because I'm too lazy to wash a bunch of bottles. At the time, I was making enough that the cost of kegging wasn't a problem.

To paraphrase the BP, "Now I'm just poor, but I've got all of the gear."

 

[tron]

I just found a regulator in my garage that I think will work for kegging, it has a pressure measurement up to 3000 psi on one gauge. The regulator appears to be rather dirty on the outside, not sure whats on the inside but would this cause any foreseeable problems? How long does the typical 5 pound tank last with kegging?

 

[david_42]

5-20 kegs.

I'd recommend cleaning the regulator before using it.

 

[tron]

why is there such a wide range for how long the tanks will last?

 

[Reverend JC]

If money is not a real issue to begin with i would certainly go with kegs!

By my 3 month of brewing and my 4th batch i thought to myself "self, this is crap. It taks you an hour and a half to clean 30 bottles (24 22oz and 6 12oz) when it could take you 10 min to clean a keg."

So i went out and bought the stuff now i just need to expand the number of kegs and i will be good to go!

 

[Ol' Grog]

Keg. Save the money for bottling and invest it in kegging. Trust me. After a batch or two of bottles, you will be foaming at the mouth to go kegging. Been there, done that.

 

[disaffected]

Cost is not the only consideration when deciding to bottle or keg. There is also space. I have room to store bottles in an out-of-the-way place, but I don't have floor space for a fourth refrigerator or freezer in my current house, and I'm not willing to convert one of my existing ones since I keep them all filled and in use all the time.

I'm sure I'll start kegging when I get into my next house and have a little more room, but in the meantime, I don't find bottling all that troublesome.

 

[rdwj]

I went with kegs right away - I just KNEW from reading about it that bottles weren't for me. Every once in a while, it would be nice to have a few bottles, but I plan on getting a beer gun for that eventually.

If you've got the extra money, kegs are the way to go

 

[sirsloop]

just a warning... if you keg beer you be more likely to go through your brew more often. I used to have a keg system on my old house and it would get used HEAVILY. I think about bottling as kinda a chore, so when I'm drinking beer I usually end up only having one or two because I know if I pound down 6 in one night thats 1/8th-1/10th of the way to having to bottle again.

If you get bottles, I highly recommend grolsh or fischer flip to bottles. While the initial investment is more, they are (grolsch) 16oz or (fischer) 22oz, and no capping is needed. The 16oz's are nice... just over one regular beer. Takes some ease off the bottling process and no caps to worry about. $6-7 for 100 seals... that covers 300-400 beers.

 

[sirsloop]

also... you pay monthly for a keg system. Both in your electric bill and in beer gas. At least the fridge door doesnt open often so it doesnt need to run too much.

 

[Kevin K]

just a warning... if you keg beer you be more likely to go through your brew more often. I used to have a keg system on my old house and it would get used HEAVILY. I think about bottling as kinda a chore, so when I'm drinking beer I usually end up only having one or two because I know if I pound down 6 in one night thats 1/8th-1/10th of the way to having to bottle again.

If you get bottles, I highly recommend grolsh or fischer flip to bottles. While the initial investment is more, they are (grolsch) 16oz or (fischer) 22oz, and no capping is needed. The 16oz's are nice... just over one regular beer. Takes some ease off the bottling process and no caps to worry about. $6-7 for 100 seals... that covers 300-400 beers.

That, and Fischer is damn good beer.

I'd agree with everyone else here - keg it. I'm in the process of gathering components to keg.

 

[tron]

i think im going to go with a kegging system. after reading the info provided it seems like the best solution. what should i look for when i buy kegs?

 

[skifast1]

As someone who just got a nice big box yesterday from UPS with a kegging setup, I can testify that it's loooooong overdue.

If you do decide to bottle (for now, haha), I would heavily recommend you invest in a bottle washer, sanitizer sprayer (push to spray), and bottle tree. Maybe $50 all-in. At least then you can run through the process in a somewhat expedient fashion. With my very first batch I made the double mistake of 1) using chlorine bleach which takes FOREVER to rinse off and 2) not having any of the above gear, so I ended up standing over my sink for what seemed like hours, individually rinsing 50 bottles...over...and over...and over...

 

[sirsloop]

the trick to bottles is to rinse them twice when you drink the beer. Keep all your bottles clean from the get go... then when you go to reuse then all you need to do is soak them in one step for a couple minutes, hit them with a bottle brush, and put them in your dishwasher to drip dry. Yeah... de-gunking 50 bottles is a PITFA.

 

[Ol' Grog]

Try these guys, pertty good prices and good kegs. Customer support is really great.

www.brewersdiscount.com

 

[tron]

I have been seeing tappers/faucets that go directly on to the corny keg( they are attached directly to the ball-lock mechanism) is this a good or bad idea?

 

[Wort*hog]

I just got back into brewing. I got back into it after learning about kegging and turning a freezer into a kegerator. I gave it up a few years back after tiring from all the hassle of bottleing. Not wanting to ever run short I kinda got into it in a big way and now find myself a bit overwhelmed at times trying to keep ahead of the game. I got the system all plumbed today. I got one keg that I had using the cobra tap on. Its tapping out good and carbed well. But the others That I pressurized from time to time over the last few weeks are flat some leaked off, some had pressure. I have four kegs in the kegerator and four for back up. I plan on getting another regulator(I have two tanks) and manifold to keep the gas on the back up kegs to keep it carbed up. I cant thank the members here enough for their help. I got the 3/16 tubing to ballance my system and other stuff I was totally in the dark about. It was pretty overwhelming. Looking back bottleing was a lot of work but it sure was simple. I have a winterfest going now that I will bottle.

 

[UTDoug]

It depends how prone to alcoholism you are. I like my kegerator b/c I can go have 8 oz of beer if I don't want to risk having my IPA get me groggy. I was afraid I'd be drinking like a frat boy when I got it but I probably drink less b/c often for me 8 oz or a pint is the magic amount, not one or two beers. Just be careful - half a pint here, half a pint there adds up really fast.

Hook'em,
Doug

 

[Wort*hog]

One thing with kegging is timing. Four different beers on tap You like one really well and get a back up going the my boys show up on a weekend with a friend or two or three and you are suddenly weeks away from having more of what they liked the best. so more kegs for back up, more batches going and it keeps growing. It might be best not to tell anyone you're brewing.

 

[rdwj]

One thing with kegging is timing. Four different beers on tap You like one really well and get a back up going the my boys show up on a weekend with a friend or two or three and you are suddenly weeks away from having more of what they liked the best. so more kegs for back up, more batches going and it keeps growing. It might be best not to tell anyone you're brewing.

The way to do it is to have plenty of batches aging. It's just like anything else - make LOTS of the favorite and have it stacked up and conditioning in a corny while you experiment with other stuff

That being said, I need to add a couple of taps - and I REALLY want a nitro setup!!

 

[tron]

can you go straight from fermenter to a corny keg if you are really careful not to get yeast particles into the keg?

 

[Wort*hog]

Just went out to tweek the system a little and my gas was about gone A little soapy water and it looked like the lawrence welk show Bubbles and more bubbles. I dont remember having this problem with bottles? sigh!

 

[olllllo]

can you go straight from fermenter to a corny keg if you are really careful not to get yeast particles into the keg?

You'd have to be microscopically careful, yeast are small. I think you mean trub. Yes you can go from the primary to corny, but that should not be considered a shortcut for time. 123 rule still applies.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Well I'm new to brewing and I'm going to start kegging seeing how my wife works for......



















a certain soda bottling company! :rockin:

So far I'm into my kegging equipment for $40.00. That's for 6 Cornelius (sp) soda kegs and a 20# CO2 tank.

I'm still going to bottle some for traveling purposes.

Happy Holidays!

Dan.

 

[bikebryan]

I have been seeing tappers/faucets that go directly on to the corny keg( they are attached directly to the ball-lock mechanism) is this a good or bad idea?

I don't see how they'd provide anything except glasses of foam. With no line to balance the pressure in the keg, the beer will be coming out of that tap WWAAYY too fast.

You could rememdy this by dialing down your CO2 pressure drastically, purge the excess pressure and pour, then dial your pressure back up. However, the up-down-up-down-up-down see-saw would drive me nuts. Sooner or later you forget and either your beer starts to go flat or you pour another glass of foam.

 

[tron]

I don't see how they'd provide anything except glasses of foam. With no line to balance the pressure in the keg, the beer will be coming out of that tap WWAAYY too fast.

What is the recomended line type and length so as not to get foam pours?

 

[user 574]

Tron, here is the basics towards home brew kegging:



More info is available from this site as well. http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/kits/ehk.shtml

You could lessen the cost by going with a picnic cooler tap for dispensing. The above starter kit is $71 (not including CO2 tank). I personally wouldn't get that regulator shown. You are better off getting a regulator that has gauges for the tank and the pressure to the keg. Not sure if you know, but you are kegging into 5 gal soda kegs. Pepsi type are more popular & called ball type. Pin is coke style. Kegs are usually $22-$30 each used. You are almost assured to be at $125+ to begin kegging less the fridge to keep it cold. My two tap setup I believe cost me $225 or so not including fridge.

If you haven't brewed yet, I'd personally recommend bottling 1st to make sure you really are committed to the hobby before investing in a keg system.

 

[skifast1]

Tron, here is the basics towards home brew kegging:

Excellent summary - this should be a sticky in the kegging FAQ

 

[bikebryan]

What is the recomended line type and length so as not to get foam pours?

It depends on how much pressure you have on your kegs, the diameter of your beverage line, and the type of tap you are using. I can't answer your question unless you have all this info handy.

 

[skifast1]

As someone who just got a nice big box yesterday from UPS with a kegging setup, I can testify that it's loooooong overdue.

Update - kegged my first batch last night in less than half the time it took for bottles, and that was taking extra care to be sure I didn't forget anything. I just wish I'd done it a year ago

 

[tron]

I am officially going to start brewing now!!! Just bought a setup on ebay as most of my starter kit. Very excited about this. Just need to get a boiling pot another carboy and a feww other odds and ends then I am on my way.