cheezydemon3
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These are cold, hard advantages. I keg almost everything and make the statement:
That said, the advantages noted do warrant a discussion, and I am enjoying this one. Sorry that you are not, but don't be a party pooper.
Who prefers bottling over kegging?
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These are cold, hard advantages. I keg almost everything and make the statement:
That said, the advantages noted do warrant a discussion, and I am enjoying this one. Sorry that you are not, but don't be a party pooper.
MotorcycleMatt
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you can easily fill a bottle/growler from a keg though and bring it with you. I do that regularly. I prefer kegging, its easier, less mess, and less time, but certain beers i want in bottles.
MarsingRedneck
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Do you have a dishwasher? Just put em in the night before you plan to bottle wash with no soap. It cleans and sanitizes. For me, that's no pain in the backside
Flipadelphia
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I imagine most bottlers would gladly take/prefer a nice 4-5 tap Keezer, who wouldn't? I also imagine the majority of the people in here defending exclusively bottling are one or more of the following:
1. Can't afford it
2. Don't have the space
3. Aren't 'allowed' by their So (lol)
4. Too lazy to build it
Of course there are a select few who absolutely prefer bottling and have 0 interest in ever kegging. I say, more power to you, but you're in the extreme minority. For most, having a bad ass keezer is the end game goal for beer packaging / serving.
I just think there are a few people in here ragging on kegging who would actually love a nice keezer, but can't afford it. That doesn't make kegging bad.
1. Can't afford it
2. Don't have the space
3. Aren't 'allowed' by their So (lol)
4. Too lazy to build it
Of course there are a select few who absolutely prefer bottling and have 0 interest in ever kegging. I say, more power to you, but you're in the extreme minority. For most, having a bad ass keezer is the end game goal for beer packaging / serving.
I just think there are a few people in here ragging on kegging who would actually love a nice keezer, but can't afford it. That doesn't make kegging bad.
There seems to be a trend here, from what I can see there are two types of people in the world:
People who have not kegged and therefor believe bottling is perfectly fine
People who have kegged and know how much less hassle it is
I am seeing a lot of phrases like "it's easy" with regard to bottling, and yes, pouring liquid into a bottle is not hard. Heck brewing in general is pretty easy, which is why it's popular. But let us not try and use easy as a reason to ignore superior methods.
Kegging is better than bottling in almost every way, and for the few ways that bottling is better (mostly space/portability) you can still bottle from your keg. Which is why there is really no debate here, read it again, for any reason that you enjoy bottling, you can still bottle from a keg; so you get all the pluses of both with a keg system.
If money/space are not an issue, kegging is where you want to be.
People who have not kegged and therefor believe bottling is perfectly fine
People who have kegged and know how much less hassle it is
I am seeing a lot of phrases like "it's easy" with regard to bottling, and yes, pouring liquid into a bottle is not hard. Heck brewing in general is pretty easy, which is why it's popular. But let us not try and use easy as a reason to ignore superior methods.
Kegging is better than bottling in almost every way, and for the few ways that bottling is better (mostly space/portability) you can still bottle from your keg. Which is why there is really no debate here, read it again, for any reason that you enjoy bottling, you can still bottle from a keg; so you get all the pluses of both with a keg system.
If money/space are not an issue, kegging is where you want to be.
I have a 3 tap keezer and love it. I also still bottle my beers occasionally.
I just notice something a little different about bottle conditioned beers. It's an extra step that definitely adds to the final product in some styles of beers IMO. This is why commercial breweries often use bottle conditioning for certain ales.
There's no question that kegging is easier, more fun, more convenient etc. But I think anyone that takes the stance that 1 is absolutely better than the other, period, is missing out on a wider world of brewing.
I just notice something a little different about bottle conditioned beers. It's an extra step that definitely adds to the final product in some styles of beers IMO. This is why commercial breweries often use bottle conditioning for certain ales.
There's no question that kegging is easier, more fun, more convenient etc. But I think anyone that takes the stance that 1 is absolutely better than the other, period, is missing out on a wider world of brewing.
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I'm not seeing it.
How many hundreds of threads are there on problems with kegging? Countless.
Look, you don't need to justify to me your kegging setup, but it's just stupefying to me that anyone thinks bottling is some great inconvenience.
I own my own home and live alone so space isn't an issue, I could afford a kegging setup, but why? I'm perfectly happy bottling and I can't understand why so many people seem to feel threatened by that.
I wasn't going to go here on a site devoted to people who love beer and brewing but I'm not 25 anymore and Alchohol does not play a pivotal role in my life. I'm not going to have someone walk into my house and see a shrine to the consumption of beer. Everyone who knows me knows I enjoy beer and wine.
I bottle for the same reason that I brew extract beers, it meets my expectations. I'm happy for those of you who get joy from your kegging setup, but just because someone does it different doesn't mean they are wrong.
How many hundreds of threads are there on problems with kegging? Countless.
Look, you don't need to justify to me your kegging setup, but it's just stupefying to me that anyone thinks bottling is some great inconvenience.
I own my own home and live alone so space isn't an issue, I could afford a kegging setup, but why? I'm perfectly happy bottling and I can't understand why so many people seem to feel threatened by that.
I wasn't going to go here on a site devoted to people who love beer and brewing but I'm not 25 anymore and Alchohol does not play a pivotal role in my life. I'm not going to have someone walk into my house and see a shrine to the consumption of beer. Everyone who knows me knows I enjoy beer and wine.
I bottle for the same reason that I brew extract beers, it meets my expectations. I'm happy for those of you who get joy from your kegging setup, but just because someone does it different doesn't mean they are wrong.
beersk
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I've always said don't let anyone fool you into thinking kegging is quicker than bottling. That is oft sited as an advantage to kegging. But if you're cleaning your kegs/system properly, it takes about as long as bottling. But, there are times when you can slack on the cleaning a bit. For instance, a beer just kicked and you've got another keg ready to go. You don't always need to clean the beer lines; you can just hook up the next keg and start serving it. But, I usually clean my beer lines when a keg kicks, so that's my procedure. Takes time, no doubt.
Bottling isn't so bad, I just don't like using a bottling bucket. There's the introduction of oxygen when siphoning into a bucket that is open and not filled with co2. There's also the possibility that you didn't sanitize some little nook or cranny in the bucket spigot or a scratch you can't see. That's why whenever I bottle, I use a keg as my bottling bucket and push beer with about 3-5 PSI of co2.
I also think beer doesn't keep as well in bottles. Most medium gravity beers you should drink within a few months or they start exhibiting oxidation. Which is probably tied to my dislike of bottling buckets. I feel like I've already said this in this thread. But I also was surprised this thread is still going when I opened it. I think it is a topic worth discussing (not debating). Some people just prefer bottles. That's cool. It's cheaper and simpler.
Bottling isn't so bad, I just don't like using a bottling bucket. There's the introduction of oxygen when siphoning into a bucket that is open and not filled with co2. There's also the possibility that you didn't sanitize some little nook or cranny in the bucket spigot or a scratch you can't see. That's why whenever I bottle, I use a keg as my bottling bucket and push beer with about 3-5 PSI of co2.
I also think beer doesn't keep as well in bottles. Most medium gravity beers you should drink within a few months or they start exhibiting oxidation. Which is probably tied to my dislike of bottling buckets. I feel like I've already said this in this thread. But I also was surprised this thread is still going when I opened it. I think it is a topic worth discussing (not debating). Some people just prefer bottles. That's cool. It's cheaper and simpler.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
I don't find bottling difficult or time consuming. Do I keg? sure I do. I have one nitro tap that has either a stout or Irish red. A second tap usually has an IPA ready to go.
That being said I like variety and always have about 12 different brews in the fridge. I also have about 30 different beers in varying amounts stored in my basement. There is no way I could have that many kegs floating around.
I bottle whenI brew so it really takes no extra time. While my strike water is heating up, I rack to the bottling bucket. When I start my mash, I start bottling. I am done before the mash is over. Easy.
I do brew a lot of Belgians and they always get bottled and aged. I like a good Belgian but at 8-12% they are not everyday beers.
It should not be about one or the other, but a good mix of both kegged brew and bottled brew.
That being said I like variety and always have about 12 different brews in the fridge. I also have about 30 different beers in varying amounts stored in my basement. There is no way I could have that many kegs floating around.
I bottle whenI brew so it really takes no extra time. While my strike water is heating up, I rack to the bottling bucket. When I start my mash, I start bottling. I am done before the mash is over. Easy.
I do brew a lot of Belgians and they always get bottled and aged. I like a good Belgian but at 8-12% they are not everyday beers.
It should not be about one or the other, but a good mix of both kegged brew and bottled brew.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
I know I should not reply after having a hard sparkling apple cider and a skeeter pee, and sometimes I wish there was an alcohol interlock on my keyboard so I could be more self-censoring when I read bullsh*t like this, but there I'm not, and there isn't, so there you go.
WTF? I clearly stated above that I've kegged, and sold it all off and stuck with bottling. Is money the issue? No. I had it all. Is space the issue? No, I could fit in a kegerator. I just found that it wasn't worth the bother. Cleaning the lines, cleaning the taps, replacing the seals, having keg lube, worrying about line length, leaky regulators, refilling CO2 tanks, dumping the first pour, counter pressure bottle fillers, yadda yadda yadda. I like bottling, this is a hobby I enjoy and bottling is part of it. Can't you just leave it at that? Does it really have to come down that I only bottle because I can't afford to keg or don't have room, or am p*ssy whipped by my significant other, or lazy?
Did I suggest that the only reason keggers are so vehement about not liking to bottle is to justify spending money? No. Did I suggest that they love to own kegging equipment and show off to their friends to compensate for having small (or no) penises? No. Or because they are too incompetent to learn how to get consistent volumes of CO2 through natural carbonation? No. So why does it have to be that bottlers only bottle because they are too poor or whipped?
jeesuschristonacrutch, if you don't want to bottle, fine. But keep your armchair psychology and speculation to yourself.
I'm going to hit "Submit Reply" now because the damn alcohol interlock on my keyboard isn't working, and I'm too poor and whipped to get it fixed.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
^^^^^^ well stated.
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
Lol.........don't you hate that?? YOu end up endorsing whatever TF tex puts at the top of the page!!!
I like my bottles, I will most likely continue to bottle for the simple joy of it. However, I would ALSO like to keg for those times I want to just take a keg to a party. Makes it easier than explaining everybody needs to pour everything into a glass, leave the sediment, yada yada...
That is the only reason I would want to keg as of right now, cleaner beer.
That is the only reason I would want to keg as of right now, cleaner beer.
Flipadelphia
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Then I'll add a 5th stipulation to what I wrote....
5. Some don't feel like it.
There, happy? Just because your individual situation doesn't fit what I wrote doesn't make it incorrect. I can't list every freaking reason on God's green earth but I guarantee you I covered 95%, which is fine by me.
Bottle all you want dude, and cheers to you for that.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
Here, I fixed that for you.
Flipadelphia
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And that's your opinion, mostly because you don't fit into what I listed. So you take exception to it and get angry. That's your problem, not mine.
Good day!
JoeSpartaNJ
Well-Known Member
Do I like bottling over kegging......no. Do I like kegging over bottling.....no.
I keg my beer because I dont usually have the time to bottle anymore. I can rack to keg and have everything cleaned and put away in 1 hour max.
That being said, I enjoy bottle conditioned beer more. It just tastes better to me.
I keg my beer because I dont usually have the time to bottle anymore. I can rack to keg and have everything cleaned and put away in 1 hour max.
That being said, I enjoy bottle conditioned beer more. It just tastes better to me.
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
Answer this question for us.
How does my bottling beer detract from your enjoyment of life?
Because, with the vehement defensiveness you're exhibiting, I can only assume that me bottling beer causes you some distress or pain.
Or you're on a campaign to stamp out the vile, subhuman bottlers so that the hobby of homebrewing is left the to the realm of the worthy keggers.
Lighten up, Francis.
I bottle, and don't mind it. Would kegging be nice? Sure, but the desire to switch over is not compelling enough for me to incur the expense and take up the space.
PRE66_6TART
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Wow. These bottling vs kegging debates get contentious. Let's all take a minute to remember the things we can all agree on. Like how glass carboys are so much better than plastic buckets.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
Thanks for that. I just blew snot on my keyboard.
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
My best guess is since politics and religion are off limits, we've had to find proxies for them.
Just for fun, go back through the posts in this thread and replace "Bottle" or "Keg" with either "believe in Christianity" or "believe in Islam" and see how many posts still make sense. It's surprising.
Just for fun, go back through the posts in this thread and replace "Bottle" or "Keg" with either "believe in Christianity" or "believe in Islam" and see how many posts still make sense. It's surprising.
as I told my brother when I was teaching him how to build methane pumps: "You can do it any way you want... as long as you do it my way."
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
That's a valid point, when doing it differently means that someone could die then it's fine to be a stickler.
Sir-Brews-Alot
Well-Known Member
While it is true that it does take some skill to balance a kegging system, the fact is, like most things, you only hear from the minority of people that are having problems. You don't hear from all of the other people that have no problem with it. For every thread where 1 person is struggling with it, there are probably 100 other people that have no problem with it whatsoever. Not to mention, I could probably find just as many threads where people are having problems with bottling, whether it be infections, under or over carbed or what have you.
BeerLoverHere
Well-Known Member
I like to have sex with my wife when I'm on top some, then when I'm on the bottom, then from behind, etc. I'm happy either way and so is she!
To each his own; as long as good beer is the end result, I don't give a f%$& either way...
To each his own; as long as good beer is the end result, I don't give a f%$& either way...
I have a quick run down for y'all.
I just bottled 135 @ 12 oz which took 2 hrs from boiling priming sugar to post filling/capping washing and covering the bottles with blow out protection which I do as a general practice but i9t has never been needed to date. This was two batches of IPA which are not the same recipe, so it was two bottling icidences. It took another hour to clean up the floor, two fermenters and the bottling Speidel. I wouldn't say that is overly time consuming and it would have been better but all my bombers are tied up. I'm still waiting on an immediate call back on 6 cases of 22's from a useless store which claims to be a HBS.
All bottles are washed as used, little time involved with proper practice.
As far as costs for bottling to kegging go, what do you think 500 22's and 750 +/- 12 oz. cost? Yes, I should have bought bulk but who knew?
Room? Think of the heated floor space for carbonation storage and then cold crashing area also is a consideration. Everything considered, kegging is cheaper and less space demanding.
I'll stick with bottling all the same, better product.
I just bottled 135 @ 12 oz which took 2 hrs from boiling priming sugar to post filling/capping washing and covering the bottles with blow out protection which I do as a general practice but i9t has never been needed to date. This was two batches of IPA which are not the same recipe, so it was two bottling icidences. It took another hour to clean up the floor, two fermenters and the bottling Speidel. I wouldn't say that is overly time consuming and it would have been better but all my bombers are tied up. I'm still waiting on an immediate call back on 6 cases of 22's from a useless store which claims to be a HBS.
All bottles are washed as used, little time involved with proper practice.
As far as costs for bottling to kegging go, what do you think 500 22's and 750 +/- 12 oz. cost? Yes, I should have bought bulk but who knew?
Room? Think of the heated floor space for carbonation storage and then cold crashing area also is a consideration. Everything considered, kegging is cheaper and less space demanding.
I'll stick with bottling all the same, better product.
BeerLoverHere
Well-Known Member
Yep, bottling is much more personal and time consuming! This is part of the experience if you ask me. I like it!
It gives the kids an alarming sense of self pleasure to know they helped Daddy bottle his beer...
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
It is NOT a cost thing. It is NOT a sex thing (multiple positions are necessary to keep it interesting).
It is a "It took 10 minutes and am done. My beer will be carbed and drinkable in a week"
I was spouting the benefits of the bottle (and did so again on page 12....i think) but kegging is so effing easy it is not a debate.
I ENJOY cutting the grass.......OK?
But if someone comes along and offers to cut my grass for $5/week........how can I argue?
It is a "It took 10 minutes and am done. My beer will be carbed and drinkable in a week"
I was spouting the benefits of the bottle (and did so again on page 12....i think) but kegging is so effing easy it is not a debate.
I ENJOY cutting the grass.......OK?
But if someone comes along and offers to cut my grass for $5/week........how can I argue?
BeerLoverHere
Well-Known Member
Kegging is not portable! Bottles are.
I'd rather cut the grass myself than to have someone else do it for free...just sayin! But this is also coming from someone who can't ever sit down and relax either...
I'd rather cut the grass myself than to have someone else do it for free...just sayin! But this is also coming from someone who can't ever sit down and relax either...
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
And yet you insist on continuing the debate.
I bottle, I'm genuinely sorry if that causes you angst or discomfort, but you have precisely zero chance of convincing me to take up kegging, for all of the reasons I listed earlier.
I'm happy that kegging brings you joy and I don't feel threatened in the least by your kegging.
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
And yet you insist on continuing the debate.
I bottle, I'm genuinely sorry if that causes you angst or discomfort, but you have precisely zero chance of convincing me to take up kegging, for all of the reasons I listed earlier.
I'm happy that kegging brings you joy and I don't feel threatened in the least by your kegging.
I was a serious bottle protagonist, and I still maintain that bottling has some SERIOUS advantages.
I am not really debating. even the above "2 ipa" bottling session took 800% longer than it takes me to sanitize 2 kegs, syphon to beers, and hit them with gas.
The advantages of portability and storage that I sacrifice, are worth it because my TIME is so valuable.
That is also how I justified going back to PM brewing after going all grain.
OK. Here it is.
If cost and space are no object, even the most ardent bottler will have the occasional "session" brew that would be just fine on tap. Or maybe there are already 75 of this IPA recipe already bottled, so might as well keg this 5 gallons.
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
Yeah, and I am still not buying it either. You honestly have 30 to 50 gallons of beer in bottles right now?
Rhumbline
Well-Known Member
A man on a crusade.
How about we talk about something less contentious?
Abortion
Euthanasia
Religion
Politics
Gay marriage
Time to stick a fork in this one.
Oh, I usually have 15-20 gallons of beer bottled and in addition to that I've currently got about 40 gallons of wine bottled.
I'm reminded of that cartoon "I can't come to bed honey, someone on the internet is WRONG!1!!11"
How about we talk about something less contentious?
Abortion
Euthanasia
Religion
Politics
Gay marriage
Time to stick a fork in this one.
Oh, I usually have 15-20 gallons of beer bottled and in addition to that I've currently got about 40 gallons of wine bottled.
I'm reminded of that cartoon "I can't come to bed honey, someone on the internet is WRONG!1!!11"
Yeah, and I am still not buying it either. You honestly have 30 to 50 gallons of beer in bottles right now?
Yes I do. 4 recipes of ginger beer, 2 blends of cider, 2 cream ales and 2 IPA's. All are in bottles, 12 oz and 22 oz. As of Saturday there will be another 15 gal of IPA and 10 gal of ginger beer in fermenters. After all, it IS winter. LOL.
What choo all got?
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