Home Beer Canning

Is there a relatively low cost solution to home canning of beer? (I say relatively low cost, meaning under a grand, since the options out there seem to start at several grand.) I'd love to ship beer to friends in other states but shipping bottles is an expensive PITA. This would also be a great way for the superstar homebrewer (not me quite yet) to transition into a commercial nano-brewery. Does such a system exist or do i need to invent I and become a bazillionaire?

 

I am guessing there is no cheap option but there are capable aluminium pint bottles out there. One of the lhbs by me sells them all you need is a bench capper and you are good to go. All the benefits of a can with no crazy overhead.

 

It's possible to do this on the small scale. Here is a video of somebody with a presumably DIY canning option:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqhzFOBGBd8[/ame]

The smallest canning machines available to buy that I know of are by Cask. I think their smallest systems can at like 20 cases an hour or so. You also have to buy their cans by the truckload.


Unless you're an engineer and can design a canning system, have money and time to waste, and have a source for new cans, I think reusing aluminum bottles will be your best bet.

 

Your best bet would be a Crowler machine supplied through Oskar Blues. It cans 32 ounce cans that you buy through them. If I remember correctly, it runs about $3k.

For that kind of money you can ship a lot of boxes back and forth full of those stainless bottles Northern Brewer sells.

 

Why not use plastic bottles or plastic growlers with pressure caps for shipping?

 

Finally found an option for canning home-brew. Its still a bit expensive but I am happy to not have to deal with bottles anymore.

http://www.oktoberdesign.com

I had mine for about three weeks and have sealed at least 3-4 cases of beer and it works perfectly. Easy to use, no leaks, and much less time that using bottles. I just dip the cans in some sanitizer and get on with the filling. I have been filling directly from my kegerator tap by purging the can and then hooking a piece of hose to the tap. Works great. For cans I plan to store for a while I will probably use the beer gun to fill them.

 

I just saw this. Doesn't seem to be a lot of information or reviews on it. What kind of maintenance is required on it? Is there a way to adjust the tolerances on the seamers or is it all by hand/by feel? Is there some trial and error involved or is it easy to seam cans consistently? Thanks for any info on it as I'm wanting to buy one!

 

There is minimal maintenance on the seamer from what I was told. I contacted a local brewpub that has one and is near this company and they said they had no issues and they loved it. There are set screws that can be adjusted so it does not look that hard if needed. They just sent me the instruction manual (it wasn't available when I purchased mine yet) so there are instructions on making adjustments. Its comes ready to go though. Seaming the cans is simple and consistent. I have probably canned about 6 cases so far with it and have not had an issue. I actually just picked up 1100 cans last week from a local supplier. So much easy than messing with the bottles and you can take a can anywhere. If you have any other questions just let me know. They are responsive to email.

 

Where do you store 1100 cans?

 

How does one can homegrown beans, beets, pickles, tomatoes, pears? In a mason (Ball) jar.

I've brought such to parties, in 1 pint Ball jars and it's a big hit. Open, remove lid and you're drinking from the glass it came in. Has a kinda moonshine appeal going for it. Plastic mason jars are available though I've never used them.

Keep them out of the sun, unless you like skunk. I've had IPA's skunk, even while I drink them, the first sip awesome, and the last skunky

 

Actually its not as bad as you think. I picked up 6 home depot moving boxes and packed the cans into those. I have a finished area above my garage with knee walls and storage behind so they are tucked away behind the wall until I need them. I should be set for months and months

Heres a quick video of it in action - [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDAXHr3BZ5Q[/ame]