Bottle or Barrel

[beer baron]

Just started my first brew (larger kit) 2 days ago and im not sure whether to use bottles or a barrel when the time comes. Which is best and what are the prose and cons? Thanks.

 

[david_42]

Bottles are a cheaper way to get started, but a lot more work: cleaning, sanitizing, capping, driving to the emergency room when the capper slips and ...

I've always kegged, but saving money isn't why I started brewing. Kegs are easy, bulk aging produces better results and I can tap off as much or as little as I want. I like to mix ales to try out new tastes. Costs more, more equipment, not very portable and to give away samples, you end up bottling anyway.

 

[edost]

I went straight to kegging because I didn't want the hassle of having to clean & sanitize bottles. I know I'm going to have instances where I bottle occasionally, but if it's a pain in the butt I know I won't want to do it.

Kegging for me is easy and I know I'll keep doing it.

 

[chask31]

I had a busy week last week when it was time to move from secondary to bottles. I therefore bottled 5 or so days after I wanted to and that makes it longer that I have to wait to drink my burr. If I had a keg, Im sure I could have done it in less time and not have had to wait the 5 days.

The process of bottling itself doesnt bother me...it just takes some time. I will get some kegs eventually though.

 

[Radarbrew]

I will assume you mean those plastic barrels in the UK? They are easiest, and do a good job of holding your beer, but do have a tendancy to leak from the spigot if the pressure from self carbonation gets too high. Bottles will keep longer depending on where you store them, and if you like your beer cold, then it's easier to fit in the fridge. So basically, weigh your options and go with what works best.

Cheers!

 

[Beer Snob]

Well if your doing like 10 gal batches I can see how bottling could be a lot of work. But really to do a 5 gal batch is not that much work. Especially if you clean the bottles as you drink them. Then all you do is mix up whatever sanitizer you want and drop the bottles in it. I am sure there has to be a certain amount of work needed for carboys as well right? I bottle in about 2 hours.... thats a 5 gal batch including sanitizing, but my bottles are clean and up to this point I dont use full labels(I label caps).

 

[beer baron]

Thanks guys, if barrels or kegs as you call them are ok i think thats the way forward for me, i dont fancy a trip to the emergency room!, and there is not much space in my apartment for all those bottles. Cheers!!!!

 

[gonzoflick]

Just a question but are you (being in the UK) drinking your beer roomtemp or chilled? To chill a keg system you of course need the room for an extra fridge, and if you dont have room yet for bottles even then a fridge might be pushin it. Just a thought!

Cheers

 

[beer baron]

Hopefully chilled i thought maybe i could transfer from the keg to a bottle, something like a plastic fizzy pop bottle to chill before drinking. That way i would only need a few bottles.

 

[Spyderturbo]

driving to the emergency room when the capper slips and ...

Funny that you should say that. I was brewing my Holiday Ale on Friday and the wife was in the kitchen cutting up an apple. She scares me every time she uses a knife. Just seems like she is a little to wreckless with them. Anyway, I told her that if she cut her finger off, she was goinig to have to wait until I was done brewing for me to take her to the hospital.

She shot me the "eyeball" and took her apple in the living room.

 

[Spyk'd]

Get her one of these. Once you have one, you'll never use a knife on an apple again:

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/large/9527.jpg


Word!

 

[grampska]

Get her one of these. Once you have one, you'll never use a knife on an apple again:

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/large/9527.jpg


Word!

Absoutely! That way several fingers can get cut off at once. Much more efficient!