Bottle vs Keg

[Kliffyboy]

So I am in the process of fermenting my first brew! I am curious if easier and or better quality with either bottling, or kegging? I need to decide soon so I can order the products. Just not sure much about either so seeing what you guy's think is the best bet??

Thanks! Everyone has been incredible!

 

[Ayzala]

I'm definitely going to watch this one. Let the tug of war begin.
You should keg...

 

[Kliffyboy]

I'm definitely going to watch this one. Let the tug of war begin.
You should keg...

I was leaning that route. Just seems a but intimidating with all the parts and adding gas hookup and such. Maybe it is a lot easier than it appears. Im also brewing or attempting to brew my wife a sour so easier to be able to re-use the keg system.

 

[cubalz]

keg without a doubt

 

[kinnebrewer]

If you have the option to do either, I would keg. There will of course be a learning curve to understanding pressurization, dissolved CO2, cleaning parts, etc, etc, but in the long run I think you'll be much happier kegging than bottling. And it looks pretty cool to have a tap of *your* beer on at your house when company comes over.

 

[Broken Crow]

Both.
For this batch though, bottle with priming sugar. When you like what you brew to the point you want it regularly available on tap, move on to kegging....unless you intend to have a very large kegerator/keezer. Even with kegging, you may run into sapce considerations or want to try out a smaller brew, so having bottles and equipment on hand for that, even if force-carbing and bottling from a kegerator. The experience of bottling is a useful part of the journey.

 

[hotbeer]

It's not really that one is going to give you better beer. I don't think either holds any great advantage for that.

The big difference is which is more appealing to you. There are hassles to get passed no matter which way you go.

I bottle.

 

[Ayzala]

I was leaning that route. Just seems a but intimidating with all the parts and adding gas hookup and such. Maybe it is a lot easier than it appears. Im also brewing or attempting to brew my wife a sour so easier to be able to re-use the keg system.

But seriously, I started with bottling like many on here. But after a while of cleaning 48+ bottles, O2 exposure, capping and in general the time it takes, I switched to kegging (again, like many others).

Nothing beats the portability of bottles, and that you don't need a dedicated fridge. But if you have the means, go to kegging as soon as possible.

Just my thoughts.

P.s. You could always bottle from the keg to take to friends (but that is more out of the wallet)

 

[bracconiere]

are you planing a mini fridge in the kegging option 'parts' list?

if not bottle a batch or two, until santa shows up....

my guess is bottling would cost you around $50-60 bucks to start doing, it's a PITA...but!

for kegging you're looking at a one time upfront cost of around $500-700....(as a quick guess)

 

[hotbeer]

One tip if you do decide to bottle. Get a bench capper and not one of those two handed cappers.

You'll find a bench capper just makes it much easier.

 

[bracconiere]

let's not forget for a first batch, 2 liter bottles are an option....

 

[wepeeler]

are you planing a mini fridge in the kegging option 'parts' list?

if not bottle a batch or two, until santa shows up....

my guess is bottling would cost you around $50-60 bucks to start doing, it's a PITA...but!

for kegging you're looking at a one time upfront cost of around $500-700....(as a quick guess)

You can get kegging kits much cheaper than that. Although, you might need a mini fridge if you don't have an extra fridge.

https://beveragelements.com/beverag...l-lock-keg-5-lb-co2-cylinder-all-accessories/
That's what I used to get started. I've since bought 2 more CO2 tanks and gotten kegs off FB Marketplace and Craig's List.

Keg! You can always bottle from the keg

 

[bracconiere]

if you do get a mini fridge do it in person, so that you can make sure it will fit at least 2 kegs, the co2 tank can be outside...don't want the pipe line to dry out between batches....(second keg another $50-100, ontop of the 220 for that kit, and the $200 for the fridge)

 

[Drewch]

This is a 100% personal preference question. There's no one right answer.

Bottling has a lower start-up cost and is (arguably) more artisanal/rustic/historic. But it's a lot harder to nail a specific final carbonation level.

Kegging has a significant upfront cost, but offers easier control of your final carbonation level.

A middle-road third route that I've been thinking about trying would be to spund and then bottle for storage/aging.

 

[AlexKay]

When I started kegging, it became easier to dial in my preferred carbonation level, and to get (much!) clearer beer.

I've spent more on kegs and keezers than on all my other brewing equipment put together. Maybe by a factor of 5.

I still bottle the occasional small batch in 1-L EZ-Caps. It's sure faster that way, though it means I have to drink a liter of beer at a time. Tough job, but somebody's got to do it...

 

[hout17]

I'm in the do both camp. Lately I've been bottling a lot more. Bottles are easy as long as you rinse them out after you open them up.



Kegging is easier from a manual labor standpoint but there is maintenance there too.

Also that dreaded CO2 leak can really suck on the kegging side.

 

[Rish]

Unless you know for sure that you will want to continue brewing, I'd suggest you bottle the first couple of batches to save the upfront costs. This will give you a chance to try you beers and learn more about the kegging process. I've been brewing for 3+ years and I bottle because I don't want to spend the money for a keg set and don't really have the room for an extra fridge.
I also definitely agree with the post above about getting a bench capper if you decide to keep bottling. Much easier imo.

 

[bracconiere]

Also that dreaded CO2 leak can really suck on the kegging side.

with all the why are my bottles flat threads round these parts?

 

[grampamark]

Until new brewers have been at it long enough to decide if they’re in it for the long run bottling makes more sense. The upfront cost is minimal; the only real investment is time. That time is what convinces most of the people, who find themselves brewing more than once a month or so, to start kegging.

 

[Dland]

Made 50 10 gallon batches in the old days, which were bottled. I even had a cool collection of old heavy duty bar bottles. Last 160 batches have been in kegs.

With somewhat larger batches bottling makes less sense. Sanitizing, bottling and handling that many bottles adds hours to brew process. Also harder to control oxidation, you can bottle with fairly low oxidation exposure, but it does take extra efforts and steps.

If one is brewing smaller batches, or just enjoys their beer out of bottles, that is not a bad choice either, but is more work per beer.

 

[bracconiere]

Until new brewers have been at it long enough to decide if they’re in it for the long run bottling makes more sense. The upfront cost is minimal; the only real investment is time. That time is what convinces most of the people, who find themselves brewing more than once a month or so, to start kegging.

i agree, unless you're 18, and have a mom willing to buy you everything! then it's bottle ONE batch and...

thankfully i did grow sorta up though!

 

[hout17]

with all the why are my bottles flat threads round these parts?

Yeah, but that's generally a problem between the chair and the bottle capper.

 

[patrick66]

I bottle in flip-top Grolsch and Fisher bottles. I have a cool basement room with shelving where I store about 400 bottles. Upstairs I have a mini fridge with 4 bottles each of about 12 to 15 different beers. I could not do this if I were kegging.
Cleaning bottles isn't the greatest job, but I don't hate it either. After I empty a bottle, I wash it in the dishwasher and store it clean. At bottling time all I need to do is rinse them with bleach and then a quick hot water rinse on the bottle washer. So far this has worked for me, I have only lost a couple of beers that did not carbonate (a nut brown ale that I ended-up mixing with a stout with plenty of fiz).
Patrick

 

[bracconiere]

I have a cool basement room with shelving where I store about 400 bottles

i hope they all have dust on them too! that'd be a cool look!

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

I'd say I am in the do both camp aswell, I keg most my brews nowadays but I have a 20 liter batch ,although probably about 18 of those will be actual packageable beer, fermenting now that I intend to bottle since it will age for quite some time. And later in winter I will brew a recreation/interpretation of old English stock ale that will be bottled.
So tl:dr: keg your normal strenght everyday beers and bottle your higher gravity "special beers" that will likely be kept for a while before they are all finished.

 

[jerrylotto]

They are not mutually exclusive solutions. I usually keg via closed transfer to a priming sugar charged CO2 purged keg, shake well and then bottle from the keg. You have to let the keg ferment out the priming sugar before chilling unless you bottle the whole batch, but a keg still makes a ssuperior"bottling bucket.," Especially if you use a bottling gun.

 

[Geezer-Glide]

I’ve been kegging a long time. After a move Seattle to Ohio about 20 years ago I had to leave my keg and fridge for kegs. I know, my priorities were all screwed up! Had to go back to bottling for a short time. I could not wait to get back to kegging.

if you shop carefully you can put a system together for a reasonable price. I’ve found corny kegs for $10 on Craigs List. Find a piece at a time and bottle while you search.

I finish my fermentations in a corny keg. It is later used as a serving keg. No O2 exposure. Using a spunding valve and natural carbonation is my preferred method. But then again, I am a dedicated tightwad.

 

[hottpeper13]

Eventually we all want to brew special ones like Lambics,RIS, Barleywines,Wee Heavy,ect. Getting a bottling system in place now that's not a pain will benefit your future brews. I just bottled 10 gal of 2 different meads and 10 gal of Lambics,one cherry and one raspberry.
With a 4 tap kegerator,2 picinic taps and 20 kegs I'm always cleaning something.
The Tap Cooler is my way of taking beer with me where ever I go and if not consumed they last until opened.

 

[rallenhall]

I do both. Remember that if you have more than one keg you may have to compromise on the temperature and pressure. I bottle many of my Belgian styles and German weissbiers in bombers at higher pressure levels than I'd normally keep on tap. Same might be said for British beers what you may want a bit warmer and at lower carbonation levels. The majority of my beers, however, go into a multi-tap kegerator and share a uniform pressure and temperature. Also, remember that you can always bottle off of a tap, but can't put the bottles on draught.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I haven't read anything except the first post, so I may be repeating what's been said. But, it's not about the quality of the beer. That's determined by you, the brewer.

Bottling vs kegging, to me, is about the amount of work involved. I'm lazy. I'd rather fill one big can, instead of 50 something little bottles. An issue with kegging that may be a deal breaker is the cost to get set up. The kegs, CO2 and regulator, kegerator. That stuff isn't cheap. Bottles, of bought new, are what, $15-20 a case?

 

[superiorsat]

Keg (you know your going to end up there anyway some day) and bottle a six pack with the excess from the fermenter. That is how I started and to my palate kegging wins every time in a taste contest. I do 2 liter bottles now with a carbonation cap for my excess beer because I even like that better than bottled with natural fermentation/carbonation. Just my $.02.

 

[MicroMickey]

Graduating to kegging is something that most home-brewers eventually do, and only look back at bottling in amusement (or disdain). Hold on Bubba, there are lots of reasons to bottle homebrew. Perhaps a party or barbeque is on your social calendar, you don’t want to show up empty handed, but you don’t want to tote a keg, gas bottle, and a tub full of ice. Let’s say you want to enter a few bottles in a competition. Maybe you want to set aside a six-pack for extended aging. A simple growler fill may be what you need. Again, there are lots of reasons to bottle homebrew. These few examples are enough reason to be prepared for this necessary chore.

 

[Oleson M.D.]

One word answer...KEG!

 

[hotbeer]

When you are really advanced you can do both. Bottle some and keg, then you'll have the advantages of both.

And with kegging you'll have the option of filling your bottles from the keg. But to do that right you'll need to invest in some more expensive pressure bottling equipment. But for beers you might want to gift to others in a six pack or case of bottles, you can always just split a batch and naturally carbonate them.

I don't foresee me doing keg ever though. But you know how saying "never" works! I don't make but 2 - 2½ gallons at a time and I don't find bottles any trouble to deal with.

 

[TheCache]

I do 2.5G batches (24-26 bottles). I run between 14-17 batches a year. I'm the principal beer lover in my house so it's doubtful I will increase my volume except for possibly a couple of 5 gallon batches of summer beers. For me bottling is fine, I have it down to a pretty quick set of steps. It's just not that annoying and I'd rather put my money into other things at this point (like my growing woodshop).

I'd agree with some others above who say to do a few batches first. Make sure your in the game for the long haul. If so, spending a little extra to develop your capacity and capability by kegging would be a great idea.

 

[HVCBrewing]

Brewing has a few starting place that evolve to a variety of ending places. Put another way, it's hard to know what you want to be when you grow up. I started as an extract brewer + bottling. It was fun and I enjoyed the beer. I am currently a BIAB brewer and keg + keg condition most beers. I started with a single tap keg. Now I have a 4 tap keg. The evolutionary steps resulted in the accumulation a lot of extra & mis-matched items. Presently, I have several kegs - I still bottle some beers. It's a good storage solution + some beers are well suited for bottling (Barley Wine). I would suggest bottling for now. If you catch the fever - then buy a multi-tap set up. You can keg things other than beer. I have a tap with Skeeter Pee and a tap with carbonated water and a couple of beers.

 

[aceluby]

I started with one gallon batches and bottled all of those. Only took 30 min to bottle a batch, so it wasn't a big deal. My first 5 gallon batch I bottled as well. I used the biggest bottles I had, put some in a one gallon mini-keg, but others in some SS growlers I had, and it was still a huge undertaking. I did that once and then found a keezer with CO2, 4 kegs, taps, etc... just needed a good cleaning - for $400 on facebook marketplace. That deal was kind of insane, but I regularly see similar setups go for 5 or 600 bucks with everything included and multiple taps (or 2-300 bucks for 1-2 tap kegerators). I pretty much only keg my 5 gallon batches now and bottle my one gallon ones.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

TLDR through the comments. I have been bottling since I knew how to brew, I see it as 45 minutes to an hour of me getting to sit quietly and package my beer. My process is simple and doesn't require much effort, I am lucky though as I can bottle from my FV.. Maybe if I had room, I would consider kegging. This is where most people have a tough call to make, buy the necessary gear to be able to run kegs or just bottle. Maybe I'm simple minded like that, but some people squawking at how "inconvenient" bottling is is silly. It takes almost as little effort as filling a keg.

 

[aceluby]

TLDR through the comments. I have been bottling since I knew how to brew, I see it as 45 minutes to an hour of me getting to sit quietly and package my beer. My process is simple and doesn't require much effort, I am lucky though as I can bottle from my FV.. Maybe if I had room, I would consider kegging. This is where most people have a tough call to make, buy the necessary gear to be able to run kegs or just bottle. Maybe I'm simple minded like that, but some people squawking at how "inconvenient" bottling is is silly. It takes almost as little effort as filling a keg.

An hour? How? It takes me an hour just to sanitize 50 bottles, another 20-30 minutes to prep them with sugar, then another hour to fill. Keg takes 5 minutes to sanitize and 5 minutes to fill. Maybe you could share your process as to how you get 50 bottles sanitized, prepped, and filled in 45 minutes? It takes me that long to do a gallon.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

.