Bottling off the keg and aging???

[dummkauf]

Ok, I've found lots of threads on bottling from my keg, and the pros/cons of each device, but have yet to find any that discuss aging using the different fillers?

I'm looking into buying either a counter pressure filler, a beer gun, or doing the picnic tap with racking can trick, which all seem to work for bottling for competitions, gifting to friends, or drinking right away. My concern is that out of every batch I've brewed thus far, I've tucked a few bottles away for aging, just to see how they change for my own personal education. Since I am now kegging, I would like to be able to bottle off a 6 pack to age for a while(I usually try at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, or longer).

I'm thinking a counter pressure filler would probably be my best bet for aging, but I also like how easy the beer gun is to operate.

Anyone with experiencing aging bottles of beer with a counter pressure filler, beer gun, or the picnic tap trick have any input on this? If you do, what is the longest you have aged a beer bottled with your technique and how was it?

 

[samc]

Picnic tap, I think my record was about 4 hours so far. LOL . . . just filled a Growler a few hours ago to take to a party.

Yeah I know it does not answer your question but I just started using that method the last few weeks. I just have a piece of tubing through a drilled stopper into the picnic tap. I don't bother with flushing the bottle with CO2 simply because my goal has not been long term aging. I do have a separate wand that I can hook to CO2 for that purpose if needed. IMO any of the methods you mentioned should produce similar results as they seem to be doing the same thing which is displacing the Oxygen with CO2 and then beer.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I think my record is something like 6 months so far, I haven't noticed a difference.

If you fill the bottles to the top and let it foam a bit then all of the O2 will have been displaced. Cap the bottle and it should be O2 free.

The only problem I see with aging beer that was kegged is that over time bugs will start growing in the keg lines/tap. This isn't an issue for the kegged beer since it is refrigerated, but long term storage at room temp might give them the time they need to really get established. It won't be anything pathogenic, but it might be something that will generate off flavors. Just make sure to sanitize your transfer line, quick connects, etc. really well and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[sudbuster]

I think my record is something like 6 months so far, I haven't noticed a difference.

If you fill the bottles to the top and let it foam a bit then all of the O2 will have been displaced. Cap the bottle and it should be O2 free.

The only problem I see with aging beer that was kegged is that over time bugs will start growing in the keg lines/tap. This isn't an issue for the kegged beer since it is refrigerated, but long term storage at room temp might give them the time they need to really get established. It won't be anything pathogenic, but it might be something that will generate off flavors. Just make sure to sanitize your transfer line, quick connects, etc. really well and you shouldn't have a problem.

I really beleive he's wanting to age in bottles, thus the question about bottling.

 

[WrongCoastBrewery]

The racking cane filler is a good option. Cheap and it works well. Like BierMuncher would say, cap on foam. Then condition it at the same temp as the beer. Many on here have kept their beers fresh for 1+ years with that method.

 

[dummkauf]

If it's sealed up and no air is in there from the foam method, why would it be necessary to condition at the keg temp???

Just curious, as I keep beers I drink regularily in the fridge too, and prefer to age my beers in my downstairs closet.

 

[WrongCoastBrewery]

If it's sealed up and no air is in there from the foam method, why would it be necessary to condition at the keg temp???

Just curious, as I keep beers I drink regularily in the fridge too, and prefer to age my beers in my downstairs closet.

if you force carbed the beer and then bottled from the keg, allowing beers to warm back up could potentially cause some CO2 to come out of solution. Granted, if you used priming sugar or DME, it shouldnt be a problem.

 

[devilishprune]

As long as you're talking about bottling from a keg, either way you are going to have the same volume of CO2 dissolved in solution. These are just different ways to reach the same end. You're going to put them in the fridge for a while before you drink them anyway, so I don't see this as being an issue.

 

[dummkauf]

Why would using priming sugar be any different than force carbing???

Either way, the CO2 pressure would still need to be the there, and I don't see how the sugar/DME approach would keep CO2 absorbed into the beer any different than if the CO2 came out of my tank? CO2 is CO2, regardless of whether it comes from yeasties or your CO2 tank.

 

[WrongCoastBrewery]

Why would using priming sugar be any different than force carbing???

Either way, the CO2 pressure would still need to be the there, and I don't see how the sugar/DME approach would keep CO2 absorbed into the beer any different than if the CO2 came out of my tank? CO2 is CO2, regardless of whether it comes from yeasties or your CO2 tank.

Here is a test for you. Open two beers you buy from the store. Put one in the fridge and the other on the kitchen counter. Breweries force carb at colder temps just like if you were to bottle from the keg. In the end, the bottle at room temp will go flatter faster.

This is based on the fact that at warmer temperatures, molecules move around easier. Thus, the CO2 wants to come out of solution faster. The same goes for when you shake up a beer or soda.

 

[specialized]

Here is a test for you. Open two beers you buy from the store. Put one in the fridge and the other on the kitchen counter. Breweries force carb at colder temps just like if you were to bottle from the keg. In the end, the bottle at room temp will go flatter faster.

This is based on the fact that at warmer temperatures, molecules move around easier. Thus, the CO2 wants to come out of solution faster. The same goes for when you shake up a beer or soda.

Once the system is sealed (keg or bottle) C02 will not escape. Priming sugar or force carb has no difference.

So yes if you let your beer go flat and then bottle it, it will be flat always

If you carb your beer in a keg, put it in a bottle and cap that bottle, the beer will reach equilibrium at a lower carb level (by filling head space) but won't be flat.

 

[dummkauf]

I understand the temp difference, however the bottles will be going in the fridge before I drink them eventually anyway. My question is around the effect of aging, which while the beer may be less carbonated at room temp, a few days in the fridge should fix that, and I'm not following how that will affect the flavor of the beer as it ages?