Hey everyone - Looking for some solid advice on which bottling process to pursue. Here's what I'm trying to do:
While reading the four brewer's publications books, I decided I want to start experimenting more. For example, do more 1 - 1.5 gallon batches with different water profiles, yeast strains, malt tweaks, and so on (you know really dive deep into the practice). I would also like to start entering my beer into a competition if a good batch were to arise.
With that being said, I am set for a 5 gallon brew day. I absolutely hate bottling so a couple months ago I switched over to kegging my beer instead. So with that, I'm considering 3 alternatives: Canning, Smaller Kegs, or Bottling w/ a CO2 purge. (Mind you Im also attempting to stay within a budget, wiling to invest the $ but not an astronomical amount).
With canning I would need the seamer, cans, and a beer gun which all comes out to around $850
With smaller kegs, I would need a couple of 1.5 - 2 gal kegs ($100-120 ea.) plus I would need to install more taps. A con with this is if I ever wanted to enter a comp I wouldn't be able to enter because it might lose carb - $600 - $750
With a purge CO2 bottle, it would be the cheapest because I would just need a beer gun. But I've been reading that bottles are susceptible to O2 seeping through the cap.
Just looking for advice or anyone who's used the methods above, what did and didnt work.
Cheers!
While reading the four brewer's publications books, I decided I want to start experimenting more. For example, do more 1 - 1.5 gallon batches with different water profiles, yeast strains, malt tweaks, and so on (you know really dive deep into the practice). I would also like to start entering my beer into a competition if a good batch were to arise.
With that being said, I am set for a 5 gallon brew day. I absolutely hate bottling so a couple months ago I switched over to kegging my beer instead. So with that, I'm considering 3 alternatives: Canning, Smaller Kegs, or Bottling w/ a CO2 purge. (Mind you Im also attempting to stay within a budget, wiling to invest the $ but not an astronomical amount).
With canning I would need the seamer, cans, and a beer gun which all comes out to around $850
With smaller kegs, I would need a couple of 1.5 - 2 gal kegs ($100-120 ea.) plus I would need to install more taps. A con with this is if I ever wanted to enter a comp I wouldn't be able to enter because it might lose carb - $600 - $750
With a purge CO2 bottle, it would be the cheapest because I would just need a beer gun. But I've been reading that bottles are susceptible to O2 seeping through the cap.
Just looking for advice or anyone who's used the methods above, what did and didnt work.
Cheers!