Interesting observation--bottle v. keg

[jeffg]

6-7 years ago I went from bottling to kegging and have not looked back...until recently. I just started trying to bottle a six pack or so of each beer I brew and keg, in part to have a reserve supply, maybe to submit to a homebrew competition. This weekend I sampled a bottle of the dopplebock I brewed earlier in the winter and finished in the keg a few weeks ago. I must say--the bottled version seemed a lot better to me. Maybe it was the additional conditioning, although it was only a few weeks, but everything seemed a lot more pronounced in terms of malt flavor than it did coming out of the keg. The only other difference was that the keg beer went from the lager fridge into the keg and sayed cold and the bottlee beer went from the lager fridge to cellar temps to achieve bottle carbonation (for about a month) and then back in the fridge. I have found the opposite true with simpler ales and bitters (taste better in keg) but maybe this style of heavy beer develops a better body in the smaller vessel than the large one? I don't know but I figured it was worth mentioning--maybe other folks have had similar results?

 

[grampska]

I haven't done a comparison of the same beer bottled and kegged, but I prefer bottle conditioning to kegging and am willing to spend the extra 1/2 hour to do it. I noticed more consistency with bottling. The keg seems more affected by fluctuations in temperature and my current batch that I have on tap went through a period where it tasted "green" again.

 

[magno]

I noticed more consistency with bottling. The keg seems more affected by fluctuations in temperature and my current batch that I have on tap went through a period where it tasted "green" again.

Thats interesting. I would think that the bottles would be subject to temp swings moreso than the kegs. My bottles sit in a closet or under a table at room temp until being put in the fridge. I would assume that most kegs sit in a kegerator of a longer period of time.

I have no personal experience with this as I dont keg. I have noticed that commercial beers taste different and often better, from kegs as opposed to bottles.

- magno

 

[Drunkensatyr]

I have noticed that commercial beers taste different and often better, from kegs as opposed to bottles.

- magno

That is in large part to the total removal of UV light.

 

[Beerrific]

I have noticed that commercial beers taste different and often better, from kegs as opposed to bottles.

- magno

I visited a micro brewery (Abita Brewery) and the guide (one of the brewers) said that they flash pasteurize the beer before they bottle (as many micros do). But, they do not pasteurize the beer going into kegs. They can do this since kegs are more controlled as to how soon they are consumed. He admitted and I agree that this 'kills' some flavor too. It is more noticeable in heavier/darker beers.

Abita Turbodog is 100 times better from a keg than a bottle. I drank some that day, fresh from a keg. I can't drink the bottled stuff anymore.