As for storing the unpasteurized beer I offer this experience. I was a sub contractor on a new beer distributor building for the loading dock and doors. There was a Keg room that had two high speed doors and was kept at 32*. Only the truck inside loading area wasn't temp controlled. We had 4 high speed doors for the storage area but I can't remember the setting. It was chill enough to wear coats for servicing. I keep my kegs at 33*.
Kegging vs Bottling
- Thread starter JoeSchmoe
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JoeSchmoe
Active Member
I haven't monitored the temps through the seasons, but since I started brewing, my backroom of my basement has been 67 anytime I've checked. I have an old farmhouse with a stone foundation that's maybe 3ft thick. The backroom never sees sunlight. I'm guessing the hot days of the summer have been partially offset by some minor leaks in my ductwork carrying the AC to keep it consistent.
I'd imagine in the dead of winter (Niagara Canada region), it'll get colder unless the same leaks will add a bit of heat.
PS - What made you think I had a rather large location? My house is decent size, definitely not large though.
Tangent: sealing (and insulating) those ducts properly can be costly, but it can substantially improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling.
BrewnWKopperKat
(Ο_Ο)
MountainDevil
New Member
I've always bottled, but the storage space is getting to be an issue at my current place. While i have plenty of room in the shed, it's a bit dirty and being 50m from the house, it's a bit of a nuisance to carry bottles back and forth all the time. Now I've got the beer aging in my study, but they're taking up plenty of space there. I have about 120 tallies, and i want to increase the length of my pipeline.
I bought a kegerator system off facebook marketplace with 3 cornies for A$250. This should be equivalent to about another 60 bottles, but far easier for storage. I plan to do most of my pale ales into the kegs, and continue bottling darker beers.
Less bottle washing will be appreciated as well.
I bought a kegerator system off facebook marketplace with 3 cornies for A$250. This should be equivalent to about another 60 bottles, but far easier for storage. I plan to do most of my pale ales into the kegs, and continue bottling darker beers.
Less bottle washing will be appreciated as well.
I believe yeast selection and pitch rate are the largest determinants of how quickly you can make beer. No matter what you do with your process, you will always be waiting for the yeast to do something. Everything works better with cleaner, faster yeast pitched at a high rate (*note: Not talking about my beloved Hefeweizen here).
Fundamentally for your average ale, you want to be using strains like Nottingham, Novalager, and S-04. These, at standard homebrew pitch rates (~2 grams per gallon) in standard strength wort, can fully ferment just about anything in less than a week, and produce practically no diacetyl or acetaldehyde, or other "stuff" that needs time to clean up. And you can pressure ferment with these strains saving you time and CO2. Oxebar kegs have been a game changer for me. I routinely ferment and serve from the same keg and if anything all the extra junk in the bottom just helps the beer clear and clean up faster.
CBC-1 bottle conditioning yeast is an absolute beast and is a tool in my pocket. This yeast will not only bottle condition your beer faster than any other strain, but it'll even clean up diacetyl and other junk left behind by other strains.
It's true to a large extent that you can't rush good beer, but you can also certainly do a lot to speed up the entire process without sacrificing a lot of character.
Fundamentally for your average ale, you want to be using strains like Nottingham, Novalager, and S-04. These, at standard homebrew pitch rates (~2 grams per gallon) in standard strength wort, can fully ferment just about anything in less than a week, and produce practically no diacetyl or acetaldehyde, or other "stuff" that needs time to clean up. And you can pressure ferment with these strains saving you time and CO2. Oxebar kegs have been a game changer for me. I routinely ferment and serve from the same keg and if anything all the extra junk in the bottom just helps the beer clear and clean up faster.
CBC-1 bottle conditioning yeast is an absolute beast and is a tool in my pocket. This yeast will not only bottle condition your beer faster than any other strain, but it'll even clean up diacetyl and other junk left behind by other strains.
It's true to a large extent that you can't rush good beer, but you can also certainly do a lot to speed up the entire process without sacrificing a lot of character.
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Ale guy...US 05 or Lutra depending upon my mood. I always bottle. I have everything to do kegs but I'm a bottler and most likely always will be. If you enter competitions; bottles are your friend unless you want to purchase a can seamer ($$$$$$). I buy other things with the savings (ammunition, firearms, hunting /fishing license, garden supplies, commodities, items for projects yada, yada.). I can wait for them to carbonate. I'm patient.
I used to bottle condition in the FC @ 68-70F, now I condition at 80F in the house (AC set temp , my house in the summer). In the winter I have the heat set at 65 (although in winter Texas ambient temps are often higher at that time) and bottle condition at that temp. No difference in taste! And now I can fit several more fermenters in my FC. Woo Hoo, what's not to like? I don't know if it works for Lager, but I'll find out later.
Bottles are your best buddies
I used to bottle condition in the FC @ 68-70F, now I condition at 80F in the house (AC set temp , my house in the summer). In the winter I have the heat set at 65 (although in winter Texas ambient temps are often higher at that time) and bottle condition at that temp. No difference in taste! And now I can fit several more fermenters in my FC. Woo Hoo, what's not to like? I don't know if it works for Lager, but I'll find out later.
Bottles are your best buddies
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When I keg a stout in the winter, I prime the keg with sugar, put it in the utility room adjoining my carport. It’s an unheated space, but houses my water heater, two freezers, and a single tap kegerator. Since I typically prefer my stouts at a slightly warmer temperature, I often don’t ever refrigerate them but just pour directly from the naked keg! The temperature in there rarely dips into the 30’s but frequently reaches 50°F.
Since OP is doing smaller batches, he does have the option of fermenting in a 5 gallon keg with a floating dip, priming the keg with sugar, and serving directly from the keg with a party tap, but I recommend the Tapit. This greatly reduces the initial costs of getting started with kegging, and is something I occasionally do anyway, even though I have the tanks, etc.
I always thought bottle conditioned beer would be at a disadvantage in competitions due to the dregs getting mixed in with the beer. You don't have this problem?
I found the beer took about 50% longer to carb up at 65F. Do you see something like that?
Yes, because the yeast has slowed down, especially if it is something like US-05. Good for fermentation after it gets going, a bit slow for carbonation unitl it gets active again. No, compettitions always require bottles, and the judges know how to pour so no dregs.
NC Brewer, I have a conical fermenter thats good at letting the dregs settle out. I also leave the bottling bucket set for an hour or two after I fill. I get a very slight settling of yeast, but you gotta look for it.
In December and January it takes longer. I usually set them in the kitchen area which is a bit warmer than 65 from cooking, but it still takes longer.
In December and January it takes longer. I usually set them in the kitchen area which is a bit warmer than 65 from cooking, but it still takes longer.
I get that you're looking for clear beer, but it'll set in the bottles for a good while, and I wonder whether your longer bottling bucket time worsens oxygen exposure? But I understand that this is working well for you.
BrewnWKopperKat
(Ο_Ο)
For some insights on packaging for competitions, consider
I'm early into adopting a couple of the ideas from that topic (ideas that I haven't see here) and I'm seeing early signs of good results.
I picked up the idea of leaving it sit an hour or so in the bottling bucket from Palmer's 'How to Brew" book. It gives some extra settling time. I usually make a minimum of 6.5 gallons (it keeps going up, every batch), so there isnt alot of headspace in the bucket. I bet it isnt much more of an air to beer ratio than what ends up in the bottles. . I also keep the lid on of course to prevent contamination while its sitting there. Thanks for pointing that out, I will keep an eye (& tastebud) on it just in case I run into problems in the future.
JoeSchmoe
Active Member
There was an ad online where someone was selling a mini-keg fridge with CO2 and corny, plus an 8gal pot, a 25ft cooling cool, a nice 6gal fermenter, and various other equipment for $200. I couldn't say no at that price and ended up pulling the trigger.
The fridge is has enough room for the corny and CO2 tank. I may be able to squeeze in a 8L Oxebar PET keg as well if I want to add a 2nd tap. I will likely make some sort of bottle rack instead though.
The pot has a Mash King tap and thermometer on it. Everything is in good shape!
The fridge is has enough room for the corny and CO2 tank. I may be able to squeeze in a 8L Oxebar PET keg as well if I want to add a 2nd tap. I will likely make some sort of bottle rack instead though.
The pot has a Mash King tap and thermometer on it. Everything is in good shape!
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