simple keg question

[sashurlow]

I don't have a keg yet and this question might be a sign of that.
If you have a five gallon keg, can you still prep a three gallon batch or even a one gallon batch?
Its my goal to use the keg purely for carbing and then bottling the carbed brew.
Thanks,
Scott

 

[Yooper]

Yes, you could easily do that. You'd need a "beer gun" or counterpressure bottle filler with the kegging set up, unless you go with the BMBF approach (see the "we no need no stinking beer gun" thread). You need a co2 tank, beer line, and the fittings, as well as a fridge or a place to keep the beer cold (warm beer foams to much to bottle when it's carbonated)- so most people go ahead and chill the beer and dispense it from the keg with a faucet. But you can bottle it from the keg as well.