Starter Kit Question

[HarryHood]

Hi everything, I'm new to homebrewing and recently purchased a starter kit from Williams Brewing online (BTW, they currently have a discount coupon code at check out -- enter KPIG) after researching many of the top local retailers and online vendors.

What I don't have though are the bottles. Some people recommend the 22 oz and others the 12 oz... Other than size, what's the advantage of one over the other for someone brand new to this?

Thanks
HH

 

[bearkluttz]

IMHO the advantage of 22 over 12 is less to sanitize and fill. On the other hand ( and i know someone here will disagree with me ) you don't always want a bomber. You definitely don't wanna have to give away a 22 when a frien wants to "try some home brew cause that sounds cool" and then have them not like it and wasted 20 oz of your beer.

 

[flyangler18]

No real advantage to one over the other (except with 22s, you'll have to fill fewer individual bottles!)- time to start collecting bottles!

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

When I bottle, I like to do a mix.
20 22 ounce bottles
15-16 12 ounce bottles


I drink the big ones, and give them to people I know will like it. The little ones are for people who don't really love beer, or for when I just want a taste

 

[Zeno]

You know... I find that the beer in the 22 oz tastes better to me then in the 12 oz. Anyone else experience this? Likewise, the 1 litter bottles taste better then the 22s.

The smaller bottles seem to have more "bite" to them. Not as smooth.

Is this user error?

 

[GreenwoodRover]

IMO-
Its recomended to pour the beer rather than cousume it from the bottle. The biggest glass I have is an imperial pint (20oz), so I also do a split batch but do a mix of 12oz and 16oz. I can pour 15oz of homebrew (from a 16oz bottle leaving the last ounce of settled yeasties behind) into the 20oz imperial pint and still leave room for a nice head 1".

 

[jrakich87]

Go for the 22s! I just bottled my first batch, and the actual filling isn't really a pain (I thought it was fun), but cleaning/sanitizing is a PITA!!! I used empty Stone 22s (from the Arrogant Bastard and Russian Stouts I drank already) so I consider them FREE (I woulda just thrown them out anyways). Start drinking store-bought 22oz-ers and keep em stocked up until you need to bottle to save money!

 

[jrakich87]

I've also heard 22s carbonate/bottle condition faster? Anyone had that experience? I can't comment on that for another 2-3 weeks

 

[TheJadedDog]

When I bottle, I like to do a mix.
20 22 ounce bottles
15-16 12 ounce bottles


I drink the big ones, and give them to people I know will like it. The little ones are for people who don't really love beer, or for when I just want a taste

+1. It's nice to have a mix so if you just want a glass you can pour the 12oz and if you want to drink a bit more you can for with the 22.

 

[MikeG]

I have to say, I enjoyed collecting my 12oz bottles!

Honestly, I've never tried the 22oz bottles so can't really give an opinion on that. Cleaning, sanitizing and filling 50 12oz bottles just plain sucks.