Still hate bottling.

[thesanch]

I started kegging a couple batches ago. I finally got the parts to do a we-need-no-stinking-beer-gun. I filled up a couple sixers over the past couple months, and it is pretty easy to do, but I still hate bottling.

Dealing with the bottles is my biggest issue. I hate having them everywhere. I bet SWMBO does too. I can never remember which bottles I cleaned previously so I end up cleaning them again. It's probably due to my lack of organization, but I still hate pretty much everything associated with bottling... except opening a bottle and hearing that wonderful hiss.

 

[BrewinJack]

I dont much like botteling either, its mindless, repetitive, and alot of work. I dont brew enough to keg though, just means I don't bottle all that often.

 

[android]

i think it's fun to bottle a batch every now and again. especially a nice, high gravity brew.

 

[Pickngrin]

I find bottling the occasional 22 ouncers (or whatever) to give to friends to be a hassle.
Since I've recently made a draft tower, I've taken to inserting a small diameter tube into the end of the Perlick and turn the pressure down very low. I'm not sure how these bottles would keep for a longer period of time, but they seem to do fine for short-term consumption. The we-don't-need-no-stinkin'beer-gun is great, but I don't like having to disconnect the beverage line every time for a bottle or 3.

 

[C2H5OH]

I dont much like botteling either, its mindless, repetitive, and alot of work. I dont brew enough to keg though, just means I don't bottle all that often.

Are you brewing less than 2.5 gallons?

 

[thesanch]

How do people avoid bottling to share beer? It seems whenever I want to share my beer, I have to bottle it. I've seen people use carbonation caps on PET bottles. Can these be used to fill the PET bottles?

 

[JoeMama]

How do people avoid bottling to share beer?

Tell your friends to either invest in a growler, or they get to enjoy the beer at your place. If they want beer to go, and dont have a growler - they get the tippy-sippy cup that my daughter had when she was an infant.

I too dont care for bottling, but I find them convenient when I brew a batch that I dont want taking up space in a keg. (Cause I always have to have room for an IPA)

 

[JohnnyO]

I have to agree with the OP. I am not a fan of bottling. It's tedious and chaotic trying to manage the whole lot. However, the rewards are there.

I have been kegging for the last 6-7 months or so, and I've bottled two batches since, the last being last night for a 2 gallon cider experiment that I did.

Last night was the first time that my SWMBO offered to help. She was responsible for sanitizing all the bottles (vinator/bottle tree). Then, when I was ready, she capped all the beers. It was awesome that there was 2 things that I could do other things that needed to be done.

What I'm saying is, if you have a spouse, child or friend that can help, it makes it so much easier.

 

[Pappers_]

I like spending an hour bottling - love having such a cut and dried process, when its done, its done, very satisfying.

 

[thesanch]

OK - I can see how it's satisfying, but I hate dealing with all the bottles prior to bottling and after drinking.

All my empties are stored in the extra room, but it's still a pain to deal with them. And new bottles? Who has the time to scrape off all the labels? UGH.

After I pour, I rinse them it after and set it on the counter. SWMBO doesn't really like that all too much. And I'm getting tired of seeing them.

 

[llazy_llama]

I agree that the process can be tedious, and the space required for a bottling operation can be daunting, but there's just something great about having an archive of 6-packs from beers you brewed over a year ago down in the cellar. Plus, a 6-er here and there can make for a great gift.

Edited: But seriously, I hate bottling.

 

[Doc Robinson]

And new bottles? Who has the time to scrape off all the labels?

Scraping off labels? Soak the bottles in a warm solution of Oxyclean for a few hours and the labels slide right off into the bucket. I leave them overnight.

 

[llazy_llama]

Scraping off labels? Soak the bottles in a warm solution of Oxyclean for a few hours and the labels slide right off into the bucket. I leave them overnight.

Oh, hell yes. When I needed bottles, I'd just stock up on a few cases, then overnight soak all of 'em in the bathtub with a healthy dose of Oxyclean. Come morning time, half of them were already floating and the rest pulled right off.

 

[rwinzing]

I guess I don't hate bottling because I don't have too. I keg almost all of my beer and only bottle when I either have all my kegs full or I want to put it away for a while. I also have a beer gun which is nice to bottle a couple of brews here and there.

 

[JoeMama]

Oh, hell yes. When I needed bottles, I'd just stock up on a few cases, then overnight soak all of 'em in the bathtub with a healthy dose of Oxyclean. Come morning time, half of them were already floating and the rest pulled right off.

This also depends on the brand of beer bottle that you are reusing.

DFH are my favs. They labels come off very easily, then its just a matter of wiping the glue off of the bottle. (Long hammer bottles are similar)

Sam Adams bottles are usually pretty cooperative too, it just sucks having to remove one from the neck of the bottle too.

The worst bottles I have come across are Dos Equis. A neighbor gave me several 6ers and these labels are a PITA. They dont saturate completely and usually have to be resoaked as the labels dont come off all in one shot.

 

[Synovia]

All my empties are stored in the extra room, but it's still a pain to deal with them. And new bottles? Who has the time to scrape off all the labels? UGH.
.

You shouldn't ever need to scrape a bottle. Just put them in hot water (scalding) and oxy clean and they come right off. If they don't come off, (like a few breweries that use petroleum based glues), just chuck em. The majority use water based glues, and they just slide off.

 

[redbenn]

The worst bottles I have come across are Dos Equis. A neighbor gave me several 6ers and these labels are a PITA. They dont saturate completely and usually have to be resoaked as the labels dont come off all in one shot.

Ran into this last night actually... same result with the Dos Equis

 

[EvilGnome6]

It's a matter of organization and having a process. First, I decided on a standard bottle and box (New Belgium Folly Pack - it offers a nice variety by season and the labels come off easily). When I buy a Folly Pack, I put the box on a shelf.

When I drink a bottle, I put the empty in a 5 gallon bucket with oxyclean solution. Once or twice a week when the bucket is full, I take them all out, give them a quick wipe, rinse the inside with a vinator and let them dry in the dishwasher. After they are dry, I put them back in the boxes, ready to be sanitized and filled with homebrew.

It's really simple and even Mrs. Gnome follows the process of dropping the empty bottle in the bucket. I take care of the rest and it only takes 5 minutes here and there to keep things clean and organized.

Having the standard bottle also makes bottling day easier. The bench capper doesn't need to be adjusted for different heights and once they're filled and back in the boxes, stowing them away for conditioning is a piece of cake.

 

[geebert74]

Bottling to me is also very satisfing... I like the fact I can take a 22oz or a 12oz to a buddy of mine to give a try.

 

[thesanch]

I put the empty in a 5 gallon bucket with oxyclean solution.

That sounds like a good solution for you, but I have a 2 year old who loves menacing everything. I just don't want to risk having a bucket full of liquid that my son can either drink, fall into or spill everywhere.

If it was gradual, I maybe able to keep up with it. Seems like I wait until I have 100+ bottles to clean and get labels off of. I know I have no one to blame but myself and my procedure, but what I've done just doesn't work.

Keep your ideas coming though. I appreciate the help.

 

[BioBeing]

Having a system sure does help. I bottled 10 gallons of stout last night: was quite cathartic really.

I rinse used bottles and put them in a small plastic box in the pantry. When it gets full (about a case worth) I wash them and store them in covered rubbermaid totes in the garage (where I ferment and bottle anyway). This way, I don't have to wash 100 bottles at a time (which is a REAL pain, as I have done this before!). I have a several cases of dirty empties I got off a guy on CL too, so if I need more, I'll work some of these in too. Just a good soak in oxyclean first.

On bottling day, I just squirt starsan up in them with the vinator and stick them on the tree. I do one 5 gallon batch at a time: I got the first done while dinner was simmering on the stove; and the second after the kids went to bed. All together, it took 2, maybe 3 hours.

That said: I'd love to keg!

 

[EvilGnome6]

That sounds like a good solution for you, but I have a 2 year old who loves menacing everything. I just don't want to risk having a bucket full of liquid that my son can either drink, fall into or spill everywhere.

I actually use an old Ale Pail with a lid. Filled with 5 gallons of liquid, it's pretty darn heavy (as I'm sure you know). I keep the lid snapped on to keep the pets from getting into it. I doubt a 2 year old could get the lid off and they'd have to be pretty persistent to get it to tip over.

 

[EvilGnome6]

I rinse used bottles and put them in a small plastic box in the pantry. When it gets full (about a case worth) I wash them and store them in covered rubbermaid totes in the garage (where I ferment and bottle anyway). This way, I don't have to wash 100 bottles at a time (which is a REAL pain, as I have done this before!).

Yep, I think you've hit the nail on the head. You just need to find some kind of process so that bottle cleaning is done in small, manageable chunks. Come bottling day, all you need is to pull out the clean bottles, sanitize and fill.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I end up making me a bottling bucket out of a 14 gallon drum. I do 12.5 gallon batches and it isn't bad at all. I would like to make a 6 pack wand set-up to fill a 6'er at a time. One day I will keg, but I guess I'm on the outside on this. I like my beer from a bottle. Get the pipeline going and it isn't bad. I siphon to the basement and bottle like a fool!