Taking homebrew to go

[RyPA]

Interested in how others bring their homebrew to go. When I go to hang out with buddies they will show up with their 6 pack of miller lites or bud heavies and I unfortunately do not have that same convenience as i want to drink homebrew.

I do not want to bring a growler, and I do have a 24 oz travel mug but 2 beers is usually not enough for a few hours.

 

[Sammy86]

Bottle it from the keg using PET bottles that are reusable.

 

[IrondaleBrewing]

Interested in how others bring their homebrew to go. When I go to hang out with buddies they will show up with their 6 pack of miller lites or bud heavies and I unfortunately do not have that same convenience as i want to drink homebrew.

I do not want to bring a growler, and I do have a 24 oz travel mug but 2 beers is usually not enough for a few hours.

To help dial in the parameters of what you're looking to accomplish, why is a growler not an option, and how much beer are you looking to bring?

An insulated stainless steel growler is the first thing that came to my mind since it keeps the beer decently carbonated and cold for several hours, and is quick and easy to fill from a keg. When I just want to take some beer with me I'm going to drink right away the Stanley insulated growlers are my go to.

I also have some 1 gallon stainless kegs with Nukatap mini faucets and those small CO2 cartridges that work well, but then you have to worry about keeping it cold and of course it's a lot more bulky. Holds more beer than a single growler though, and beer on tap is cool at parties. ;-)

Another keg option if that route is appealing would be those plastic Oxebar kegs, which come in 1 gallon (as well as 2 and 5 gallon) sizes. Same concerns with mini kegs in general but it'd be lighter, and they're pretty cheap.

Or, bottle from the keg as @Sammy86 suggested (and I'm a big fan of those 500 ml PET bottles). I'm not sure what that gets you versus an insulated growler other than individual servings and more compatibility with coolers, but if a growler is off the list that'd probably be the next best option.

I finally got around to trying my Nukatap counter pressure bottle filler recently and once I got the hang of it, it works well. Or, if you're just looking to quickly fill some bottles and go and aren't too concerned about foam, oxygenation, and losing carbonation, a hose or just filling right into the bottle works.

 

[hottpeper13]

Tap Cooler my friend, and flip top bottles. I have both 16 oz and 32 oz, and because there not bottle conditioned you can drink from the bottle.

 

[scrap iron]

I got tired of washing and filling bottles so now if someone wants beer to take home or I need some to go I fill from the keg to 1/2 gal growlers. That's if they bring them back clean. The growler holds about 5 1/2 beers.

 

[Dgallo]

The tap cooler or similar counter pressure filler is a great option if your kegging (you need forward sealing faucets though). It slide right into your faucets, has a balllock for the co2 line so you can purge and bottle with pressure and the. You cap. This how I bottle for sharing and comps https://www.amazon.com/Tapcooler-Co...153149583-B088WKTGP3-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1

 

[RyPA]

@IrondaleBrewing I'd like the ability to bring around 4 to 6 12 oz portions with me, a re-usable 6 pack of 12 oz containers would be the ideal, with a tote/cooler holder would be perfect. Yeah, I have a growler, but I don't want to have to lug that around, and have to re-fill a cup. I'd rather just grab X number of 12 oz containers and have them with me.

 

[Cameronl]

I use a nukatap into some swing-top bottles. Quick and convenient.
If I know it's going to get shared, I'll use a growler.

 

[mac_1103]

I'd like the ability to bring around 4 to 6 12 oz portions with me, a re-usable 6 pack of 12 oz containers would be the ideal, with a tote/cooler holder would be perfect.

I gather that your primary goal is to keep this simple. If so, 12 oz swing-top bottles are pretty widely available and so are six-pack sized coolers. There are even some with re-freezable ice cubes sewn into the sides. Using a growler filler should work fine for same day or next day drinking. Get the bottles and filler real cold to minimize foaming.

 

[RyPA]

I gather that your primary goal is to keep this simple. If so, 12 oz swing-top bottles are pretty widely available and so are six-pack sized coolers. There are even some with re-freezable ice cubes sown into the sides. Using a growler filler should work fine for same day or next day drinking. Get the bottles and filler real cold to minimize foaming.

Thanks, while I preferred to have a 12oz can shaped containers, those flip top bottles look pretty damn good, and I know there are endless totes/coolers to fit a six pack of them out there, in addition to coozies.

@Dgallo / everyone - How do you guys avoid excess foam while packaging in bottles? Between these flip top bottles and occasionally sharing beers with guys at work, I usually end up with more foam than I'd like and want to figure out a way to fill cleanly, maybe with 1-2cm of foam up to the brim, just to push out o2, and cap it. I do run some beer through the tap to get it cold before bottling. I have an Intertap and Perlick tap on my kegerator -- if I need equipment to do this, I'd like to keep the price low, not because I am cheap, no it's because I am cheap.

 

[jschein]

A hose from the tap head to almost the bottom of your cold bottles. Some tap heads you can add a filler head. The bottles should be the same temperature as the beer

 

[camonick]

Thanks, while I preferred to have a 12oz can shaped containers, those flip top bottles look pretty damn good, and I know there are endless totes/coolers to fit a six pack of them out there, in addition to coozies.

@Dgallo / everyone - How do you guys avoid excess foam while packaging in bottles? Between these flip top bottles and occasionally sharing beers with guys at work, I usually end up with more foam than I'd like and want to figure out a way to fill cleanly, maybe with 1-2cm of foam up to the brim, just to push out o2, and cap it. I do run some beer through the tap to get it cold before bottling. I have an Intertap and Perlick tap on my kegerator -- if I need equipment to do this, I'd like to keep the price low, not because I am cheap, no it's because I am cheap.

I use a Tapcooler. It’s not really cheap, but I think it’s been worth the investment. Before I had it, I used this method— https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun.24678/

 

[whoaru99]

@IrondaleBrewing I'd like the ability to bring around 4 to 6 12 oz portions with me, a re-usable 6 pack of 12 oz containers would be the ideal, with a tote/cooler holder would be perfect. Yeah, I have a growler, but I don't want to have to lug that around, and have to re-fill a cup. I'd rather just grab X number of 12 oz containers and have them with me.

You want reusable containers which means you have to lug those around, clean them, and refill them, effectually the same as or more work than a growler.

The bottom line is you want to open and drink directly from the container rather than fill a cup?

 

[mac_1103]

How do you guys avoid excess foam while packaging in bottles?

What kind of taps do you have? There are specific growler-filler attachments for some. For example. Then attach tubing and fill cold bottles from the bottom up like the man said.

 

[Dgallo]

Thanks, while I preferred to have a 12oz can shaped containers, those flip top bottles look pretty damn good, and I know there are endless totes/coolers to fit a six pack of them out there, in addition to coozies.

@Dgallo / everyone - How do you guys avoid excess foam while packaging in bottles? Between these flip top bottles and occasionally sharing beers with guys at work, I usually end up with more foam than I'd like and want to figure out a way to fill cleanly, maybe with 1-2cm of foam up to the brim, just to push out o2, and cap it. I do run some beer through the tap to get it cold before bottling. I have an Intertap and Perlick tap on my kegerator -- if I need equipment to do this, I'd like to keep the price low, not because I am cheap, no it's because I am cheap.

both those brands have a few different faucets. Is it one that is forward sealing? Most of their offering are but they look like this

To prevent foaming you keep the pressure in the bottle high. The tap cooler has a screw as prv so you can tighten the screw to increase the pressure and the counter pressure prevents foaming. Depending on how carbonated the beer is, takes about 15-25 seconds to fill a bottle.

Here’s a video that will make it all make sense

 

[Dgallo]

View attachment 853044
I use a Tapcooler. It’s not really cheap, but I think it’s been worth the investment. Before I had it, I used this method— https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun.24678/

besides closed transferring equipment, the tap cooler has been by far the best piece of equipment I’ve added since kegging. I’ve had mine 3 years and it’s well worth it preventing o2. I even use it to bottle my barreled aged stuff as I like to bottle that and wax it to look pretty lol

 

[mac_1103]

I have an Intertap and Perlick tap on my kegerator

Sorry, missed this. The one I linked to is billed as working with any Intertap faucet.

 

[Bobby_M]

Double wall metal growlers are perfect. I bring beer to my homebrew club meetings in them and don't have to worry about ice or a cooler. I fill with a beer gun usually.

 

[camonick]

besides closed transferring equipment, the tap cooler has been by far the best piece of equipment I’ve added since kegging. I’ve had mine 3 years and it’s well worth it preventing o2. I even use it to bottle my barreled aged stuff as I like to bottle that and wax it to look pretty lol

I’ve bottled NEIPAs with it and have had them last up to 6 months. Not ideal, but possible.

 

[day_trippr]

There was a crazy sale by Walmart on 5 liter double wall SS growlers a few weeks ago that some of us jumped on. What was delivered for $36 + tax was a Vevor that sells on AMZ for $99 + tax.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/pressurized-growler.732947/

Looks like Walmart was getting out of the growler bidness because that item is out of stock now...

 

[rallenhall]

Tap Cooler my friend, and flip top bottles. I have both 16 oz and 32 oz, and because there not bottle conditioned you can drink from the bottle.

Totally agree with this and comments from others .... Tapcooler is a great piece of gear. Usually use 16 oz. Grolsch swing-tops. I found that when taking growlers to mixed gatherings I often returned with partials. Leftover bottles can go back into the fridge for later consumption without the threat of going flat.

 

[Kris.J]

I have NukaTap forward sealing faucets, and the Nuka Tap CP filler. I have two 20 lb CO2 tanks - serving tank is at 12 psi. The utility tank at about 20 psi on the NukaTap CP filler works well for me with very little foam filling bottles.

 

[Kickass]

https://www.stanley1913.com/product...U828ECq0i5m3D2PptFEIb6pB_Ku1GMK8aAsQoEALw_wcB

Granted, it’s a growler but the wide mouth makes it super easy to fill and it stays cool for a very long time.

 

[Ren06]

If you really want to drink homebrews you have options. The first for me is to use my UKEG and fill low and slow off my keezer, and the second is to always have my meads bottled and ready to go.

Whether my father’s side down south or my mom here up north, I’m the only one who drinks good beer or wine. So when I go to family gatherings I stand out because I always have the best stuff to drink. Or you can just buy right from a store with cans or bottles whatever your preference.

My Ukeg is convenient because it looks cool with the nice copper color and tap faucet on it while staying carbonated. Or just pour right out of my bottles of mead and EVERYONE gathers for that.

If I’m hanging with friends, most of them have similar tastes as me so we share our stuff and have a good time without me being concerned with ukeg etc but they ALL look for my meads to be there. Point is you have options and most importantly, relax and have a brew , cheers .

 

[Yooper]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun.24678/

Easiest way to fill bottles and I did it many many times. I bought a Blichmann beergun afterwards, it it's more of a pain to set up so I still fill bottles this way.

 

[elf_brewery]

When someone hands me a bottle of beer, I respond, "May I have a glass, please?" Drinking straight from a bottle means that CO2 goes straight to your stomach and the CO2 bite isn't for me. Take a growler or keg with a pitcher and ask your friends to provide proper glasses (and not non-recyclable SOLO cups).
Cheers!

 

[RyPA]

When someone hands me a bottle of beer, I respond, "May I have a glass, please?" Drinking straight from a bottle means that CO2 goes straight to your stomach and the CO2 bite isn't for me. Take a growler or keg with a pitcher and ask your friends to provide proper glasses (and not non-recyclable SOLO cups).
Cheers!

A common spot for beers is down by my buddy’s boat. So i need containers i can drink from…i do prefer beer out of a glass though.

 

[whoaru99]

Sometimes I use 1L swing tops or 450ml swing tops (Grolsch bottles), if I don't use a growler.

Filling and capping a few bottles for temporary storage really wouldn't be all that big of a deal either; if one still has bottles, caps, and a capper.

 

[hottpeper13]

Hey Elf, I always bring my own glass.

 

[crazyjake19]

I typically fill a 64oz stainless growler, but I have several glass growlers I'll use occasionally as well.

If I want to leave some with somebody, I'll bottle a few off the keg.

If I want to bring more than a 1/2 gallon for a party, I'll just bring a small keg with my little CO2 tank. I've also just brought a 10L sanke keg with a party tap on a few occasions, if I know the beer will go fast.