To keg or not to keg??

[slym2none]

Right. But I think he means that with bottling, you can't just open a bottle, pour half into a taster glass, then recap it and put the bottle back in the fridge. Once it's been opened, it must be drank in its entirety, or wasted. With kegging, you can pour off a half-glass or a taster glass, and no beer goes to waste.

If I didn't need to drink 12 oz. of beer, I didn't need 3 oz, 4 oz, 6 oz, or 8 oz.

 

[DU99]

as a few have stated go the whole hog ,get keg's,but a few post's i have read money is one the main factor's they don't go into kegs.i bottled for about 18 months, got bit's and pieces for kegging as i went along now i only bottle is for competition or going to a party (growler)

 

[Wldthang87]

Google "why not both meme" for my voting answer.....
I started out kegging, and I think that's what's kept me in the hobby, if I had to bottle my first batch it probably would of lead to inconsistencies and bad bottles. Kegging is easier and thanks to the Internet relatively straight forward. Friends have quit home brewing because of bottling issues. I've gotten all their bottling stuff for free. So I keg and bottle.

However the problem of waiting to share homebrew with friends, and club members makes you bottle anyways.

If you have the money, or can figure out a cheap way to do it. Go for it!

 

[bobeer]

Carb and serve. I carb at 30 psi (shake for 90 seconds) and set to 10 psi for serving.

I must be doing something wrong then. If I can get 30 batches out of one 5lb tank that would be KILLER!
So you force carb at 30 psi for 90 seconds then put it down to 10 psi after that 90 seconds?

 

[Remmy]

I must be doing something wrong then. If I can get 30 batches out of one 5lb tank that would be KILLER!
So you force carb at 30 psi for 90 seconds then put it down to 10 psi after that 90 seconds?

Correct.

 

[bucfan1234]

I bottled a few early batches of cider, and that cured me. Went to keg for my first batch of beer, which was a one gallon all grain coffee stout that got me hooked on home brewing.

I already had a kegerator, co2 bottle and regulator so the cost of kegging homebrew was limited to a used corny and the post connectors. (Initially got into homebrew because the cost of commercially kegged brews had gotten out of hand imo)

Kegging and force carbing is easier than bottling, so much so that I have never even thought of bottling again.

 

[ericbw]

I bottled a few early batches of cider, and that cured me. Went to keg for my first batch of beer, which was a one gallon all grain coffee stout that got me hooked on home brewing.

I already had a kegerator, co2 bottle and regulator so the cost of kegging homebrew was limited to a used corny and the post connectors. (Initially got into homebrew because the cost of commercially kegged brews had gotten out of hand imo)

Kegging and force carbing is easier than bottling, so much so that I have never even thought of bottling again.

What size keg did you use for a one gallon batch?

We got a small keg set up because of cider. It's the easiest way to get sweet, carbonated hard cider. Then beer followed. And a fridge. And... And... And...

 

[bucfan1234]

I used a regular 5 gallon corny keg for the one gallon batch.

 

[stormrider27]

I started brewing over 20 years ago. I adequate **** beer and I bottled it. I was in college and was doing it to beat trying to buy underage. If you are not sure where your future is in home brew buy 3 cases of pop tops and a bucket and go that route. If you normally drink 2 cases of beer or so a week find a kegorator on Craigslist for cheap and go that route. I started brewing after a 10 year hiatus and went the keg route because I have the kegorator. In hindsight it seems like a no brainer now. 25 years ago I wouldn't have done it though and I don't regret it.

Storm

 

[LostBoyScout]

I know that kegging is madly popular around here, but I'm on the fence personally. I'm not currently doing so due to space and budget reasons but even once those aren't an issue there's a few things to consider:

- Yes it's a lot easier to clean a keg than a bunch of bottles, but you need to clean the lines and fill/exchange the CO2 tank occasionally which tip the balance a bit.

- A lot of things I want to brew do well to condition in bottle for a while. I like being able to drink my stronger ales and farmhouse ales over many months / years.

Ideally I'd have a kegorator with 2 or 3 taps and have things like English milds, table saisons, IPAs etc on tap and then still bottle a variety of stronger and more unique brews. I guess what I'm trying to say is if I had to pick one or the other, bottling would win 100%. But both is the best.

 

[Toejam792]

None of my friends drink pop top bottles, so when I started brewing beer last year I had to get my own bottles. I spent $60 on Sam Adams that I wouldn't of bought if it wasn't for the bottles, and that was for one batch. Of course I had to brew again while that was priming so there's another $60. I could of gotten a economy ball lock kit from adventures in home brew for $100 to cover the 1st batch. They sell loose handle kegs for $28. So for $15, with shipping, more I could of kegged my first two batches.

 

[BeerFst]

None of my friends drink pop top bottles, so when I started brewing beer last year I had to get my own bottles. I spent $60 on Sam Adams that I wouldn't of bought if it wasn't for the bottles, and that was for one batch. Of course I had to brew again while that was priming so there's another $60. I could of gotten a economy ball lock kit from adventures in home brew for $100 to cover the 1st batch. They sell loose handle kegs for $28. So for $15, with shipping, more I could of kegged my first two batches.

Why not just buy bottles online/LHBS, it cost me a little over 14 bucks for 12 22oz bottles at my LHBS when i bought them.

I started kegging from day one cause Im impatient and decided to make a kegerator out of a mini fridge i found on craigslist. I use biermunchers bottling method off the keg and it has suited me just fine

 

[slym2none]

I will never keg.

Repeat...

I will never keg.

 

[ericbw]

None of my friends drink pop top bottles, so when I started brewing beer last year I had to get my own bottles. I spent $60 on Sam Adams that I wouldn't of bought if it wasn't for the bottles, and that was for one batch. Of course I had to brew again while that was priming so there's another $60. I could of gotten a economy ball lock kit from adventures in home brew for $100 to cover the 1st batch. They sell loose handle kegs for $28. So for $15, with shipping, more I could of kegged my first two batches.

Buying empty bottles is definitely cheaper. Especially if you didn't want the Sam Adams.

But I agree that kegging can be cheaper, except you need a fridge to do it.

 

[ericbw]

None of my friends drink pop top bottles, so when I started brewing beer last year I had to get my own bottles. I spent $60 on Sam Adams that I wouldn't of bought if it wasn't for the bottles, and that was for one batch. Of course I had to brew again while that was priming so there's another $60. I could of gotten a economy ball lock kit from adventures in home brew for $100 to cover the 1st batch. They sell loose handle kegs for $28. So for $15, with shipping, more I could of kegged my first two batches.

Buying empty bottles is definitely cheaper. Especially if you didn't want the Sam Adams.

But I agree that kegging can be cheaper, except you need a fridge to do it.

 

[bucfan1234]

I know that kegging is madly popular around here, but I'm on the fence personally. I'm not currently doing so due to space and budget reasons but even once those aren't an issue there's a few things to consider:

- Yes it's a lot easier to clean a keg than a bunch of bottles, but you need to clean the lines and fill/exchange the CO2 tank occasionally which tip the balance a bit.

- A lot of things I want to brew do well to condition in bottle for a while. I like being able to drink my stronger ales and farmhouse ales over many months / years.

Ideally I'd have a kegorator with 2 or 3 taps and have things like English milds, table saisons, IPAs etc on tap and then still bottle a variety of stronger and more unique brews. I guess what I'm trying to say is if I had to pick one or the other, bottling would win 100%. But both is the best.

Cleaning the lines has not been an issue for me. When I sanitize a keg, I simply hook it up the the tap and run a gallon or two of star san through the system. To me, that is much easier than cleaning 53 bottles.

I understand bottling specialty beers that need long periods for aging.

That said, I don't really see a reason why an ale couldn't be cask conditioned in a keg, and I think some do this with real ales, etc. It also seems that a beer could be stored in a properly sanitized and pressurized keg for a relatively long period of time without an issue.

 

[jbb3]

... BUT you have to keep buying c02 which is about $18-20 for my 5 lb tank. A tank lasts about 4 and some times 5 beers for me...

I assume you mean 4 or 5 batches/kegs?? You must have a leak. I have a 3 tap keezer and a 5lb tank will last me 7-8 batches/kegs. Which for my consumption rate means about every 6 months I need a refill.

 

[Wild1z]

@Ariza-Poet do a combination of bottles and growlers to start.

After a couple of years of bottles, I decided to go kegs, one at time. I now have 4 kegs, 6 glass growlers and 3 Stainless steel growlers. I'm never bottling again but I think everyone needs to experience it. Consider it a hazing.

 

[jbb3]

reading some posts and doing some research it appears kegging is superior to bottling.
However, as a first time brewer is it a safer bet to just bottle?

Or does the convenience of a keg justify the cost despite being a first timer?

*Disclaimer*
I have no equipment yet. A friend and I will probably be buying a few extract kits in the next couple weeks and whatever equipment needed for some basic 5gallon batches.

but we do have a full size fridge that we'll get a temp control for for fermentation.

So OP. After 2 months, where are you with brewing/bottling/kegging??

 

[bucfan1234]

I assume you mean 4 or 5 batches/kegs?? You must have a leak. I have a 3 tap keezer and a 5lb tank will last me 7-8 batches/kegs. Which for my consumption rate means about every 6 months I need a refill.

I only filled my tank once in the last year (not counting my error in leaving it on my beer engine rig with the lid of the keg not sealed, emptying my bottle. lol) I also get my bottle filled at the local HBS and he only charges about $6 or $8 for as much gas as he get into it from a larger bottle he has on site (so its not really full).

That's about ten kegs, force carbing and dispensing. When I took it in last week, I still had 1-1/2 lbs in the bottle which was enough to do a couple or three more.

One thing I do regularly, if I am going to leave the keg for week or more without pulling a beer, I disconnect the gas line and close the valve on my bottle. The keg remains pressurized and that ensures that I don't waste gas if there happens to be a small leak (which I don't think I have). I figure its better safe than sorry. Especially after wasting the remainder of a bottle of gas due to my error on the beer engine.

 

[slym2none]

None of my friends drink pop top bottles, so when I started brewing beer last year I had to get my own bottles. I spent $60 on Sam Adams that I wouldn't of bought if it wasn't for the bottles, and that was for one batch. Of course I had to brew again while that was priming so there's another $60. I could of gotten a economy ball lock kit from adventures in home brew for $100 to cover the 1st batch. They sell loose handle kegs for $28. So for $15, with shipping, more I could of kegged my first two batches.

I buy bottles with beer in them that I like. That way, I am not actually spending money on bottles, they are free after I empty them - I am paying for the beer.

 

[Britinusa]

I bottled my first few batches, then i got a keg and a simple plastic tap on the end of the tubing, didnt really cost much, that i kept on the refrigerator doiwnstairs
Now i have the converted chest freezer.
I should not cost much when you do keg, start out simple and add more kegs, then build your own kegerator.

 

[jbb3]

I buy bottles with beer in them that I like. That way, I am not actually spending money on bottles, they are free after I empty them - I am paying for the beer.

Yeah, that one didn't make sense to me either. When I decided to start brewing, I just saved the bottles from the store bought beer I was already drinking. Had to stop after a while. My consumption rate was higher than my HB ramp up rate...

 

[ericbw]

At a party recently, someone offered me some cases of bottles they found in their basement, and I had to decline. I have too many already, especially since we mostly keg these days. It's funny how you go from desperately looking for bottles to trying to figure out how to off load some.

 

[Ariza-Poet]

So OP. After 2 months, where are you with brewing/bottling/kegging??

I went the bottle route.
did two batches and looking at doing another batch next week.

only issue i've run in with the bottles was I used some sierra nevada bottles (the stubby ones) and I dont think it was the best fit for the caps. I drank a stout out of it a couple days ago and it tasted slightly oxidized. But had another from a different bottle and it was fine.

So i'll stick with bottles for now.
Especially while doing extract kits. When/if i get to all grain or at least making my own recipes with extract I'll look more into kegging.

it is pretty pricey but with looking around and taking time i'm sure i can find decent deals.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Yeah, that one didn't make sense to me either. When I decided to start brewing, I just saved the bottles from the store bought beer I was already drinking. Had to stop after a while. My consumption rate was higher than my HB ramp up rate...

Same here. I eventually ended up tossing about 75 bottles, as I now keg, and already had 55 empties if I decided to ever bottle. And probably close to 50 stubbies.

I'm still saving bombers, and I can't stop that!

 

[jbb3]

I went the bottle route.
did two batches and looking at doing another batch next week.

only issue i've run in with the bottles was I used some sierra nevada bottles (the stubby ones) and I dont think it was the best fit for the caps. I drank a stout out of it a couple days ago and it tasted slightly oxidized. But had another from a different bottle and it was fine.

So i'll stick with bottles for now.
Especially while doing extract kits. When/if i get to all grain or at least making my own recipes with extract I'll look more into kegging.

it is pretty pricey but with looking around and taking time i'm sure i can find decent deals.

Not sure what extract vs all grain has to do with kegging but I don't disagree with your decision. Kegging can be expensive and until you HB for a while, you really don't know if you're going to stick with it or not. So unless you have more money than sense, brew and bottle for a while and see how things progress. Spend your money on improving your brewing equipment. If things keep progressing and you get hooked on HB'ing like many of us do, take another look at kegging again later.

Good on you OP.

Happy brewing!

 

[jbb3]

Same here. I eventually ended up tossing about 75 bottles, as I now keg, and already had 55 empties if I decided to ever bottle. And probably close to 50 stubbies.

I'm still saving bombers, and I can't stop that!

Let it go Nick! Let it go!! LOL...

Maybe one of these days, I'll let go of the 5 cases of bottles I have stored right now.

 

[MattyIce]

I ended up doing both for my last two batches. 6 gallon batch...bottled the first gallon and kegged the balance. Looking forward to trying them side-by-side.

 

[Calichusetts]

Coming from a die-hard bottler, good god what was I thinking! Kegging is so easy. For now, I can fit a 5-gallon + co2 tank and about 6-8 bottles in my mini-fridge. picnic tap. I add kegs for gift ideas for my birthday, fathers day, etc.

I'll get a keezer or dedicated kegerator some day but I'm in no rush. I was just so OCD at cleaning and sanitizing bottles that bottling took forever. Even for my 1 gallon batches.

Learning curve is minimal at best, no harder than learning to bottle.