Bottles or Kegs

[Cheshire Cat]

Are different beer styles better from a bottle or a keg? Here's my two pennies worth

English Bitter Keg
Strong Scottish beer Bottle
Pilsner/Lager Either
Wheatbeer Bottle
Stout Bottle
IPA Bottle
Fruit beers Bottle
Belgium beers Bottle

 

[MickDundee]

Why bottles for IPAs? I thought super hoppy IPAs benefitted from the closed transfer that was capable by using kegs? Certainly my local microbrewery’s West Coast IPA was about 100x better from the keg in both their taproom and one of the local pubs than it was when I went and bought 6 cans of the stuff.

I’ve only ever bottled so far though, but half my batch of Czech lager is going to be force carbed in my new minikeg system this weekend.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Why bottles for IPAs? I thought super hoppy IPAs benefitted from the closed transfer that was capable by using kegs? Certainly my local microbrewery’s West Coast IPA was about 100x better from the keg in both their taproom and one of the local pubs than it was when I went and bought 6 cans of the stuff.

I’ve only ever bottled so far though, but half my batch of Czech lager is going to be force carbed in my new minikeg system this weekend.

I'm trying to learn by getting other people's views. Hope this doesn't end up moving to the Bridge lol.

 

[MickDundee]

I'm trying to learn by getting other people's views. Hope this doesn't end up moving to the Bridge lol.

As long as there are no right wing conspiracy “news” sites referenced you should be ok!

 

[Session]

I would say everything is better in a keg... that’s probably not a popular opinion, but I agree with @MickDundee that anything you want to avoid oxidation in (that’s all beer for me!) is going to be better in a keg, unless you have some very fancy bottling equipment...

 

[terrym]

anything you want to avoid oxidation in (that’s all beer for me!) is going to be better in a keg, unless you have some very fancy bottling equipment...

....which is a PET bottle and you squeeze all the air out as you put the cap on.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Bottling wand works magically

 

[Edison]

I think it’s easier to control/adjust carbonation levels in a keg, so dispense a bitter or stout in similar condition to a cask.

But a wheat beer or anything deliberately cloudy can end up quite clear as you get through the keg. I once made a lovely White IPA (Big Hug, Hibernation clone) but it was one of my clearest beers that year!

I only bottle when I have to, from the keg for giveaways or the last bit of the FV that won’t fit in the keg!

 

[Session]

....which is a PET bottle and you squeeze all the air out as you put the cap on.

I wish I found it as simple as you do Terry! Do you use PET bottles at the moment? I used to use PET but moved away from it as have always found my beer tasted better when stored in glass. I found the same improvement again (brighter, fresher hop flavour and aroma for longer) on switching to kegs. I didn’t notice the same difference for less hoppy styles though (I mainly brew hoppy pale ale) so YMMV.

Whilst I don’t have a way of measuring dissolved oxygen, I know that my bottling practices introduce a lot more oxygen than when I keg. A bit of oxidation may not bother you, but I’d rather do without it if possible, and for me that means kegging.

 

[Clint]

Fascists!

 

[foxy]

Treated right before and during bottling wouldn't cause oxidation because it would have been drunk well before oxidising.

 

[Newerbrewer]

Neipa - keg with closed transfer

 

[Drunkula]

Well I think things you drink moderately quickly : keg
But but but but BUT!!! Wheat beers you drink SUPER quick - bottle!
Why? Because you want to swirl them and get all the ice-creamy lovelyness into the bottle.

So I agree with pretty much everything here.

But for people who haven't kegged - and I mean kegged and force carbed - it does change things and you can drink them quicker. A bitter into a pressure barrel with sugar won't be ready for a while when it's ready to go after 8 seconds in a force carbonated corny.

 

[Edison]

Wheat beers you drink SUPER quick - bottle!

Now that sounds like a plan! Darn, just realised I have no wheat (unless bread flour counts)!