Keg Or Bottle

[simonlpearce]

Ok apologies if this has been discussed a gazillion times before, but when sticking 'keg vs bottle' into the search just about every thread the forum has seen popped up.

Anyhow are there any advantages in using a keg over a bottle or vice versa. Lets assume there is ample space for both as i appreciate it all depends what room you have to store. So lets concentrate on, does one produce a better end result than the other once conditioned?

 

[fbsf]

Plastic Keg - you don't have to clean, sanitise and cap 40-60 bottles each brew for starters. You can keep it carbonated with a valve in the top that takes little CO2 sparklet bulbs or a bigger S30 cannister, but this will only help dispensing rather than making the brew fizzy.

Cornelius kegs are a different beast and will carbonate a brew to fizzyness, but need extras like a constant CO2 supply, regulators, gas pipe and dispensing taps. For a 2-corny setup you are looking at around £200, but they should last a lifetime given care.

Bottle - will carbonate far better than a plastic keg ever can, and you can easily put them in the fridge to chill them. Also far easier to take round your mates. But on a bottling day cleaning them can be a real time-taker.

In terms of ease of filling (best first) Plastic Keg - Corny Keg - Bottles
In terms of quality of beer (best first) Bottles=Corny Keg - Plastic Keg
In terms of cost (cheapest first) Bottles (free from recycling!) - Plastic Keg (£30ish) - Corny (£100+).

 

[simonlpearce]

Interesting reading, i wasn't aware bottle would carbonate better than a keg.

Here's a question - Everything i read says green/brown bottles to stop UV light getting in and spoiling the beer, Skunking i think its called. So how come all kegs tend to be white? Is that purely because they don't tend to be stored in light places?

 

[Baz Chaz]

You're right this has been done once or twice before :whistle:

Its down to personal preference, I bottle all my beer :thumb:

Yes it takes a bit of time but I quite enjoy bottling the fruits of my labour.
Because all my bottles are rinsed before putting away they don't take long to sanitise on bottling day (I 've gone on to Videne) and a typical bottling session I can do in just over an hour.
It's a cheap option, easy to collect bottles over a period of time.
Only need caps as required, initially buy a good bench capper and a little bottler, both of these are essential items and worth the few quid extra they cost.
I take a few bottles round to friends for a night out or when I go on hols.
Often give a few away for someone who's done me a favour.
Never have to worry about CO2 cylinders or pipework etc.
Never really considered anything other than bottling to be honest and after well over 100 gallons of beer from the bottle I've only had 1 that was 'off' :shock: it was before I started to use Videne and hadn't rinsed the bottle, it tasted soapy but I'll happily accept 1 error out of that lot
As for storage, in the cupboards out of the way :thumb:

 

[fbsf]

Here's a question - Everything i read says green/brown bottles to stop UV light getting in and spoiling the beer, Skunking i think its called. So how come all kegs tend to be white? Is that purely because they don't tend to be stored in light places?

I'm not sure. Maybe they think they'll be stored in a fridge! Green bottles don't stop skunking either - it's brown or nowt. Saying that I just keep mine in sealed cardboard boxes when they are in storage so I can use any colour.

I've got a brown pressure barrel as well as a white, but would keep the white one covered with a bin bag or similar if it was kept anywhere other than a very dim room.

 

[simonlpearce]

You're right this has been done once or twice before :whistle:

:lol: I thought i might have, i just couldn't find it via the search.

So far i have gone down the bottling route, but i did buy clear bottles. I dont see this being an issue though as they will either live in a fridge, or under the stairs which has no windows at all. I will however start collecting brown bottles as a matter of cause.

 

[LeedsBrewer]

I'm bottling so far and fairly happy with the results. They look so pretty all lined up! though so do 20 Cornys... (can't justify the expense... yet )

 

[PD]

you can always wrap the few clear glass bottles in a tube of brown paper. I have a few that I still use to check on the condition and clarity of my beers.
Like Baz Chaz I enjoy the bottling of my beers, its part of the hobby of home brewing. Nice clean bottles rinsed thoroughly after use take no time at all to sterilise when being re used.
Storage space is the only reason I would move to kegs, however I've plenty of shelves in the garage er sorry brewery, so its bottles for me.

 

[calumscott]

I heart your cupboard.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[simonlpearce]

Must make a mental note to clean my bottles after use rather than just leaving on the side with old beer dregs in!

 

[LeedsBrewer]

Must make a mental note to clean my bottles after use rather than just leaving on the side with old beer dregs in!

+1

Pour pint
Wash bottle
Drink pint
:thumb:

 

[calumscott]

Must make a mental note to clean my bottles after use rather than just leaving on the side with old beer dregs in!

+1

Pour pint
Wash bottle
Drink pint
:thumb:

+1 but...

There is a natural decay in this process which creeps in around pint 4 or 5...

Pour pint
stick an inch of water in bottle
Leave bottle till morning.
Drink pint


And a further decay creeping in around 8 or 9...

Pour pint
Leave bottle till morning
Drink pint
Fall asleep on sofa
Snore loudly

 

[PD]

You'll not regret it.
I've even gone further when there's been a bit of a party or son's had a few of his mates in.
I swill the bottles out with water and then dunk them in a33 litre bucket containing a weak VWP solution they are left in garage till morning, and again swilled in water and placed on bottle tree. No problem at all.

 

[Baz Chaz]

I heart your cupboard.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Heheheheheeeee ....... I have the one next to it full as well plus boxes sealed up and waiting for 'an occasion' :party:

Another reason I bottle, it's nice to hand out some samples, I called round at Bobsbeers house today and dropped some samples off for his opinion :hmm: ........ hope he likes 'em :pray: :rofl:

 

[Baldbrewer]

OCD kicking in here
I empty beer into glass then fill the empty bottle with water,
Then in the morning I soak the bottles in bleach solution for about 20-30 mins then cold water rinse.
These empties I then spray with videne solution and cap off with a bit of tin foil to stop any **** getting in.

I guess I could just rinse again with Videne solution with the bottle washer that fits on bottle tree and then fill them with the next batch.But sadly I do the whole shebang again on bottling day! Paranoid or what!

Oh dear :thumb: