Can I Bottle Kegged Beer?

[MVZOOM]

Fellas,

I want to take a couple of bottles of beer to work, in order that my workmates give some feedback as to how it's tasting.

Can I just draw a couple of longnecks off the keg into clean bottles, cap, store in the fridge? Is there a better way?

And no, I am not taking kegs into work!

Cheers - Mike

 

[warrenlw63]

Can you bottle from a keg? Of course you can! :blink:

With the most frustrating HB invention ever spawned... The dreaded counterpressure filler. <_<

It's basically a bottle filler that equalizes the pressure in your keg and bottle, purge the bottle of O2, bleed pressure from the bottle and fill with beer.

Just make sure you have three hands and don't drink whilst filling, otherwise you'll get the proverbial beer shampoo.

One of the world's great dexterity tests. :lol:

Warren -

 

[kc_ksom]

this is a question I was going to ask on friday, but as I seen on TV the other day (sydney weekend) a business in Sydney (monavale) there is a company that is a brew on premises, which meens home brew is made on site, they take care of it untill you bottle the carbonated BEER.
So I was wondering how the hell they got it in there, as I watched the program they were pooring there beer from the font into glasses and also into BOTTLES and capping, so I guess if they can do it, there is no reason why we cant do it... Im going to have a go soon, (as soon as I get a font).. This was not a special font or anything, it was just a standard tap....

Hope this helps.

Casey


Ohh has anybody done one of these beers, they seem like a good way to make a beer, tho nott as cheap as a home brew.
I spotted 6 kettles, fresh hops, extract malts etc etc, looks reallly well organised...

 

[bighanno]

try this link:
http://brewiki.org/moin/wiki/moin.cgi/Coun...ureBottleFiller

 

[warrenlw63]

they were pooring there beer from the font into glasses and also into BOTTLES and capping, so I guess if they can do it, there is no reason why we cant do it...nised...

[post="121145"][/post]​

Casey.

No reason why you can't do it. Main problem will be excessive foaming when trying to do so and O2 uptake in the bottled beer. Providing you drink it in a day or two it will be fine. From there on it will lose flavour, hop aroma and start to get cardboard flavours.

If you do want to fill a bottle from the font, best trick is to get the beer as close to zero degrees as you can and also leave the bottle(s) in the freezer for a while. Then pour to the bottle under low CO2 pressure. Cap and drink within the week.

CP Fillers are a real pain in the rear. OTOH they allow the beer to remain fresher for longer periods of time because they're pouring into a CO2 purged bottle. Also the equalibrium in the keg and bottle allows for a relatively (not always) foam free, unagitated pour. :beerbang:

Warren -

 

[mika]

Kc have talked to people about bottling from the keg and everybody has said the counter-pressure filler is the only way to keep it carbonated.
Others have tried and have had flat beer inside of 24hrs.
But yf you find something that works, please let us know.

 

[Thunderlips]

These days I use a pluto gun to fill bottles. As long as the bottles are cold and the pouring preasure is turned down then it works very nicely.
I'm not sure how it would go if they were left for a couple of days though. I fill just before going out and they are finished that night.

 

[Ross]

I generally fill my bottles direct from the tap into plastic bottles, what little foam is produced is just squeezed out the bottle & topped up.
Bottles filled this way certainly last more than a few days, as competetion results have confirmed.

cheers Ross

 

[pharmaboy]

I just use my racking tube into the bottom of the bottle, if the tap is cold and bottle cold then foaming shouldnt be too much of a problem. the biggest enemy of carbonation is temperature, if you pour a beer and leave it in a 0 dgree fridge overnight it will still be very fizzy in the morning, i find beer left not under pressure is still quite passable after 2 days in a cold fridge.

Try the experiment with champagne, cold champagne without a closure outperforms a champagne stopper on the bench by miles.

 

[warrenlw63]

I generally fill my bottles direct from the tap into plastic bottles, what little foam is produced is just squeezed out the bottle & topped up.
Bottles filled this way certainly last more than a few days, as competetion results have confirmed.

cheers Ross

[post="121213"][/post]​

Just curious Ross, would you fill an unpurged keg?

What's the longest you've left beer in the bottle this way? :unsure: I'd just be curious regarding it's longevity. I've even had carefully CP filled bottles go stale in weeks.

If it were me filling from a tap I'd be drinking it within days.

Warren -

 

[Borret]

...as competetion results have confirmed.

cheers Ross

[post="121213"][/post]​

I keep reading this statement that is obviously made in such modesty.... but to what competitions and placings do you refer where you have filled bottles this way. Does it work better for any particular style?

Or do you know someone else who wins comps this way?

Brent

 

[Doc]

CPBF's are great for long term storage. However they can be a pain to clean and sterlise if you only want a bottle or two.
If I'm doing just a bottle or two or a growler, then I use a picnic tap with a piece of tubing connected to the end that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle.
Clean, sterlise the tube and bottles. Throw the bottles in the freezer for 5 mins, then fill the bottles on min pressure. You will get minimal foaming on low pressure with cold line and bottles.
Works great for me. Longest I've left them is about a month and no problems with oxidation.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Ross]

...as competetion results have confirmed.

cheers Ross

[post="121213"][/post]​

I keep reading this statement that is obviously made in such modesty.... but to what competitions and placings do you refer where you have filled bottles this way. Does it work better for any particular style?

Or do you know someone else who wins comps this way?

Brent

[post="121223"][/post]​

Borret, As you ask - I won 1st place in the ACT comp with my Australian Dark & it went on to win 2nd place in the Nationals - Both poured straight from the pump & both delivered to the comps over a week prior to the tasting
Results with other styles as well.

I don't make a habit of storing long term this way, as usually only fill to take away for friends etc. I've sent bottles to BigD that took ages to get there & Duff has sampled beers recently that were well over a week in the bottle, certainly no feedback on oxidisation) & all my xmas bottles were filled this way (with a cautionary note to drink within 1 month).

I know this method isnt good for long term storage, but certainly I've never noticed ill effects within a couple of weeks. Maybe the quality/health of the beer when it's bottled has a bearing as well...

Cheers Ross...

 

[Ross]

Just curious Ross, would you fill an unpurged keg?

Warren -

[post="121222"][/post]​

Funny you should ask that - I fill most of my ales in unpurged kegs as they reportably benefit from a little air contact. My pommie ales are shaken with the air still in the keg headspace as well h34r: - Pommie cask beer IMO doesn't reach it's prime until it's had some reaction with the atmosphere... & never had a keg suffer to it's detriment yet, that I'm aware of.

cheers Ross

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

If I'm doing just a bottle or two or a growler, then I use a picnic tap with a piece of tubing connected to the end that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle.

I've done it straight from the regular tap before, but that sounds great...and I've even got a spare picnic tap lying around somewhere :beer: :beerbang: :chug:

PZ.

 

[MVZOOM]

Cool - I just knocked the pressure on the keg down and poured a really cold longneck full. Wacked a cap on and it's sitting in my work fridge, waiting for 11.00am.

Cheers - Mike :beerbang:

 

[warrenlw63]

Funny you should ask that - I fill most of my ales in unpurged kegs as they reportably benefit from a little air contact. My pommie ales are shaken with the air still in the keg headspace as well h34r: - Pommie cask beer IMO doesn't reach it's prime until it's had some reaction with the atmosphere... & never had a keg suffer to it's detriment yet, that I'm aware of.

cheers Ross

[post="121231"][/post]​

Jeez that's bold. That said I guess if it works and you consume your beers quick.

Back to CP fillers. I always find no matter how carefully I deal with it I ineviatably get mixed results. Dark beers always seem to fare well. OTOH lighter hoppy styles seem to give me strife.

First thing I notice is the loss of hop aroma and light cardboard flavours. This can happen anywhere within a week to a month or more.

I guess when filling bottles from a keg there's no absolute perfect world. Sort makes me wonder how commercial breweries who use nothing more than an industrial sized CP filling setup fare better. :unsure:

Warren -

 

[Jazzafish]

I too have had mixed results with filling straight from the tap. I have also won competitions with beers filled this way. That said, I have also had flat beer after a week doing it this way! :unsure:

After toying with reasons why, I found importance in the head gap in the neck of the bottle.

Once I filled a bottle a bit too fast. It foamed up alot. I decided to cap the bottle with the foam extending from the bottle lable to the neck. Once it settled, it left the neck of the bottle empty. It was also flat after two days!

When people say to slow the flow down, do it so it takes a few mins to fill the bottle 3/4 the way up the neck with clear beer. Along with the other methods mentioned here, you'll be fine.

I wouldn't bother with a counter pressure filler unless you are going to bottle large amounts.

 

[Tony M]

I believe Jazzafish has hit the nail on the head. I drop the gas so I just get a flow with the pluto full on. Cold beer and frozen bottles. But if you dont fill the bottles as close to the top as possible with beer not foam, a lot of fizz is lost.

 

[Trough Lolly]

Cold beer, cold bottles and a ventmatic ultra-flo faucet and you're in business.

They fill 2L bottles no sweat!

Here's a piccy of them...click on this link to a previous thread on ventmatic faucets!
Cheers,
TL