Heres to the bottlers.

[Truman42]

Ive been a kegger for awhile now. I usually do 24 litre batches so will keg 19 litres and bottle the rest. But due to an increase in production the past few months I find myself with 5 corny's full of beer and a 9 litre keg. (Note to self: update my signature to reflect this)
I have just finished brewing a DFH Indian Brown Ale. Its a high gravity beer so I wanted to bottle it all to let it age for awhile. Besides that I've got no spare kegs anyway.

So when I got home from work yesterday I bulk primed and started bottling 24 litres.

And I have to say there was something very therapeutic about sitting there in my garage with the door open, enjoying the view as my neighbors strolled past on their afternoon walks in the nice Melbourne sunshine. Favourite tunes cranking from the stereo, and enjoying a nice ice cold wheat beer.

Kegging may be easier but you basically connect up a hose, transfer the beer and your done. There is no connection with the beer at all. Bottlers get to bond with the beer, caress it through the bottling wand and into the bottle. Cap the bottle with a firm grip like your never going to let it down. You just don't get to experience those sensations with kegging.

Am I going to ditch my kegs for bottles from now on??

Hell no, stuff that, it takes too long. But yes for a brief moment in my home brew career I can say that I actually enjoyed bottling for once.
So here's cheers to all those who still bottle. . :kooi:

 

[mje1980]

I've started using champagne bottles. I use the plastic corks and it is so easy and quick it ain't funny. Only for big or funky beers though.

You're right, there is something about the process.

Hate to do it for every batch though!

 

[Grainer]

Theres something therapeutic about filling my kegs with your beer as well LOL.. If you need room my keezer has plenty

 

[rehabs_for_quitters]

your forgetting the pleasure of finding the forgotten bottles in the corner of the garage that have aged well, good times,

But I prefer to bottle to one big stainlees bottle and stick in the fridge with taps

 

[keifer33]

Looking back at bottling days I do shudder but also agree I find I zoned out of what I am thinking about and almost find a place of 'zen'. I have some big beers planned so this time I am gearing up to do it right and building a bottle washing rack for oven steam cleaning and using all the same type of bottle. Will still have the odd few PET bottles for comps but I guess its best not to put those in the oven

 

[Scottye]

Only three weeks ago I bottled a 6.3% Saison and a 4,5% Xmas quaffer. All the while I was saying "Why do I do it". I normally brew 21 litres, keg and only bottle 3 stubbies, perhaps I should up it so that I can experience this connection that you speak of Truman

 

[ian_2005]

I find it therapeutic too, its the aging and inconstancy that kills me

saying that, always nice to bottle the last few litres to age, and keep for a rainy day

 

[Glot]

Green wine bottles do not filter UV as well as brown and beer is more likely to suffer light strike.
Bottleing is so much fun. Especially when the valve falls out of the bottleing tube and you waste half a bottle trying to turn the fermenter tap the wrong way as they are reveres or the whole lot turns in the thread.
Speaking of which, is there a better quality wand other than the Brigalow one Big W sells?

 

[Truman42]

Green wine bottles do not filter UV as well as brown and beer is more likely to suffer light strike.
Bottleing is so much fun. Especially when the valve falls out of the bottleing tube and you waste half a bottle trying to turn the fermenter tap the wrong way as they are reveres or the whole lot turns in the thread.
Speaking of which, is there a better quality wand other than the Brigalow one Big W sells?

Ive had the tap turn in the thread problem before. I now use 2 O rings on them so can tighten them up firmer. But never really had a problem with my bottling wand. What exactly is wrong with yours? Mines 2 years old and still going strong.

 

[of mice and gods]

Were you drunk dude?

Admittedly, I scale my brews to just fill a keg or two. If I go over that, I must also admit the heresy of very ocassionally pouring that last couple of litres down the sink because I couldn't bring myself to bottle again. I guess I'm in recovery still.

But yeh, cheers to you blokes that still do it, credit where credit is due. But if you actually enjoy it, you're probably pissed :kooi:

 

[beachy]

I bottle about 300L per year in mostly 375ml stubbies . Can not really say I enjoy it but don't start to hate it until the third batch of the day .

 

[slcmorro]

I aim for 21L brews so I get at least a couple of bottles out, if not three. The rest goes in the keg, and the bottles go into my 'museum' for later comparison and enjoyment. Perhaps comps down the track. I bottled 5 batches before I thought feck it, and bought kegs. 7 kegs and counting now.

 

[warra48]

I've only ever bottled.

I'm retired, so time is not such a pressing issue as it for those of you still working for the man or yourselves.

Process is really quite quick. I put about 30 bottles into 2 crates. Pour a bit of StarSan into each bottle, give them a shake, and drain. I wait a few minutes, and quickly do a final drain.
Caster sugar is my priming medium, and it's poured into each bottle through a funnel.

My bottling wand is on a tube which fits over the tap. Very quick to move it from bottle to bottle as they sit in the crates.
Wack on a cap, and I'm done. Not so hard really.

 

[adryargument]

Were you drunk dude?

Admittedly, I scale my brews to just fill a keg or two. If I go over that, I must also admit the heresy of very ocassionally pouring that last couple of litres down the sink because I couldn't bring myself to bottle again. I guess I'm in recovery still.

But yeh, cheers to you blokes that still do it, credit where credit is due. But if you actually enjoy it, you're probably pissed :kooi:

Wait wait wait... you sink it?
Heresy!

Why not drink the leftovers? Its merely real ale... the same stuff you pay a premium for overseas....
I often fill a jug or so of leftovers and give it an hour to settle in the freezer then its go time. And once thats done, its go time!

 

[timmi9191]

I bottled a ginger beer for SWMBO last week.. I had forgotten how much a PITA it is..

Brew it, keg it, drink it..

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I do both and until about 4 months ago I'd keg 19 litres and only bottled whatever was left over. Now, I find I'm brewing beers that I want on tap and also beers that I want to bottle and take out, so I'm about 50/50 with my bottling and kegging.

In my opinion, kegging is great for labour saving and drinking at home, but bottling is better for having beer ready to go.

 

[of mice and gods]

beachy - I think that's what pushed me over the edge, a spate of triple batches in my cramped little area were horrible. I almost gave brewing away (particularly when it was only kits & bits!)

warra48 - I think if I was to bottle again I'd definitely do the wand on the tube idea!

adryargument - I admit most of the time I'm pretty close to my target of 19L. If I am over it doesn't always go straight in the sink, sometimes i tell myself to bottle it then procrastinate a couple of days before tipping it.

black devil dog - beer ready to go is very easily done with a couple (or more) of growlers and you know exactly what the beer is going to be like. No chance of an odd dodgy tallie (it never happened to me but the paranoia is still there).

 

[stakka82]

I also keg and then bottle the left overs, like Slcmorro said, it's great for building up a library of past beers.

I find the bottled beers generally travel much better than the kegged versions though. I have aroma loss issues with the kegs, especially with hoppy American styles.

 

[Diesel80]

I simulate bottling by splitting a batch or two between several smaller kegs rather than a single large keg.

Makes my beer portable if needed and doesn't eat into my cricket watching time.

That time spent bonding with your beer counts for sweet FA if your mates pop in and nail 20 stubbies in an hour!


Cheers
D80

 

[StalkingWilbur]

Your mates obviously don't drink as much as mine

I think I will bottle my first few brews. Kegging seems like a lot more I need to learn that could lead to disaster. Concentrate on getting good beer first.