28 replies to this topic

[Deerslyr]

I'm only just finished my third batch, but bottling's not a problem at all for me. Maybe kegging is way easier, but bottling's not bad.... stuff said about process... Going forward, the bottles are delabeled already, so that's one less step. All nice, clean bottles. I don't get what all the fuss is about.

You are new to this hobby, aren't you? It's a bitch to keep up with the bottles. You have to be religious about cleaning them out... and right away. And don't leave them on the counter or SWMBO will get tired of them and put them in the recycling bin. Assuming my bottles are clean, I still need to santize them. Bottling from start to finish takes at least an hour. I can be done with kegging in less than half that time.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I'm only just finished my third batch, but bottling's not a problem at all for me. Maybe kegging is way easier, but bottling's not bad.1) When I bought bottled beer, I rinsed the bottles immediately and soaked 'em with hot water overnight, letting 'em dry.2) For delabeling, I soak 'em in Oxi Clean; gets most labels off pretty quickly (and serves to give 'em an extra clean).3) Come bottling day, I use the vinator/sulphiter to sanitize. Super easy. Stick 'em on the tree and they're ready to go.4) I have my friend (a homebrewer) or my wife help with bottling and capping (neither of them mind). Done. Not a big problem.Going forward, the bottles are delabeled already, so that's one less step. All nice, clean bottles. I don't get what all the fuss is about.

1. spend 3 hours cleaning a 100 bottles because there is mold or something in them.2. sanitize 100 bottles3. rack to a bottling bucket4. 1 hour to bottle and another 1/2 hour to clean upI did 7 batches that way.Thats why I changed to kegging.Cheers,Rich

[djinkc]

I rarely clean bottles anymore. When I do it's only a few at a time and they usually soak a couple days before I get to removing the labels and cleaning the inside. I wouldn't brew much if this was the only option. Kegged 10 gallons after work today. Putzing around it took an hour to clean two kegs, harvest yeast for later this week, refill the kegs and clean/sanitize the conical. Had a couple beers, and visited with a neighbor while cleaning the conical in the driveway. To each his own but that would have taken hours to prep and bottle that much and the invariable mess. And most of the time I do that during down time on a brew day.........

[davelew]

1. spend 3 hours cleaning a 100 bottles because there is mold or something in them.2. sanitize 100 bottles3. rack to a bottling bucket4. 1 hour to bottle and another 1/2 hour to clean upI did 7 batches that way.Thats why I changed to kegging.Cheers,Rich

3 hours is 180 minutes. That's like 2 minutes per bottle (okay, 1 minute and 48 seconds per bottle). That is WAY too long. I spend closer to 10 seconds per bottle, using one of these:https://morebeer.com...d_Carboy_Washer Bottling day is something like:5 minutes boiling priming sugar and bottle caps10 minutes sanitizing bottling bucket, tubing, wand, etc., then emptying sanitizer into tub5 minutes racking beer into bottling bucket with priming sugar10 minutes rinsing 60 bottles10 minutes sanitizing 60 bottles in tub10 minutes filling 60 bottles with beer through the bottling wand10 minutes capping 60 bottleswhich is about 1 hour, and about the time it takes me to bottle a 5-6 gallon batch

[gnef]

can you imagine doing that for 10 gallon batches on a regular basis?I plan on brewing twice a week during the summer while I am off, all 10 gallon batches, I've already done 30 gallons in the past 2 weeks (I know, I missed a batch). That would be close to 300 bottles, just for these. I also have over 50 kegs filled with something (not all to the brim, but still with something), so you can imagine how many bottles I would have to inventory. In 2009, I made 180 gallons of beer, not including meads and ciders. I am hoping to reach the legal limit this year, hopefully I have enough available kegs to do that.I know not everyone brews to this extent, but there is definitely something to be said for kegging. I do it for the simplicity - I don't have to sanitize hundreds/thousands of bottles, just 40 some kegs. I don't have to boil and add priming sugar, I just hook up the CO2. It is also easy enough for me to serve as I need with my kegerators and jockey boxes - these are an investment though.Kegging is definitely more expensive than bottling, but most of that cost is upfront, and once you go beyond that, you don't really see the cost any more, as the equipment should last for decades. I always keep my eye out for good deals, and when they pop up, I jump on them. That is the only way I have been able to accumulate as much equipment as I have. If I had to buy everything new, I would be stuck and not able to brew nearly as much as I do or want to.I do bottle from my kegs every now and then, and also for my batches that I was off on volume, and got more than what can be put in 2 kegs. In those cases, I use priming tabs. I buy as much as I can in bulk, so I have around 3000 caps, a bench capper, and a beer gun for those times it is needed.

Edited by gnef, 14 June 2010 - 07:15 PM.

[Spoon]

I began my brewing hobby saving bottles well beofre I made my first batch. I saved up enough Grolsh fliptops to brew 5 gals then saved another 5 gal worth after my first batch. flip tops are soooo much easier than crown caps, but it is still a PITA. Definitely rinse after drinking. If you can save them in a case box that you can cover, I have placed plastic wrap over the lips too.A soak in hot PBW or Oxy, rinse then dip into starsan and fill. If you have someone help you can bust out a batch in no time. But compaired to kegging it is a total pain. Clean and sanitize 1 keg, rack, seal, add Co2 shake, store. Next. Granted there is a considerable outlay in money to get started keeging but it is way worth it and you will actually brew more.I have some I have to bottle and I am dreading it. I may just keg it and say F'it.

[lowendfrequency]

I keg all of my batches, especially the stuff that will go fast (easy to drink). When I make something really serious though, I'll bottle a bit of it. I have a couple 3 gallon cornies, so I'll fill one and bottle the other 2 gallons. I like to use 22oz brown swing-tops. They are good sized, easy to fill and maintain and they are nice-enough to make people want to return them to me as opposed to tossing them somewheres to be recycled. One drawback I've found though is that the smaller the amount I'm bottle conditioning, the harder it is to control my carb levels. When carbing 5 gallons, an extra few grams of sugar is unnoticable but when we're talking about a gallon or two... it can be the difference between a nicely carb'ed beer and a total gusher. I only trust teh beer gun for competition entries.

[SchwanzBrewer]

3 hours is 180 minutes. That's like 2 minutes per bottle (okay, 1 minute and 48 seconds per bottle). That is WAY too long. I spend closer to 10 seconds per bottle, using one of these:https://morebeer.com...d_Carboy_Washer Bottling day is something like:5 minutes boiling priming sugar and bottle caps10 minutes sanitizing bottling bucket, tubing, wand, etc., then emptying sanitizer into tub5 minutes racking beer into bottling bucket with priming sugar10 minutes rinsing 60 bottles10 minutes sanitizing 60 bottles in tub10 minutes filling 60 bottles with beer through the bottling wand10 minutes capping 60 bottleswhich is about 1 hour, and about the time it takes me to bottle a 5-6 gallon batch

Last time I did it about half my bottles had crud in them so Sat there rinsing and brushing (old school) over and over to get it all out. I was not a happy camper, it took most of the night. Plus I don't like having to wait another 2 weeks to carb and then another to clear in the fridge. Now I drink in about 3-5 weeks instead of 6 minimum.If I never bottle again I will be all too happy.Cheers,Rich

[Stout_fan]

IronKite came over and helped me bottle a 'few' kegs of my Maudite clone.In 3 hours we did 6 cases.Now I have to clean out the kegs.