Hi All!
I'm a keg brewer for the most part. I haven't bottled since I got my kegerator and switched to all grain batches. However, I am going to be making a Duvel Clone next week (I know, bottling is a ways off). From everything I've read, it seems as though bottling is really the only way to go for a Belgian Golden Strong Ale as the carbonation is different (I'm not here to debate this, it's simply the overwhelming majority of brewers believe this makes a difference in this ale). I was wondering if you had any suggestions for the type of bottles to use for this? I will be carbonating to 3-4 vols, which is a lot more than most beers I've brewed. I'm guessing this is what gives Duvel its champagne like mouth feel. Will standard beer bottles and caps be able to withstand this pressure? My LHBS has "Belgian Beer Bottles w/corks", is this a gimmick or is it designed for exactly this purpose? Is the glass stronger than typical beer bottles? If I go this route, should I get champagne wire caps for the corks?
Thanks for any suggestions! I'm really excited to brew this beer!