Sorry to revive an old post, but I did a second run with this recipe and put it in bottles this time. I was happy to report that the bottled beer and the kegged beer tasted damn near the same. So, in my mind, I am thinking that my kegging process wasn't to blame for this and it is just how the beer tasted. I had my brother and wife taste it as well, and even put a glass of the original Blind Pig next to it, and within reason, the two I did were somewhat close to the Original, and the two I did tasted the same. So, as a result of this, I feel much better that my process of kegging, while not perfect, is not the culprit of the taste of the beer. I am still thinking of trying the closed transfer just for the heck of it, but I am happy and encouraged that I did not screw anything up too bad. LOL.
Thanks again to all who contributed to this and all my silly newbie threads. It has really been a help and I am taking it all in. I told my wife, at some point, my goal is to set up a keezer in the garage with a few different styles and have friends come over and grab a beer anytime they want. But that is a far distance away Right now, I am just happy that the keg and the bottles are the same to at least give me the encouragement that I can continue to keg beer. LOL.