[sparkleberry]

i am currently sanitizing to bottle first thing in the morning.  yes, it takes time and is a process. 

i take great pleasure in making bottle conditioned ales.  and people like drinking them.

it's just a part of the process that i enjoy.  kegging may be faster, but bottling keeps me true to the process.  also i like to experiment with priming sugars. 

i should say i have no kids and no bank note, so i have the time.  this part of the process is an amazing part of drinking my better, bottled beer.  wouldn't trade this part of the fun for a quick fix.

maybe i have to wait a few weeks, but it's totally worth the wait.

i'm a pro bottler!

[brewmonk]

Money and experience are the main reasons I don't keg, but
+1 to your feelings.  I do find that the labor of bottling gives me a sense of an added touch of "crafting" a beer (even though kegging has it's expertise too).  And I recently learned that that step can also make or break a beer (make sure the priming sugar is mixed into the beer well  )

And there is definitely something about passing out bottles to friends and the sound and action of getting that nice "pffffft"  of carbonation when you pop off the bottle cap.

Cheers!

[tygo]

I recently switched to kegging and there is nothing I miss about the process of bottling.  I still do it for some big beers that I'm going to keep around for awhile and don't want on tap, but other than that the 15 minute kegging process beats the two hour bottling ordeal.

[tomsawyer]

I went from bottling to kegging, and now I'm back to doing some bottling.  There are certainly some things that make bottling easier, the bottle tree with the sanitizer squirting reservoir on top is maybe the best thing.

[Al Equihua]

Excelent feelings about the process that involved bottling.

Last night i bottled my APA and while i was cleaning the bottles i was thinking that as hard can be to the process of preparation for this moment is really the essential of homebrewing. At first, i was saving money to purchase my keg but i realizes that keep the beer in the bottle and maybe label it, you can share it with family and friends and myself... that's is the real thing!

but in the future i might be getting the keg for special occasion...
nice thoughts!!

cheers!

[Will's Swill]

I recently switched to kegging and there is nothing I miss about the process of bottling.  I still do it for some big beers that I'm going to keep around for awhile and don't want on tap, but other than that the 15 minute kegging process beats the two hour bottling ordeal.

15 minutes?!  It takes me that long to disassemble and clean the keg.  Maybe 20 minutes total to disassemble, clean, get it back together, sanitize, and check the seals.  Then fill and clean out the fermenter.  Call it a half hour.  Then futz with the freakin' CO2 cylinder when it freakin' leaks.  Ah, but I'll ask about that on another thread.  So probably 45 minutes all said.

Bottling take 2 hours?  No way.  Maybe an hour.  I kegged one batch and bottled three batches yesterday.  It took me three hours total and that included setting up all my gear in the kitchen for the bottling (I normally bottle outside, but it was raining).

But, YMMV

[tygo]

I recently switched to kegging and there is nothing I miss about the process of bottling.  I still do it for some big beers that I'm going to keep around for awhile and don't want on tap, but other than that the 15 minute kegging process beats the two hour bottling ordeal.

15 minutes?!  It takes me that long to disassemble and clean the keg.  Maybe 20 minutes total to disassemble, clean, get it back together, sanitize, and check the seals.  Then fill and clean out the fermenter.  Call it a half hour.  Then futz with the freakin' CO2 cylinder when it freakin' leaks.  Ah, but I'll ask about that on another thread.  So probably 45 minutes all said.

Bottling take 2 hours?  No way.  Maybe an hour.  I kegged one batch and bottled three batches yesterday.  It took me three hours total and that included setting up all my gear in the kitchen for the bottling (I normally bottle outside, but it was raining).

But, YMMV

Yeah, I wasn't factoring in the cleaning and sanitizing of the keg since I tend to do that right after it kicks and the kegs I have sitting around are sanitized and pressurized.  So 30-45 minutes for the entire process at different points in time.  And no friggen bottles to cap. 

[glastctbrew]

Excelent feelings about the process that involved bottling.

Last night i bottled my APA and while i was cleaning the bottles i was thinking that as hard can be to the process of preparation for this moment is really the essential of homebrewing. At first, i was saving money to purchase my keg but i realizes that keep the beer in the bottle and maybe label it, you can share it with family and friends and myself... that's is the real thing!

but in the future i might be getting the keg for special occasion...
nice thoughts!!

cheers!

I switched to kegs about a year ago and never looked back.  With a cobra tap and a bottling wand stuck in it's tip I can fill a few bottles or a growler to go mobile in a matter of minutes.  Then there is the mobile kegerator when more home brew is in order.  An igloo cooler on wheels with a 3 gallon cornie and a 5lb CO2 tank inside with a tap on the lid.  Want to see the faces of your Friends and Family light up, wheel that sucker up to a gathering! 

All that said, I still bottle big beers I plan to age or if it makes sense for the style.

[micsager]

i am currently sanitizing to bottle first thing in the morning.  yes, it takes time and is a process. 

i take great pleasure in making bottle conditioned ales.  and people like drinking them.

it's just a part of the process that i enjoy.  kegging may be faster, but bottling keeps me true to the process.  also i like to experiment with priming sugars. 

i should say i have no kids and no bank note, so i have the time.  this part of the process is an amazing part of drinking my better, bottled beer.  wouldn't trade this part of the fun for a quick fix.

maybe i have to wait a few weeks, but it's totally worth the wait.

i'm a pro bottler!

Cool beans.  Glad you like it.  I've been brewing for about 8 years, and am yet to bottle condition. 

[jhwk]

nothing like drinking 48 different versions of the same beer...  I bottled, and then I grew up.

kegging may be faster, but bottling keeps me true to the process.

  True to what process?  And, by the way, I carbonate and "keg condition" my beers for 2+ weeks before I touch them.  So I am not sure what you imply gaining from bottling...

[Will's Swill]

I keg and bottle, but 48 different versions of the same beer?  I think you need to pay a little more attention to sanitation.  Perhaps that funky taste you're getting from your keg isn't really supposed to be there...   

[sparkleberry]

brewing and bottling.  it's a process i enjoy.  trying new priming sugars is part of that.  i'm not trying to make the perfect beer.  trying new things keeps brewing interesting.  i've developed a pretty good routine so bottling is a breeze.  i like thinking about how a beer may turn out all said and done after having primed with espresso or habanero sugar or avocado honey while i bottle.  i very much like the reward of cracking that first bottle; good, bad or undrinkable.  its just one simple reward i take away from my brewing.  if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.  wasn't trying to imply my beers were gaining something extra other than bottler satisfaction.  it also allows me to share with more people.  the film industry doesn't always allow lots of spare time for gathering friends. 

[Malticulous]

I have four taps but still bottle half of almost all my 10 gallon batches. Bottling 54 bottles takes 45 minutes to an hour. One thing is certain, kegging did not improve my beer one little bit.

[oscarvan]

I have never bottled.....41 batches and counting......maybe I'll try it some day....

[morticaixavier]

brewing and bottling.  it's a process i enjoy.  trying new priming sugars is part of that.  i'm not trying to make the perfect beer.  trying new things keeps brewing interesting.  i've developed a pretty good routine so bottling is a breeze.  i like thinking about how a beer may turn out all said and done after having primed with espresso or habanero sugar or avocado honey while i bottle.  i very much like the reward of cracking that first bottle; good, bad or undrinkable.  its just one simple reward i take away from my brewing.  if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.  wasn't trying to imply my beers were gaining something extra other than bottler satisfaction.  it also allows me to share with more people.  the film industry doesn't always allow lots of spare time for gathering friends. 

I only started kegging about a month ago and I love it. But I know what you mean about the joy of bottling. and I do think it makes a difference in the beer. I  know the wisdom if that CO2 is CO2 but The live and active yeast in the bottle must make some difference. Certainly for styles where it is traditional it adds to the overall impression at very least. That being said for normal mid strength pale aleish sort of house brews I can see kegging is the way to go, As long as my kegs are clean and sanitized I can get a batch of beer in a keg in 20 minutes.