Expert: Chris Bushman - 3/12/2009

Question
Hey, I'm a somewhat new homebrewer, but I'm getting pretty involved.  We bought a kegerator and corny keg on craigslist and kegged our first batch of homebrew a couple of weeks ago (we've bottled a ton of batches previously, with great success).  I'm aware of some of the pros and cons of kegging vs bottling (such as not having to sanitize bottles, being able to adjust carbonation levels, being able to drink your beer sooner, etc), but as far as actual beer taste/quality/head retention/etc., do the two methods have different effects?  Thanks in advance!!

Answer
Good question, Dave.

Bottles represent an extremely handy portable beer handling device. That alone is a good reason to use them sometimes. You don't want to lay a barley wine down for 10 years in a Corny. Bottle conditioning has the advantage that the fermenting yeast in the bottle consumes oxygen and therefore has a preservative effect. The yeast sediment is rich with B vitamins and is eagerly consumed by some.

Force carbonation in a Corny is very much simpler and can yield great results for everyday beer. Finished beer in stainless is not susceptible to light damage. I used to split the difference and bottle half a batch and force carbonate the other half in 3 gallon Corny's. The best of both worlds, I thought.

When kegging, make sure that you spend some of the time you save by not bottling on proper keg cleaning. There are lots of nooks and crannies to take care of to make sure you're well sanitized. For first time use, make sure you use all new rubber seals so that your beer doesn't taste like Pepsi.

There are those who swear there is a difference in the quality of the carbonation depending on the manner in which it is created (smaller bubbles with bottle conditioning?). The fact of the matter is that CO2 is a clear, colorless gas no matter where it comes from. When dissolved in liquid it becomes carbonic acid. As an acid it's effect on the taste buds is like all acids, it makes solutions taste sour. Besides the souring effect, it is otherwise tasteless. It is possible that low grade CO2 could have contaminants that could impart a tiny bit of flavor, but beverage grade CO2 does not.

There is another way of dealing with your finished beer. Counter pressure filling. Carbonate in a Corny and bottle from the keg. Many people use this technique for bottling beer for competition or for gifts. It won't have the yeast's preservative advantages, but it won't freak out Bud Light drinkers with the yeast sediment.

Even if you bottle condition an entire batch you can still sample the final results in a matter of minutes. Use a PET bottle (1 or 2 liter plastic beverage bottle) and carbonator caps. Since you now have a CO2 tank for force carbonation, you screw on one of these caps and apply pressure. Chill, shake, apply more pressure, until desired carbonation level is reached.

Happy brewing Dave,

Chris Bushman
Colfax, California