Is kegging easier than bottling?

In my experience as both a sommelier and a brewer, I have found that the decision between kegging and bottling comes down to a trade-off between time and money. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and it ultimately depends on your personal preferences and brewing goals.

Let's start with bottling. This traditional method requires you to clean and sanitize individual bottles, siphon the beer into them, and then cap or cork each bottle. This process can be quite time-consuming, especially if you are brewing large batches or have limited help. However, bottling does have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive. You can reuse bottles from store-bought beers or invest in some inexpensive new ones. The cost mainly comes from purchasing caps or corks.

I must admit that I have spent countless hours bottling my homebrews. It can be a tedious and repetitive task, but there is also something satisfying about seeing rows of neatly filled bottles waiting to be enjoyed. Bottled beers also make for great gifts or to take to parties, as they are easy to transport and share.

On the other hand, kegging offers a more efficient and time-saving option, albeit with some upfront costs. To keg your beer, you will need to invest in a keg, a CO2 tank, a regulator, and some tubing. While this initial investment can be quite significant, especially if you opt for higher-end equipment, kegging can save you a considerable amount of time during the packaging stage.

Once your beer has finished fermenting, you simply transfer it to the keg, carbonate it with CO2, and then dispense it directly into a glass or growler whenever you want to enjoy it. This streamlined process eliminates the need for cleaning and sanitizing individual bottles, as well as capping or corking them. Kegging also allows for the option of force carbonation, which can speed up the carbonation process compared to the natural carbonation that occurs during bottle conditioning.

I have found kegging to be a game-changer in terms of convenience and efficiency. It is especially beneficial when brewing larger batches or when you have a busy schedule. Additionally, kegs are reusable and can last for many years, reducing waste and the need to repeatedly purchase bottles.

In terms of taste and quality, both bottling and kegging can produce excellent results. However, some argue that kegged beer tends to have a fresher taste and better carbonation consistency, as the sealed keg prevents oxygen from entering and affecting the beer. That being said, with proper sanitation practices and careful attention to detail, bottled beer can also be of high quality.