SHOULD YOU CAN YOUR HOMEBREW OR BOTTLE IT?? (Every Factor Compared)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ค. 2024
- It's a debate as old as time...or at least as old as when everyone's favorite IPAs started showing up in cans. Is canning your homebrew the answer or should you stick with bottling? This video will help you decide what's best for you!
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0:00 Intro and welcome
0:30 The debate
1:30 The answer
2:02 Weight
2:33 Space
3:14 Cost of entry
4:14 Cost per unit
5:06 Reusability
5:39 Environmental impact
6:20 Durability
7:36 Safety
9:09 Labeling
9:36 Priming and conditioning
10:13 Oxygen resistance
11:01 Light resistance
11:36 Long-term storage
12:51 Availability
13:41 Why I'm switching to canning
Full disclosure, most of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you buy through them I make a small percentage from the sale at no additional cost to you. All money earned through the channel goes back into the videos and brews you see on my channel. As always, don't just take my word for it, do your research before you decide to buy.
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#canning #bottling #debate #homebrew #can #seamer #beer #brewing #oktober #cannular - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
There’s only one way - keg it!
Isn't a keg just a really big can with a spigot, anyway? Asking for a friend.
@@Operator8282 it’s a probably best size can 😅
@@Operator8282 I was about to write tge same. Lol
Haha 100% agree!!
It’s much easier to give beer away in a can or a bottle, another good reason to keg your beer.
I like the fact the bottles can be used over and over again. Plus I've never bought bottles from a home brew shop, I just buy a case of bottles with pry off caps, drink it, wash them, use them for home made beer.
Great breakdown. The one option you missed that for some reason I don’t see many people discuss is PET bottles. They are a hybrid that has bonuses from both bottles and cans.
Similarities to cans:
Similar price point. Similar weight. Similar sturdiness for shipping or taking on the go (but also less likely to get damaged in storage while empty). Similar warning for over carbonation as cap will swell and there are pressure reliefs on base of bottle. Don’t need a bottle opener to open.
Similarities to glass bottles:
No extra equipment needed (don’t even need a capper). Reusable, only need new caps (can actually reuse caps if you want).
A final bonus to PET bottles that you don’t get with cans or glass bottles is that when bottle conditioning you can check how carbonation is progressing by squeezing the bottle, as they will get very firm when they are fully carbed.
For myself I have gone the glass bottle route for beers that are not kegged, but I keep a supply of PET bottles on hand for when I know that I will be wanting to take beer to go (I will usually counterpressure fill on demand from kegged beers for this).
Thanks for the info!
I know that we're just a couple of dinosaurs, but we still bottle with no plans to stop. One reason, the bottles are endlessly reusable as you said. Another thing, bottling directly from the fermenter is technically less work than transferring to a keg and then carbing and kegging (I'm sure a unitank would solve that). We had an opportunity to borrow the Oktober seamer from work and buy cans from work so cost wasn't ever an object in our decision. As in all things, convenience was our major decision and bottles won. Every time I run the 3 head canner at work my desire to can homebrew instantly evaporates.
Yeah. These aren't equally weighted factors by any means. Cheers!
I love bottling fully carbed beer straight from the fermenter! Best way to bottle/can if you are doing an oxygen sensitive brew like IPAs (which 2 1/2 pints certainly enjoy a lot of!) so long as you have a counter pressure bottle filler like a blichman beer gun or itap that you can connect to your fermenter.
You forgot one main category - Shotgunability. While it is possible to shotgun a beer from a bottle, it is much classier to do so from a can. Great overview! Cheers!
You raise a very good point!! Glass shards are so annoying to pick out of your mouth
Props on your comment very much being in line with your name!
Are shot gunning imperial IPAs? 😆
You didn't include brown PET beer bottles that come with their screw caps (Coopers etc). Cheap as chips and cheaper than cans, durable, recyclable, reusable etc, etc. They basically tick every box.
Thanks for letting us know!
Bottling is a pain, but..sure is nice to have the beer in individual bottles. You can give them away, store them differently, and you’re not stuck maintaining pressure and temperature on the whole amount like in a keg.
I'm not a home Brewer, but have gotten into craft beers of late. In the past I used to perceive a bottle as more premium and a canned beer as cheap somehow. Now I'd prefer a can as I've grown to appreciate the artwork a can affords.
Nice break down!
If I ever manage to ramp up my home brewing to the scale I'd like, I will definitely be considering canning.
It is pretty fun!
Thank you for video! Great points! 👍
Good video thanks for the considerations. One aspect of can durability to also consider is consuming near pools/beach. Not having potential glass break where people walk barefeet makes it a strong favourites with canns.
Great video, I love canning. So much more convenient IMO.
I have been debating myself heavily about canning. Like your overlook and you nailed one of the big sticks for me, the cost of the seamer. I am getting tired of hauling kegs around, I have given up on bottles as they are time consuming and storage...
Lots of great tips Steve! I have cans and I’ve got a good buddy who lets me borrow his can seamer so that’s the way I go.
Thats a fantastic way to do it! I think a lot of homebrew clubs pitch in for a seamer and thats ab great way to get access to one. Cheers!
What is better than owning a boat (can seamer)? Having a buddy that owns a boat (can seamer)! ;)
My local homebrew shop got one and started a service charging a nominal amount for you to bring in your keg of beer and have them can it for you. It’s a couple days affair as they leave the beer in the fridge to make sure it is proper temp and to allow any sediment to resettle after the transportation to the shop. An interesting way to see if you like having your beer canned or to get it done if you have a specific need to just can a small amount of brews.
I'm curious if you plan to go out to the market any time soon as a craft home-brewer. Love watching and implementing your brewing tips and techniques in my shed!
Nah. I don't like the business side of pro brewing. Glad you're enjoying things!
Agreed with most of these, but I do prefer bottles to cans. Always have even before home brew. One person mentioned BPA, very good point! And as far as labeling, I skip the labels on mine and use different colored caps to differentiate. It’s worked well so far.
I'm always a bit wary when I have bottles around the house, I have broken so many over the years let alone my fear of bottle bombs. A lot of great points for moving towards canning!
Cheers Trent!
Lots of info here, well done! I personally have no desire to can yet, bottles are way easier to deal with and I have several cases of bottles that I use to give beer away.
Do what works best for you! If you've got the stock already and you find it easier go for it!
Awesome break down! This is why I bought a pack of reusable cans from Crowler Nation
Thanks man! If those are the screw top kind I'd be very wary. I used screw top cans for a while and had rampant oxidation problems. Can't fully guarantee you get a good seal
Kegging and large bottles with sling cap. Large bottles are great so you can pour some for yourself and a guest if they want to try some. Most people like to see the beer in a glass, especially if trying a homebrew for the first time.
Works perfect for me.
Honestly, the cost of entry is probably going to be the deciding factor for me. Plus I have hundreds of bottles that I reuse all the time. So, for the cost of a few crowns I can package all I want. Great video my friend!
If you can keep the bottles to recycle them its 100% worth it. Cheers!
total honesty here, i'm not going to lay down that much money to start canning. i'll go to kegs and send out bottles as needed.
Just got a cannular and i think in a going to love it. I am only 6 cans in.
Great comparison. It's interesting that cans are better for oxygen resistance yet bottles are better for long term storage. It makes me wonder at what point the "switch" occurs.
I've decided to get back into brewing and I have picked up an Oxebar keg (big brown plastic bottle effectively) that i plan to use for transporting beer to share. They are fairly cheap (12 bucks for 8 liters) so it isn't a big loss if one goes missing, yet is durable enough to be reused.
I would be interested to see a similar comparison looking at kegs, pry top glass bottles, swing top glass bottles, pet bottles, and cans, as well as a comparison of Pet kegs vs sanke kegs vs corny kegs.
Great comparison, and really lays out the pros and cons! With regards to acidic beers in cans, there is a polymer or similar liner in the cans… there is some debate on pro brewer forums and elsewhere as to what level of acidity is safe in a can… but the liner has to be dissolved before the metal is reached.
Another thing to be aware of with can conditioning is that the can won’t immediately be pressurized and thus is susceptible to being crushed if stacked. Thats one reason why I guess pro brewers avoid can conditioning in favor of bottles, but that is less a concern at the homebrew scale.
I did not know that, so thanks for pointing it out! I've heard of some issues with some low pH beers in cans. But I figured if it can handle 4.5 pH normally its got to have something in it.
The ease of damage is one of the things that concerns me the most with cans. Not just in the can conditioning example you mention but in storage prior to filling. Any dents/creases in cans can potentially rip the polymer lining and have the beer start to work on the can and leach metals into the beer and create some nasty metallic off flavors.
I love my new canning system. I literally can make batch after batch and can everything to make room for my kegs. It's the best! I end up giving away half of my 4 packs though lol
Really liked the outro, smooth transition
Sounds like you've really got a great system figured out!
Cool video! Hopefully the canner tool will come down in price in the near future!
Me too!
Nice breakdown.
Cheers!
Since I keg my beer, I only package a small small amount in bottles for sharing or short term storage when I need keg space. I dont like the idea of taking bottles outdoors or on the boat.so I am either looking to can or using plastic pet bottles. In one of Jus' Brewing's video he talks about a twist top can that he like to use that gives you most the benefits of cans with out the can seamer price.
As you pointed out it is a personal choice. For me I bottle or keg. Bottles for me just make more sense for the reasons you pointed out. Excellent review!
Its ultimately a personal choice, thanks for watching!
Get yourself an airtight fermenter like all the plastic balloons or a keg. Bottleing was yesterday.
We're did you get the shirt?
It's awesome and so is the video
I found out but couldn't wait until the end 😉
I exclusively use bottles. Will move to kegging some day, but still planning to mostly use bottles (I like bottle conditioning).
Great thorough video as always! When you say that the environmental impact is equal, is that for a single can vs a single bottle, or on a per usage basis? The reusability of bottles will reduce the impact every time it is used. It takes energy to manufacture both, more energy to transport glass, but it also takes energy to recycle and re-manufacture a can. I like glass specifically because it is reusable, and it moves us away from the modern throw-away culture. The usage cases for cans that you present are all good points, double IPA's and when you want to hike with it. But if it's staying at home or going to a party, bottles are way preferred by me. Cheers!
You make great points!
NEITHER. Keg it. Way less of a headache.
This is a killer resource. Totally agree it’s awkward to give people bottles and then ask for them back or get offered them back. Once you start canning you just get it.
Thanks man! Yeah thats pretty much the biggest reason for me.
I'm still bottling foreseeably, but if I was canning and it's one use anyway I would definitely do nicer labels on my brews. With bottles I just use the cap dot labels unless it's for something special because who wants to spend extra time cleaning labels off your reusable bottles? Great breakdown here for future thoughts!
Get laser jet printed labels on regular paper, (or use the right pen) and you can adhere paper labels with a little bit of half and half. The sugars in the half and half will adhere the label securely, but they come off really easy in some warm water.
What a cool trick!
Another point to mention is that your LHBS is basically guaranteed to carry bottles, and probably for cheaper than online - if I bought that same 24-pack of glass beer bottles from the Northern Brewer retail store on grand, it costs around $12.
I prefer buying quality bottles with beer already in them, which lets me tell myself that the expensive belgian ales I've acquired will pay for themselves over time, lol.
Great point!
Think it's definitely still bottling for me! The reusability is too great, but love the breakdown!
Cheers Nikita!
Excellent video as always. 1) I do not can because of the upfront cost and I do not like bottling/canning small beer containers. 2) I bottle only heavy beers in champagne bottles as they are bigger in volume and therefore fewer to clean/store. Big benefit is they can withstand higher pressure than the small bottles. 3) I keg everything else.
Great way of doing it!
thanks for the great video, but how cans are doing with NEIPA or sensitive beers, is there a way to make oxygen-free canning filling home?
Yup, you'd need to be sure to purge with CO2 from the bottom up. Something like a blichmann beer gun gets the job done well
how about 2-5 liter plastic containers with a tap? I am planning to use something like that. Since the plastic would give a way a little more?
Hello! Studying up for my first brew and think your advice is great. Any thoughts on those silicone bottle caps that are advertised as reusable? Do you know of them and if so are they effective for home bottling? If so I imagine that they would help a bottler reduce costs of ordering and reordering caps. Thanks for your help.
Unfortunately I have no experience with those. If you're getting ready for your first brew I'd recommend just going with regular bottles and caps
looking good braj!
Cheers CH!
I can all my homebrew from the keg, and I haven’t looked back.
One last note on shipping, if it flies it can explode from the pressure loss with glass bottles
Can is just over thinking it. Bottle with sling cap is the way to go.
Definitely the easiest method. Cheers!
Good info. The price difference might have not gotten enough emphasis. $500 can get somebody not only the basic equipment to brew and ferment beer, but also a simple kegging system. $15 + free bottles vs $500 + mail order cans? I suspect there is a wider variety of sizes in bottles and I am curious how cans work for highly carbonated Belgian beers. I do see the benefits of canning, and hope that soon there will be a decent low cost option. Twistee Can seems like a decent option for those that just want to occasionally package some kegged beer.
Nothing here is really weighted equally, since I'm not really making a recommendation for anyone, just showing the raw comparison since different factors will mean different things to different people. I would not recommend twist top cans. Having used them before I had rampant oxidation issues.
@@TheApartmentBrewer Ahhh...bummer about the twist top cans and oxidation. That is something I would have been afraid of.
Canning is pricey AF. Not to mention, you still need a keg and beer gas and a beer gun in order to carbonate the beer to put in the can. Although i wish i could afford it. Love the way you can control the carbination level alot better than in a bottle.
Yeah, I really hope the price of canning can drop some. I expect it will in a few years. Cheers!
$500 + cost of the cans is the lowest point of enter into canning and that is way too steep. I can brew a lot of beer for $500 + dollars. It's much more affordable to bottle from my kegs and tell people to just pitch the bottle.
Cheers🍻
Would love to can homebrew. . .Cost, Space, and Wife are my barriers of getting into canning.
Cheers Jesse!
Why would you buy bottles? I went to my local beverage shop and just bought like 100 flip top bottles (0,5L) for like 20 bux
Hi there, have you found any difference in taste? Cheers from Brazil
Cheers, I haven't observed any differences so far
@@TheApartmentBrewer here in Brazil people (myself included) have a negative opinion on canned beers even pouring into a glass, thx anyway!
@@rmg222 that’s interesting. Prior to the craft beer revolution up here the same negative opinion about canned beer was here, but it was a perception thing as usually only the cheapest beers were in cans. Now some of the best commercial beers out are only available in cans and they have become the preference for most of the market.
As a canmaker for 35 years I must point out a misconception about product meeting metal. It doesn't happen! All cans are coated inside with a food-safe lacquer. Even a tiny pinpoint of metal exposed to the product, especially with a sugar content will give you a terrible unmistakable metallic taste. Canmakers are extremely careful to avoid this as the brewery or soda factory will reject a whole shipment of cans with just a tiny proportion of such cans with the canmaker having to pay for them plus a huge penalty depending on the contract.
Also another factor mentioned here: under the curled bottom outer edge of the end (proper name for the top) is a plastic compound that does the sealing when rolled onto the flange of the can so it's not just metal to metal.
Cans are typically coated with an organic layer that protects the integrity of the can from effects of the food and prevents chemical reactions between the can’s metal and the food. Beer is acidic and would react to the metal giving a metalic taste. The coating allows the beverage stay fresh. This applies to juices, soda pop, wine and beer.
Stainless steel when introduced to an acid (beer) passivates the stainless and prevents the stainless from rusting.
Interesting, thanks! I've seen a fair number of issues canning sour beer regardless but thats good info to know.
I hate cans, can always taste the can. I would buy craft beers to try a craft brew vs mine as a control. Most craft have gone to cans and it's just not a good thing imo. Some are more bitter or have a funk, others just have a can taste. Since I'm old enough to remember the change from steel to aluminum but not old enough to say I drank out of the steal cans I would like to see if their is a difference. Is it the can metal or the spun in liner? Bottles do not have this can taste or odd bitterness. Only thing I can figure is, the spun liner adds the funk, the acid finds a Crack in the spun liner and starts working on the can, or its the difference in the amount of exposure to air can vs bottle. Having said all that even 45 years ago keg beer was always better than cans or bottles. So it maybe the air exposure that taints bottles and cans, but I've also never had a bottle beer that taste like a can . Ev3nbthe really sad macro brews like Coors the difference between can and bottle is a beer that's not fitting drink vs one that is at least drinkable.
I’ll stick with bottles for their economy. If you think about it, the cost of the container is more than the raw materials when homebrewing. Asking for them back is a small inconvenience for free beer. Also, friends can give any bottle as long as it’s not a screwoff.
Thats true!
On the downside of cans : the presence of BPA (bisphenol A) inside it. No a cool compound.
I really like your videos though 🙂
Agreed, not a great thing, and not something I really thought about too much. Thanks for bringing it up!
If you know a few beer drinkers then there's no reason to ever pay for glass bottles unless you want swing tops.
My glass is the preferred vessel for home brew
Which one is more cost effective? Bottles. It isn't even close.
Not sure the environmental impact was a fair comparison for home-brewing, given that a can is used once but bottles are used indefinitely with cleaning out
Fair enough!
But why does beer taste so good from the bottle vs the can. It taste weak from the can
I haven't found that to be the case. Cheers!
@@TheApartmentBrewer can you please do a sahti style ale I miss them it is hard to find in the states, really great beer nonetheless
I hate cans. Bottlebeer for me please. I have kegs, but the glassbottle is no.1.
Bottles.
Fight me.
People that don’t return bottles just don’t get free beer. And if I don’t like you, no swing top!
I don’t see that canning as having a huge benefit to me. I keg 90% of what I make and the little that I don’t keg doesn’t justify the added cost of a canning set up.
Yesh if you're not sharing too much outside of where you serve its not usually worth the dollars. Cheers!
You say cans are more durable than bottles, and sure, that is generally true, but I have 'broken' more cans than bottles, and I have handled far more bottles than cans. Bottles have to be broken to fail, but cans can be pierced. It takes a lot less energy to pierce a can than to break a bottle.
I've also never had a bottle bomb. If I ever sense that there might be more fermentables than I expect in a beer, they go in Belgian bottles. But, as a rule of thumb, if the beer isn't done, it doesn't get bottled, and bottling sugars are meticulously weighed, so carbonation never reaches critical levels.
Reusability. Reusability, reusability, reusabilty! This one thing usurps several of the other comparisons.
Not all factors should be weighted equally! But thats why its ultimately up to the individual
b o t t l e g a n g
Cheers Matt!
Bottle gang