Brewing without bottles

[firsttimebrew]

Hi!

I'm making my first batch of beer to try out brewing. The kit I have produces 20 pints but unfortunately I don't have bottles to put the beer into afterwards.

Is there any other way of storing the beer?

Can I just keep the beer in the fermenting vessel and take out pints when I want them?

Thanks!

[aamcle]

Err No.

Your options are

A plastic beer barrel
5 litre mini kegs
Or
2 litre pop bottles - probably the best choice.

Syphon the beer from the fermenter into a bucket add priming sugar and mix, transfer to bottles. Put them in a warm dark place for 10 days to develop some fizz then put them in a cool dark place for a month before drinking.


Aamcle

[firsttimebrew]

Great!

Thanks for your reply. Sorry if it was a silly question!

Is it fine to store beer in plastic containers then? (Sorry if it's another bad question)

Also, would it be possible to just use Glass Jars with a clip?

[Addled Jim]

Your local or a busy pub should be able to help you out with some cider bottles, with the sun out plenty get drunk?

[firsttimebrew]

No pubs near me for miles unfortunately! A decent reason why I've started brewing myself

Would it be possible to just use Glass Jars with a clip?

If I use 2L Plastic containers, how long could I store them for?

[Jocky]

DO NOT use glass jars. They won't be designed for the pressure.

Use something that will be designed for pressure - as others have said fizzy drinks bottles are the cheapest way to start.

Alternatively buy a 2 gallon pressure keg: http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... d_tap.html You'll get plenty of use out of it if you keep brewing.

[Dave S]

And make sure that any containers and utensils that you use, including fermenting bin, bottles, spoons etc. are properly sanitised, otherwise you'll likely end up with a large batch of vinegar.

[Fil]

at a pinch go to your local supermarket and buy 11 x cheapest carbonated water 2l bottles, last time i needed to do this they were 11p a pop as long as the bottles contain a carbonated liquid they will be fine for the beers conditioning too.

[firsttimebrew]

Awesome, thanks everyone!

How long do you reckon I can keep them in there for?

[Fil]

any bottle thats suitable will keep beer thats been brewed and prepared with sufficient cleanliness and sanitation above 3.?% will keep fine, many beers benefit from maturity the extreme being imperial stouts which can develop their flavours over 12-24 months in keg cask or bottle.. most kit brews will last 6-9 months in the bottle before any noticeable thinning out from residual yeast breaking down the complex body providing sugars. Home brewed beers are live beers while most yeast drop out as sediment many millions remain in suspension when bottled and provide the conditioning pressure from the priming charge added when bottled.

[firsttimebrew]

Great to hear. Just got one more question: What temperature should I keep the beer at once it's in the plastic bottles?

I have a fridge and a freezer and it's usually about 20 degrees Celsius in my flat.

[simon12]

I wouldn't keep beer in plastic soda bottles for over 3 months, After you prime it keep in at room temp for 2 weeks then keep it wherever you want until you get it to serving temp.

[scotsloon]

then keep it wherever you want until you get it to serving temp.

You really want to keep beer as cool as you can after the 2 weeks in the warm after bottling, this helps to force the CO2 back into the beer to make it fizzy and is part of the conditioning process. I keep mine in a shed outside, I'm in the north East of Scotland so it never gets to warm in the shed so that works. If you have a cellar that would be great.

[rpt]

So have you drunk all the beer you put into clear pop bottles? I hope they have been kept in the dark as light will cause the beer to go skunky (which is why beer bottles are brown). Also, pop bottles will let CO2 out and O2 in and eventually the beer goes flat and oxidised.

[WalesAles]

So have you drunk all the beer you put into clear pop bottles? I hope they have been kept in the dark as light will cause the beer to go skunky (which is why beer bottles are brown). Also, pop bottles will let CO2 out and O2 in and eventually the beer goes flat and oxidised.

rpt,
Why is `Bishop`s Finger` in clear glass bottles? That doesn`t skunk. There are lots of beers in clear glass!

WA