bottle vs keg

[Norris!]

I brewed a hazy pale and my buddy got a growler from the keg and a bottle I made up. He noticed a distinct difference between the two. Both were good, he gave 7/10 rating the cheap bastard, but he said the bottlrd version was muted in terms of hop aroma and flavour versus the kegged version. This was kind of expected with secondary fermentation but not to the degree he noted, he didn't think it was even the same beer, still tasty he said but he vastly preferred the growler version.

Have any of you noticed this? If so what us your preference and differences you noted?

Cheers

Norris

[Otto Von Blotto]

From the days when I did bottle surplus, I did notice a difference between the kegged and bottled portions of the same batch at say 2-3 weeks after packaging, however the bottles did catch up after another 3 weeks or so. At that point they tasted like the kegged beer did 3-4 weeks prior, and the kegged beer hadn't changed much in that time. It had improved, but not hugely. 

Just shows how kegs condition quicker than bottles really. 

[Norris!]

I was wondering about that, the beer was only 10 days bottled.

I was just really surprised as it was the same brew and expected them to be pretty much the same. I shouldn't of bottled more and tasted throughout like you did Otto.

[The Captain!!]

Definitely have noticed this Norris. 
The only styles I bottle now are Saison’s. 
I really do believe that hop bombs are way better kegged

[Beerlust]

17 hours ago, Norris! said:

...Have any of you noticed this? If so what us your preference and differences you noted?

In the case of keg vs bottle, generally the kegged beer has had a temperature controlled environment right through to when it is kegged. If force carbed, it also does NOT go through a secondary ferment.

The bottled beer does go through a secondary ferment typically using sugar/dextrose & with most home brewers, at an uncontrolled temperature. As we know higher primary ferment temps can create unwanted ester profiles & off flavours so why would it be so hard to imagine that an uncontrolled secondary ferment wouldn't do the same? Also use sugar at a high ferment temp & it is often said to create unwanted cidery type flavours in the beer.

I think the most important thing to do would be to control the secondary ferment temperature. And if you wished to take it a step further, possibly use malt extract to prime. This would alleviate any possible ester production, & using malt extract instead of sugar to prime would lessen any possible cidery influences.

Just my 20 cents,

Lusty.

[BlackSands]

Also... kegs, like cans are light-tight. 

[The Captain!!]

On 12/1/2019 at 10:13 AM, Beerlust said:

And if you wished to take it a step further, possibly use malt extract to prime

Would using malt extract (Dry) to prime be the same weight/amount as say, white sugar? 
Or would it be different? I would have thought the same. 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Its not as fermentable so more is required for the same amount of carbonation. 

[The Captain!!]

3 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Its not as fermentable so more is required for the same amount of carbonation. 

That’s true. So 10% more malt then?

Also, I find the carb levels I was getting were too high, so maybe the same as I was doing. I might give this a crack next brew just to see the difference. 
might be a good way to keg condition a stout for 12 months. 

Edited December 3, 2019 by The Captain!!

[Beerlust]

14 minutes ago, The Captain!! said:

That’s true. So 10% more malt then?

Also, I find the carb levels I was getting were too high, so maybe the same as I was doing. I might give this a crack next brew just to see the difference. 
might be a good way to keg condition a stout for 12 months. 

I'm not sure of the real benefits of using all malt to prime in a heavy ABV beer, but from what I've read, in a light beer it's worth the effort & is noticeable in the final product vs using sugar to prime.

Cheers,

Lusty.

[James Lao]

Kegged beer from the same batch is way better in my experience.

The beers taste similar, but the difference in the taste very noticeable.

I would put this down to a secondary ferment, whether temp controlled, using sugar or otherwise, I think it still will taste different and slightly inferior ( to my palate), to a kegged beer of the same version.

It would be interesting to taste a Kegged beer that has had a  secondary ferment compared to the same beer in a bottle to see if the difference is as noticeable as with a force carbed keg?

Kegged beer that has been force carbed seems cleaner in taste and clears better, in my experience.

Cheers

James

Edited December 3, 2019 by James Lao

[The Captain!!]

53 minutes ago, James Lao said:

Kegged beer that has been force carbed seems cleaner in taste and clears better, in my experience.

I think so too for most styles that I drink. 
Just thought it may be an interesting experiment to try