Bottling from a Keg - Am I crazy?

[pfgonzo]

Like many brewers, I have grand brewing plans, but a sadly limited number of kegs/fridge space.

Sometimes I'll lose track of pours and kick a keg without realizing it was close to empty, but more often than not I'll need the keg before it's empty. When that happens, I usually use my handy BierMuncher bottle filler and bottle the keg out.

Here's the interesting part: The beer I pour from those bottles tastes different from the beer I pour directly from the tap. It tastes better. Seriously. In my IPAs, I find the hop aroma and flavor are both significantly more pronounced which is a good thing. In my Vienna and Irish Ales, I find the malt profile complexities shine through more clearly.

I also find they are significantly clearer.

Why is this?

I use the same serving glasses. I store my keg-bottles in the same refrigerator as the kegs themselves, so temperature shouldn't be a factor. It's a semi-counterpressure system, and while I don't purge the bottles, I doubt oxidation is a factor. There are certainly no stale or oxidized flavors.

Am I crazy?

 

[LandoLincoln]

Like many brewers, I have grand brewing plans, but a sadly limited number of kegs/fridge space.

Sometimes I'll lose track of pours and kick a keg without realizing it was close to empty, but more often than not I'll need the keg before it's empty. When that happens, I usually use my handy BierMuncher bottle filler and bottle the keg out.

Here's the interesting part: The beer I pour from those bottles tastes different from the beer I pour directly from the tap. It tastes better. Seriously. In my IPAs, I find the hop aroma and flavor are both significantly more pronounced which is a good thing. In my Vienna and Irish Ales, I find the malt profile complexities shine through more clearly.

I also find they are significantly clearer.

Why is this?

I use the same serving glasses. I store my keg-bottles in the same refrigerator as the kegs themselves, so temperature shouldn't be a factor. It's a semi-counterpressure system, and while I don't purge the bottles, I doubt oxidation is a factor. There are certainly no stale or oxidized flavors.

Am I crazy?

Time could be the key factor here. You bottle some beer from the kegs, you let them sit for a few weeks, the beer conditions more, sediment falls out more, voila.

A real test would be to bottle some beer and leave the keg in there with some of the same beer in the keg and then drink both three weeks later and see if there's a difference.

 

[pfgonzo]

Time shouldn't be a factor. I'll start in on the bottles the very next day, or sometimes later in the evening, and notice it. What I haven't done is bottled one, let it sit for a day, and then done a side-by-side with a pour from the keg. I'll try that on my wife as a blind taste test and see what she thinks.

 

[fooofleman]

Perception maybe? Do you drink the beer in the same place? Have you tried a double blind test?

 

[LandoLincoln]

Have her pour two glasses from the tap and pour one from a bottle. Then you drink the samples blindfolded and see if you can pick out the one that is from the bottle.

 

[ong]

Maybe the bottled versions are flatter, since you've knocked some co2 out of solution by bottling? Less carbolic bite?

 

[Conan]

Maybe the bottled versions are flatter, since you've knocked some co2 out of solution by bottling? Less carbolic bite?

This was my first thought as well, though CO2 hops with hop aroma. The carbonic bite could certainly be a factor. I assume your beers pour neat the same from the keg and bottle? Kyle

 

[pfgonzo]

This was my first thought as well, though CO2 hops with hop aroma. The carbonic bite could certainly be a factor. I assume your beers pour neat the same from the keg and bottle? Kyle

I'll pay particular attention when I do the testing, but my memory says the pours are close to identical. In other words, I haven't remarked on a difference.

 

[Doctor_M]

Maybe the bottled versions are flatter, since you've knocked some co2 out of solution by bottling? Less carbolic bite?

My thoughts as well, although I think you meant to say "carbonic" http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonic_acid