Imperial Stout, bottle or keg?

[Fritz Eye]

Hey all,
I have an all grain stout finishing up at around 1.021, 10.5% abv. It's been awhile since I have bottled carbonated a beer.
Should I bottle using the Blichman Beergun or maybe add sugar and some champagne yeast? I not looking for high carbonation, but I do want to squirrel some of these away to last for next year. Any pros or cons between beer gun vs. carbing ion the bottle?
Cheers.
Fritz

[Bad Goat Brewing]

That's almost a religion question. I don't think there is a definitive answer.

I like force carbintation because I can get my carnation level just how like it everytime. Anecdotally I don't taste any reduced oxidation whend I botitle condtion.

[brewinhard]

I only keg my beers. I then beer gun them for comps and or giving away. If you are planning on storing some for an extended period I think bottle conditioning naturally with yeast and priming sugar is a better way to go (albeit more work). Something said for yeast in your bottles for extended aging.

If you plan on using your beer gun, then I would be sure to keep them cold after bottling them simply to reduce any chances of oxidation occurring. I have bottled many sour beers in this fashion that age quite well kept cold in a fridge after the profile is just right. For some reason, I just don't trust the beer gun for very long term aging (i.e. 12 mos +) involving oxidation concerns with normal sacch. beers.

[Daddy Biers]

I wondering the same thing, so what did you end up doing?

[Beerd Man]

Also curious what you did, or to hear other's opinions.

I've got 10 gallons of a flanders red that will be done soon-ish. I'm limited on kegs so I figured I'd bottle half of it (not sure if I should bottle from keg or bottle condition), and put the other on tap. I've had pretty good luck with bottling from the tap, but I'd hate to have an oxygenated sour that turns into vinegar. I think it'd be pretty awesome to have it "evolve" though.

[Daddy Biers]

I only keg my beers. I then beer gun them for comps and or giving away. If you are planning on storing some for an extended period I think bottle conditioning naturally with yeast and priming sugar is a better way to go (albeit more work). Something said for yeast in your bottles for extended aging.

If you plan on using your beer gun, then I would be sure to keep them cold after bottling them simply to reduce any chances of oxidation occurring. I have bottled many sour beers in this fashion that age quite well kept cold in a fridge after the profile is just right. For some reason, I just don't trust the beer gun for very long term aging (i.e. 12 mos +) involving oxidation concerns with normal sacch. beers.

But with the beer gun you can blast it with c02, so that shouldn't be any 02 pick up. Right?

[brewinhard]

I only keg my beers. I then beer gun them for comps and or giving away. If you are planning on storing some for an extended period I think bottle conditioning naturally with yeast and priming sugar is a better way to go (albeit more work). Something said for yeast in your bottles for extended aging.

If you plan on using your beer gun, then I would be sure to keep them cold after bottling them simply to reduce any chances of oxidation occurring. I have bottled many sour beers in this fashion that age quite well kept cold in a fridge after the profile is just right. For some reason, I just don't trust the beer gun for very long term aging (i.e. 12 mos +) involving oxidation concerns with normal sacch. beers.

But with the beer gun you can blast it with c02, so that shouldn't be any 02 pick up. Right?

Yes and you can also purge the bottle before filling and cap on foam to limit oxygen pickup. But oxygen always ingresses under the bottle caps and will eventually lead to oxidation in one way or another over time.

[brewinhard]

Also curious what you did, or to hear other's opinions.

I've got 10 gallons of a flanders red that will be done soon-ish. I'm limited on kegs so I figured I'd bottle half of it (not sure if I should bottle from keg or bottle condition), and put the other on tap. I've had pretty good luck with bottling from the tap, but I'd hate to have an oxygenated sour that turns into vinegar. I think it'd be pretty awesome to have it "evolve" though.

If you bottle from the tap (tasty method with cobra tap) without a beer gun your flanders will most definitely get quite acetic in a shorter period of time. If you are bottling from the tap to enjoy the bottled beers within 4-6 wks then you should be okay but anything longer than that and your beer will begin to decline.