Bottling Belgians?

[klickcue]

Before long, I am going to faced with the fact of doing something with my Belgian Dark Strong Ale.

Considering the fact that you all know all the neat hiding places, I need equipment.

I am not sure that I would want to bottle an 11 ABV beer in a 750 ml bottle plus the CO2 level is going to be around 4 volumes.

I think that I need some +300 ml bottles, corks, wire cages and a corker, or would I be better with a plastic champagne stopper that is pushed by hand and held with a wire cage?

So, as you can see, I am open for suggestions here.

[meisel]

I've been trying to address my belgian bottling situation for a little while now. I'm skipping the cork and cage thing so I've been collecting 330ml duvel, orval, and westmalle bottles for capping. These beers have carbonation levels between 3-5 volumes and the bottles are designed to withstand those pressures. I recently obtained several 750ml bottles that take standard bottle caps: Jolly Pumpkin, Rogue, and Dog Fish Head to name a few. Brew Like a Monk has an excellent primer on bottling belgians that I would recommend for anyone interested in bottle-conditioned brews.

[Rob Martin]

There are some corkers out there that will also cork a champagne-type bottle using real or plastic cork. While it wasn't a popular idea at the time, it has been suggested the guild purchase a corker for such things that members could use.

Just a (diplomatic) thought.

[meisel]

There are artificial champagne corks that can be inserted by hand if you want to go that route, but champagne bottles come in different sizes so one has to be aware of what type of opening it has. One also should consider the consistency/expense of dealing with natural cork. Natural cork is expensive and typically can't be found locally (I've tried) plus you have to have a floor corker that can perform the task. Several members of the guild have floor corkers and I don't know one of them that wouldn't let me use theirs. Even so, I prefer capping. I can buy a bag of caps for dirt cheap and they are arguably superior to natural cork. A bottle capper (mines borrowed) is less than twenty bucks and performs the task effortlessly. I'm skipping my investment in a floor corker, gonna put my money towards a nuclear powered steam-jacketed mash tun

[klickcue]

I've been trying to address my belgian bottling situation for a little while now. I'm skipping the cork and cage thing so I've been collecting 330ml duvel, orval, and westmalle bottles for capping.

I am jealous that you have the 330ml bottles since I have not been able to source a supplier of brown small bottles yet. May have to call on our bud Jensen and buy 2.5 cases of Belgian to recover the bottles

Right now the 11 ABV is setting in a corny on CO2 working to 2.5 volumes. Later, I plan on bottling with a counter pressure filler with enough sugar to bring the final carbonation to 4 volumes.

Right now, the 11 ABV has a presents of alcohol (not fusel) served at 65 oF.

The smaller Belgians will be bottled in 750ml bottles with a cork and Belgian cork caps.

I recommend 'Brew Like a Monk' and 'Radical Brewing'. To a lesser degree but still a good book, 'farmhouse ales'

[klickcue]

Our bud Jensen took care of me today. Picked up a 12 of Orval (good stuff) and have drank 2. Also getting 2 C of Duvel.

I am still going to brew today, a pale ale with Anchor Liberty yeast WLP051 Cal V. Have a Blond Belgian from yesterday with WLP500.

Starting to get some refrig space since the cornies seem to be blowing out for no good reason.