Gallon Jug

[Restin]

I tried to do a search on this but didn't have any luck. . .

I just picked up a glass gallon jug from my fathers old wine making equipment and I was wondering how you go about bottling with it. Or can you?

I've seen this done with wax, is that the only method? And finally, how much head space should I leave?

Thanks!

[fretlessman71]

Boy, I'm at a loss. Trying to cap a gallon of carbonating/conditioning beer might be darn near impossible; that's a HUGE amount of pressure that is going to build up, and without a really secure way of keeping a lid on tight, I'm not sure what to tell you.

The 750ml bottles of beer that I get are either capped normally or corked, and even then there's a wire cage that you have to twist off that's holding the cork in. See the problem?

Not for certain on this, but I'm pretty sure that the pressure in a beer bottle and a champagne bottle are going to be much greater than the pressure in a wine bottle, because of the carbonation aspect. Now, what you COULD do is use that gallon jug for making yeast starters... might work really well. Or, take a little wort from each batch and do something crazy with it just to see what you end up with - try dry hopping the snot out of it, or add apricot to an ale, or cherries to a stout, or cocoa to a porter... something like that. This way, you can experiment a bit, and if it goes right, you've got the recipe. If it goes wrong, well, you only lost a gallon of beer.

That's what I'D do. Best of luck!

[Restin]

Thanks Fret. That all certainly makes sense. I'll figure out something :D

[Fast_Eddy]

The largest glass bottle I've ever carbonated in was a 1/2 gallon self capping growler.

[sundontlie]

restin,

i purchase gallon jugs from a local brewery all the time, maybe you could shoot them an email and ask them how they do it...
http://www.climaxbrewing.com/ - maybe its something you need
fancy machinery for, maybe not.

[Restin]

Thanks sundontlie!

I just emailed them. I'll keep you all posted with their response.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by sundontlie
restin,

i purchase gallon jugs from a local brewery all the time, maybe you could shoot them an email and ask them how they do it...
http://www.climaxbrewing.com/ - maybe its something you need
fancy machinery for, maybe not.

Sure it's not 64 oz growlers you're talking about? Most brew pubs sell their beer 64 oz at a time - not 128 oz(or 1 gallon). Also the climax website says 64 oz growlers, too.

A growler with a screw on cap might hold enough pressure to carbonate in - it's worth a try, I guess.