Why we bottle condition

​​Let me start this post by being honest, before I knew anything about brewing craft beer, the history, the process and the different styles, beer in a can was my go to.  However after researching, learning and developing my personal brewing style give me a beer conditioned in a bottle any day!

Let’s first talk about what bottle conditioning is. The brew is done, it’s had its time in the fermenter, usually between 10-14 days, and it’s now ready to be packaged.

As we all know beer needs to be carbonated. The quickest method for this is to get the beer to the correct temperature (0-3°C) and then hook up a c02 line at the correct pressure and force the c02 into the liquid. It’s in the can or bottle and out the door within 24-34 hours. Perfect right? Well, not really! For beers that are hopped this is far from perfect and I will mention later why.

The second method, which dates back to the very early days of beer brewing, is to add a measured amount of a sugar substance to the beer and let the remaining yeasts naturally ferment these sugars, creating c02 and carbonating the beer, taking roughly 10-14 days depending on the beer type and maintained temperature.

For beers that are hopped, this extra time allows for the flavor and aromas to continue to develop, meaning that as a consumer you are receiving a beer at the best time for your enjoyment.  Force carbonating the beer and drinking it almost straight away means you miss out on getting the full benefit of the selected hops. Sure the beer will still taste good, but you definitely don't get to enjoy its full potential.

The second benefit of bottle conditioning is it almost completely eliminates the chance of oxidation - Oxygen is beers kryptonite!! Exposure to oxygen destroys beer, changing its colour and appearance and adding a stale wet cardboard taste. The extra fermentation of the sugars in the bottle conditioning process creates c02 that consumes any oxygen in the bottle after it’s been filled and sealed, also guaranteeing a much longer shelf life. 

A third and quirky reason I now like a beer in a bottle is that in pubs and tap houses across the globe, you don’t ever get served your beer in an aluminum drinking vessel, it is always given to you in a glass. Why? because it enhances the full sensory experience—aroma, flavor, appearance, and mouthfeel! and yes I stole this from google AI lol.

If I have to look for a negative in bottle conditioned beer it is the visual of "sediment" in the bottom of the bottle. Why does this occur? Once the natural carbonation of the beer inside the bottle is complete, the yeast falls out of suspension and settles on the bottom of the bottle, a correct pour ensures that it remains in the bottle and does not affect the quality of the beer at all.  Is this a negative - not really!

So whilst our methods may result in our sales being delayed waiting for this bottle conditioned process - you get to enjoy a more full flavoured, hand crafted beer made with patience the moment you pop the top of our bottles.