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Bottling vs kegging homebrew: time, gear and carbonation

About 53 bottles to fill and cap, or one keg on gas. Here is what each way of packaging a 5-gallon batch costs you in time, space and care.

Updated November 2026 · 6 min read

A converted fridge holding two corny kegs, a CO2 tank and bottles of homebrew
FastRack 12 oz Amber Longneck Beer Bottles, 24-PackFerrari Super Agata Bench CapperFastRack Red Baron Bottle CapperBrewer’s Best 6.5 Gal Bottling BucketLD Carlson 9760 Priming Sugar, 5 ozFermtech Regular 5/16 in. Auto-Siphon, 24 in., with 8 ft Tubing
Photo: Bruce Turner from AustinTX, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The short version
  • Bottling 5 gal (19 L) means about 53 × 12 oz bottles, priming sugar and a capper. The beer carbonates in the bottle in about two weeks at room temperature.
  • Kegging means one 5 gal corny keg, a CO2 cylinder and a regulator. You set carbonation with pressure: about 11.2 psi at 40°F for 2.4 volumes (BYO chart).
  • Bottles are cheaper to start and easy to share; kegs package in minutes but need a fridge and CO2 safety habits.
  • Many brewers do both: keg at home and fill a few bottles from the keg with a counter-pressure filler or beer gun.

Bottling vs kegging is the packaging decision every homebrewer meets after the first few batches. Bottling uses a measured dose of priming sugar so the yeast makes CO2 inside each sealed bottle. Kegging moves the whole batch into one stainless keg and carbonates it with CO2 from a cylinder, either slowly at serving pressure or faster at higher pressure.

This comparison covers the time, gear, carbonation control and safety of each, with picks from FastRack, Ferrari, Brewer's Best, LD Carlson, Fermtech, Kegco, KegLand, Taprite and Northern Brewer. Shop the bottling hub or the kegging hub, or read switching to kegs if you are ready to move.

Bottling

Priming sugar, caps and a capper; portable, cheap to start, slower to package

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vs

Kegging

Corny keg, CO2 and a regulator; fast packaging, carbonation on a dial

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Picks from each side

Bottling

Kegging

Bottling vs kegging side by side

BottlingKegging
Containers for 5 galAbout 53 × 12 oz bottles1 × 5 gal corny keg
How it carbonatesPriming sugar + yeast in the bottleCO2 from a cylinder through a regulator
Time to carbonated beerAbout 2 weeks at room temp (Palmer)Days to about 2 weeks, depending on method
Carbonation control~ Set by sugar dose and temperature✓ Set and adjusted on the regulator
Sediment~ Thin yeast layer in each bottle~ First pour or two carry yeast
Cold storage✓ Room temp, then fridge as you drink✗ Needs a kegerator or fridge
Portability✓ Hand a bottle to a friend (21+)~ Needs a counter-pressure filler or growler
Main hazardBottle bombs from over-primingCO2 cylinder handling and pressure
Start-up gearBottles, caps, capper, bucket, fillerKeg, CO2 tank, regulator, lines, faucet, fridge

Source: Palmer, How to Brew (priming and bottling); BYO carbonation charts

How many bottles is a 5-gallon batch?

Five gallons is 640 fl oz. Divide by the bottle size and add a couple for losses:

Containers for 5 gal (640 fl oz)

Arithmetic, before trub and transfer losses

12 oz bottles: 535312 oz bottles16 oz swing-tops: 404016 oz swing-tops22 oz bombers: 292922 oz bombers5 gal corny keg: 115 gal corny keg
Source: 640 fl oz divided by container size

Every one of those bottles needs washing, sanitizing, filling and capping. That repetition is the main reason brewers switch to kegs. Swing-top bottles skip the capper but still need sanitizing, and their gaskets wear over time.

Carbonation: sugar dose vs regulator pressure

Carbonation is measured in volumes of CO2. When you bottle, the beer already holds some CO2 based on the warmest temperature it reached after fermentation; the priming sugar adds the rest. Use the priming sugar calculator instead of a fixed "one cup" rule.

CO2 volumes by style family (bottle or keg)

Style familyVolumes of CO2Bottle-safe?
British ales1.5–2.2✓ standard bottles
American ales2.2–3✓ standard bottles
European lagers2.4–2.6✓ standard bottles
American lagers2.5–2.8✓ standard bottles
Belgian ales2–4.5~ standard bottles only to about 3 vol
German weizen2.8–5.1~ standard bottles only to about 3 vol

Style ranges: BYO: Carbonation priming chart. Standard 12 oz pry-off bottles are not meant for more than about 3.0 volumes. Bottle only after the gravity reads the same 2–3 days in a row.

When you keg, the regulator pressure and the beer temperature together set the carbonation. The chart below is the keg pressure for each temperature and target, checked against BYO's grid; the keg carbonation chart adds an altitude correction.

Keg pressure (psi, sea level) by beer temperature and target CO2 volumes

Beer temp1.8 vol2.0 vol2.2 vol2.4 vol2.6 vol2.8 vol3.0 vol3.2 vol
32°F 0°C1.63.55.47.39.211.012.914.8
34°F 1.1°C2.34.36.38.210.212.114.116.0
36°F 2.2°C3.15.17.29.211.213.315.317.3
38°F 3.3°C3.96.08.110.212.314.416.518.6
40°F 4.4°C4.76.89.011.213.415.517.719.8
42°F 5.6°C5.57.710.012.214.416.718.921.1
44°F 6.7°C6.38.610.913.215.517.820.122.4
46°F 7.8°C7.19.511.814.216.619.021.323.7
48°F 8.9°C7.910.412.815.317.720.122.625.0
50°F 10°C8.711.313.816.318.821.323.826.3
52°F 11.1°C9.612.214.817.319.922.525.127.6
54°F 12.2°C10.413.115.718.421.123.726.329.0
56°F 13.3°C11.314.016.719.522.224.927.630.3

Formula: PSI = −16.6999 − 0.0101059·T + 0.00116512·T² + 0.173354·T·V + 4.24267·V − 0.0684226·V². Checked against the BYO grid (40°F and 2.4 vol: 11.19 psi by formula, 11.2 psi on the chart). Regulator gauges read relative to local air pressure. BYO notes that Denver needs about 3 psi over the sea-level chart; add roughly 0.5 psi per 1,000 ft. Sources: BYO: Carbonation priming chart; Brewer's Friend: Force carbonation chart; Brewers Association: Draught Beer Quality Manual.

11.2 psi40°F at 2.4 vol, BYO force-carbonation chart
3.0 volPractical ceiling for standard bottles
130 PSIOperating pressure listed for the KegLand corny keg

What you need to start bottling

  • Bottles: pry-off 12 oz amber bottles (not twist-off) such as FastRack's 24-packs, or 16 oz swing-tops.
  • A capper and caps: a bench capper (Ferrari Super Agata) is steadier than a two-handled wing capper (FastRack Red Baron), but both seat standard 26 mm crowns.
  • A bottling bucket with spigot (Brewer's Best 6.5 gal), an auto-siphon (Fermtech) and a spring-tip bottle filler.
  • Priming sugar (LD Carlson corn sugar) or carbonation drops (Coopers), dosed per bottle size.
  • Sanitizer used at label dilution.
Brown bottles lined up next to a white bottling bucket on a kitchen floor
Bottles and a bottling bucket.Photo: Ginkgo100 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Avoid bottle bombsBottle only after the gravity reads the same 2–3 days in a row, measure priming sugar with a calculator, use standard bottles only to about 3 volumes, store them in a closed box at room temperature and refrigerate once carbonated.Source: BYO carbonation priming chart

What you need to start kegging

  • A ball lock corny keg: KegLand's new 5 gal keg lists a 130 PSI operating pressure.
  • A CO2 cylinder: Kegco's 5 lb aluminum tank has a CGA 320 valve and 1800 PSI service pressure; most tanks ship empty, so plan a local fill or exchange.
  • A dual-gauge regulator: Taprite's lists a check valve and a safety blow-off at 55–60 PSI. Never connect a cylinder to a keg without one.
  • Gas and beer lines, ball lock disconnects and a faucet (KegLand Nukatap), or a starter set like Northern Brewer's Draft Brewer kit (keg, regulator and lines; no tank listed).
  • Cold space: a homebrew kegerator such as the Kegco HBK309S-2 (set from 32°F up to 75°F per the listing, so it can double as a fermentation chamber) or a converted fridge or chest freezer.
Three stainless beer kegs and a gas cylinder against a stone wall
Kegs and gas.Photo: Blood Red Sandman, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
CO2 cylinders and pressureKeep cylinders upright and secured, and always use a CO2-rated regulator (US CO2 tanks use the CGA 320 valve fitting); never connect a cylinder straight to a keg. Store tanks cool and away from heat. CO2 displaces oxygen and collects low: ventilate, close the tank valve and leave the room if a tank leaks. Never exceed a fermenter’s or keg’s rated pressure.Source: Kegco: Everything you need to know about CO2; OSHA hazard bulletin on CO2

If your kegerator lives in a small room or basement, a CO2 monitor such as the Aranet4 or Temtop adds an alarm for leaks. More on building a cold box in our kegging gear for switchers.

Who should choose which

Bottling or kegging by situation

SituationBottlingKegging
First few batches✓~
No spare fridge space✓✗
Sharing beer at club meetings or competitions✓~ Bottle from the keg
Hoppy beers you want fresh and cold fast~✓
High-carbonation styles above 3.0 vol~ Heavy bottles only✓
Hate repetitive cleaning✗✓
Small apartment, no CO2 storage✓~

Choose bottling if you're starting out, have no spare fridge, or want to share and age beer easily. Choose kegging if you brew often, drink most of it at home, want carbonation on a dial and can store a CO2 cylinder safely. Price both paths with the startup budget builder.

Mistakes to avoid

  1. Bottling before fermentation is finished. Take 2–3 equal gravity readings over 2–3 days first.
  2. Priming by volume guesswork. Weigh the sugar from the calculator, and stir it gently into the bottling bucket so every bottle gets the same dose.
  3. Using twist-off or thin bottles. They don't seal reliably with a capper and break more easily.
  4. Laying a CO2 cylinder down or leaving it unsecured. Keep it upright and chained or strapped, away from heat.
  5. Skipping the leak check. Spray connections with sanitizer solution or soapy water; bubbles mean a leak that can empty a tank overnight.
  6. Serving too warm. At higher temperatures the same pressure gives less carbonation and more foam; follow the chart.
Verdict

Bottling is the low-cost, portable way to package homebrew and the right start for most brewers, as long as you bottle at stable gravity and prime with a calculator. Kegging saves hours per batch and gives exact carbonation control, at the price of a fridge, a CO2 cylinder and the habits that go with them. Doing both is common.

How we chose

We compared the two methods using Palmer's How to Brew bottling chapter, BYO's priming and force-carbonation charts, and the listing data for the bottles, cappers, kegs, regulators, tanks and kegerators shown. We did not package beer with these products.

Priming sugar calculatorHow much corn sugar, table sugar or DME to prime homebrew: CO2 volumes by style, residual CO2 from the…Keg carbonation chart and PSI calculatorKeg carbonation chart and calculator: regulator PSI by beer temperature and CO2 volumes, with an altitude…Homebrew startup budget builderAdd up what it costs to start homebrewing with your own prices: 1-gallon kit, 5-gallon extract or a 120V or…

Questions

Bottling vs kegging: which is cheaper?
Bottling is cheaper to start: bottles, caps, a capper and a bucket. Kegging needs a keg, CO2 cylinder, regulator, lines and cold space. Over many batches the difference narrows, since kegs last for years. Add your own prices in the budget builder.
How long does it take to carbonate beer in a keg?
At serving pressure (for example about 11 psi at 40°F for 2.4 volumes) expect around one to two weeks. Higher-pressure methods are faster but easier to overshoot. The keg carbonation chart shows the pressure for your temperature.
How many bottles do I need for 5 gallons of beer?
Five gallons is 640 fl oz, so about 53 twelve-ounce bottles, 40 sixteen-ounce swing-tops or 29 twenty-two-ounce bombers. Have a few extra for losses.
Can bottles explode from priming sugar?
Yes, if you bottle before fermentation finishes, over-prime, or have an infection. Bottle only at stable gravity, use the priming sugar calculator, keep standard bottles at or below about 3.0 volumes and store them in a closed box until refrigerated.
Can I bottle beer from a keg?
Yes, with a counter-pressure filler or beer gun, which fills cold, carbonated beer while limiting foam and oxygen. It's how kegging brewers send beer to competitions.
Is CO2 dangerous in a kegerator?
CO2 displaces oxygen, so a large leak in a small room is a hazard. Keep cylinders upright and secured, always use a regulator, leak-check fittings and ventilate or leave if you suspect a leak.

Sources

  1. BYO: Carbonation priming chart
  2. BYO: Charts and calculators
  3. John Palmer, How to Brew (online edition)
  4. Kegco: Everything you need to know about CO2
  5. Kegco: Everything you need to know about CO2