I will be kegging for the first time. The brew I’m kegging is also my first lager. Up to now I have always bottled. My first question concerns how long to leave it sit after carbonating. When I bottle ( using corn sugar in the bottling bucket )I notice that although the carbonation pressure is fine in bottles after 2 weeks the flavor tastes a little harsh and leaving it sit for several more weeks greatly improves it. Does this hold true for kegged beer. Where You leave it sit a month before serving? Question 2 is what pressure to set the co2 regulator for carbonating? Question 3 is I read somewhere that before transferring the beer from the fermentor to the keg you should leave the fermentor (47 F ) or come up to room temperature for several days, is this something that is done? Thank you.
First time kegging questions.
- Thread starter MLav
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Ah, yes. Google "Carbonation Chart", the pressure depends on the temperature. I suggest 2.5 volumes CO2 for a lager. Carbonation can happen in a day or two: start at 35 psi for 24 hours, then set the pressure according to the chart, wait 24 more hours and have a taste.
Lagers do need several weeks for "lagering", so let it sit, cold, for as long as you can. 2-6 weeks at least.
Once you are fermented, keep it cold all the time.
Lagers do need several weeks for "lagering", so let it sit, cold, for as long as you can. 2-6 weeks at least.
Once you are fermented, keep it cold all the time.
Yeah it gets better a probably 2 weeks after kegging I find sorta hits it's sweet spot.
#1 is just lager or a “rest” you don’t have to wait but the beer really cleans up and smooths out. I pull samples out of fermentor during the cold crash and it’s surprising the taste difference in just a week since fermentation was done.
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Anyone using a tower cooler or insulation on their kegerator? I have read that not cooling the tower creates extra foam. I'm not sold on that but I am getting more foam that usual.
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I am planning on insulating it. BUT this is how I have it now (just to be able to use it) zero foam. As you can see top 6-8" is just out in the air.
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For me the sweet spot is 10 feet of 3/16"ID beer line, and the regulator set at 10-12 PSI.
The reason for the balance between length and diameter is the pressure loss, and flow restriction over the length of the beer line.
The reason for the balance between length and diameter is the pressure loss, and flow restriction over the length of the beer line.
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Just to add to your comment. That is by design. You don't want to just turn the reg down to 3psi or your beer will go flat, so you want your 12 psi to maintain the bubbles. But you don't want a fast foamy pour either.
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I have found that the extra wait, which I have had a hard time doing, is worth it in the end. Like you, I have mostly bottled with corn sugar and let the beers condition in the bottle. I will be brewing my first lager this weekend, so obviously I am not an expert to answer your third question here, but my plan / general understanding of fermenting a lager and going to keg is this:
Primary ferment at 56 degrees for 2 weeks
Come up to 62 degrees for 4 days for a diacetyl rest
Drop temperature from 62 to 35 degrees at about 5 degrees a day and hold at 35 degrees for 8 weeks to lager
Close transfer to keg. If I find that I need my fermenter for a new beer I may close transfer and finish lagering in the keg.
Bottle off the keg as needed
Based on my reading I am pretty sure that the fermenter will need to be at some pressure with CO2 as I cold crash to avoid sucking in O2.
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Just purge your keg with co2 first, when the beer goes in it will displace it.
Dont forget a spunding valve if you finish ferm in the keg
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Yes, as the beer drops in temperature you will pull in some air. There are a number of different ways to deal with this. I have recently been cold crashing in the keg under pressure. I avoid the first glass or two being full of particulate by using a floating pick up. When you get to the point of serving, you will always be pouring the clearest beer from the top of the keg.
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Refresh my memory Don. what are you fermenting in?
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I was eyeballing one of those. Worth it?
I can't compare it to anything else, because I have never used anything else. However it is really easy to clean and easy to work with. Accessories are not cheap but are plentiful.
My only real complaint is that you can't pressure ferment in it because spike recommends against that. I think the logic is that a Spunding valve could get clogged with krausen and overpressure the vessel.
My only real complaint is that you can't pressure ferment in it because spike recommends against that. I think the logic is that a Spunding valve could get clogged with krausen and overpressure the vessel.
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Hmmmm. It says on Thier site that you can.... specifically on the plus model.
But you could pretty easily solve that by putting the spunding valve after a liquid trap.
Yeah, I think so. It is a standard 1.5" tri clamp fitting, and a 6 inch or so 'extension' is not expensive.
I also don't overfill it, so I am pretty confident it is safe. But I did phone them last winter and they were pretty unambiguous. No problem after it is fermented to hit 25 psi, but not until krausen is completed.
