kegging for dummies

Zambi

Zambi

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Or dummer than dummies ;)

I've never kegged. Now I bought 2 x 8 ltr kegland oxebar kegs with tapping heads.
Just got them and assembled the tapping head. Bit more tricky than it looked at the video.
https://www.kegland.com.au/8l-oxebar-mono-polymer-keg-with-cap.html
Maybe my fingers are just to fat or the space for the beer line too small :eek:

Anyway, that's done.

Now I got 5 litre simple cider on the go that I thought would be nice to play with.
I would like to naturally carb it in the keg and then (obviously) use CO2 to pour.
I got 3 more litre of apple juice that I was thinking of using instead of priming sugar, but that is way way too much sugar (1 litre juice contains about 10 % sugar (100 gr))

Simple cider was started on 9 Feb, so I figure I just add 2 or 3 liters of the juice snd let it ferment in the current fermenter and then move to the keg and add priming sugar or apple juice.
So far that looks like bottle conditioning.
How much sugar to use? I read somewhere that you should use about half from "normal"?
I assume you close the keg with the carbing head while carbing/conditioning? With disconnect attached?

I could also transfer now from the fermenter to the keg and add more juice to the keg and put an airlock on the whole thing (I think I got a fitting bung). Then after a couple days, remove airlock and close with tapping head and sort of see what pressure I end up with.
(Or wait for fermentation to finish, remove airlock, add correct amount of sugar or apple juice and close keg with tapping head)
Just wondering about trub in the keg

What do you all think I should do?
 
What is the pressure rating for those?

I would use a Spunding valve on them. Set for 15psi or so and that way you don't over carb or explode the keg
 
It says not to exceed 4 bar
That's 60 psi

There is a pressure relief valve on that tapping head.
Other than that, I am not sure of how and what.

Never had a bottle explode or even gush, so why would that happen with a keg?
 
Yeah it's just like a mini keg they look great and am honestly thinking of snagging some myself.

You've thought of two good ways Zambezi either way will be fine.

If you undershot with pressure on the first half ferment then cap fermentation well you can just add co2 to get the remaining carbonation.

This is how I ferment in my kegmenter with my simple cider ATM.

I ferment open fermentation for a day or two then slap the spund on.
20230214_053345.jpg

Bit I'd happily just close her all up if I didn't have one.

Or adding 50g of cane sugar or dextrose to a 10lt amount or is it 5g/lt I'm not quite sure. To the fermented cider will work too.
Beerful thing is if you overshoot pressure you can just bleed some off through the PRV (pressure release valve)

But remember it'll be 30psi + before you chill it then the co2 will absorb into solution more readily.

Good luck with your decision.
 
You could just connect the Co2 and carb it up that way. I find Co2 cheap and readily available though, maybe that's not the case for you...
 
Craigerrr said:
You could just connect the Co2 and carb it up that way. I find Co2 cheap and readily available though, maybe that's not the case for you...
Click to expand...
Indeed. Not easily available at all.
Plus I just want to naturally carb this one, if only to find out how, what & why.
 
Pretty much what @Trialben said :)

I use stainless mini kegs for fruit cider and find it ferments very successfully once I add extra juice - whether I want it to or not - but it's no big deal because I can just bleed excess pressure off as needed. Might turn into a big deal if not bled though :)
 
Been reading a bit more...
And that only results in more questions ;)

If I transfer cider to the keg now, then I got a lot of head space. Too much I think for just adding juice/priming sugar.
I did buy a blowtie spunding thing, max setting is 15 psi (rabbit hole is opening... Already wanting a gauge going to 30 or 45 psi)
So can I transfer my cider to the keg, not worrying about oxygen, add 2 lit apple juice.
Attach that spunding thing (set to 15 psi) and just let it go?
OK, of course I can, but will it work?
 
Zambezi Special said:
Been reading a bit more...
And that only results in more questions ;)

If I transfer cider to the keg now, then I got a lot of head space. Too much I think for just adding juice/priming sugar.
I did buy a blowtie spunding thing, max setting is 15 psi (rabbit hole is opening... Already wanting a gauge going to 30 or 45 psi)
So can I transfer my cider to the keg, not worrying about oxygen, add 2 lit apple juice.
Attach that spunding thing (set to 15 psi) and just let it go?
OK, of course I can, but will it work?
Click to expand...
It's what I'm doing up there.
 
I figured maybe you had a different gauge to go up to higher psi ;)
I know I want one ...

Right, so that's what I'll do just now.
First sanitise the lot ;)
Transfer my current cider to be from fermenter to keg, leaving some of the trub behind if possible. Add the juice. Connect spunding valve, set to 15 psi and wait (all at "room" temperature)

What do I do thereafter?
 
Zambezi Special said:
I figured maybe you had a different gauge to go up to higher psi ;)
I know I want one ...

Right, so that's what I'll do just now.
First sanitise the lot ;)
Transfer my current cider to be from fermenter to keg, leaving some of the trub behind if possible. Add the juice. Connect spunding valve, set to 15 psi and wait (all at "room" temperature)

What do I do thereafter?
Click to expand...
Hey I wouldn't bother with the spunding valve on add the juice to bottom of keg then transfer in the cider ontop.
Let that build up pressure like you would a bottle (it is just a big bottle right) then pop this in the fridge to cool down and absorb that CO2 into solution.

There's a carbonation chart I think on this site that will show you the correct psi at whatever Temperature your carbing at to reach your desired carbonation volume 2 is about par I believe.

You need alot more psi that 15 at ambient to reach the right carbonation point...

Here's the chart
https://www.brewersfriend.com/force-carbonation-chart/
 
K, that's done.

Oh, and do I open up that spunding valve (anti clockwise turn) or thighten?
 
Trialben said:
Hey I wouldn't bother with the spunding valve on add the juice to bottom of keg then transfer in the cider ontop.
Let that build up pressure like you would a bottle (it is just a big bottle right) then pop this in the fridge to cool down and absorb that CO2 into solution.

There's a carbonation chart I think on this site that will show you the correct psi at whatever Temperature your carbing at to reach your desired carbonation volume 2 is about par I believe.

You need alot more psi that 15 at ambient to reach the right carbonation point...

Here's the chart
https://www.brewersfriend.com/force-carbonation-chart/
Click to expand...

Saw that post too late...
But the 2 extra litres of juice is 200 gr sugar, so that's far too much.
Works out at about 30 gr/ltr which is 5 times my normal amount!
 
Zambezi Special said:
Saw that post too late...
But the 2 extra litres of juice is 200 gr sugar, so that's far too much.
Works out at about 30 gr/ltr which is 5 times my normal amount!
Click to expand...
Well that's where it gets Tricky.
You'll wanna add less juice to hit the carb level or do as your doing add the spund to cap pressure.

Mine goes to 15psi I've got one for 30 but it's prone to leaking.
Kegland sell higher pressure inserts for the butterfly valves.

Kegking in aus also sell these cool PRVs that are set to lower pressures.

For example they sell a 15psi blue one I believe that will release pressure at that set rating they also have a red one which is 30psi
The oxbar might come with a red prv which is set to 30psi by default I'll have to go check
 
Yeah, I've seen those...
But I don't have them..

Current thinking
Leave the spunding valve on till it moves so I know for sure I have fermentation activity
Then remove and open the bottle for excess CO2 to escape. (i'm not sure if enough can disappear via the spunding valve)
After 1 or 2 days close up everything. Check when bottle is hard (tight) and remove to fridge
 
Correct
I got tapping head
With the red pressure relieve valve
And a spunding valve as I read somewhere that using a prv for force carbonating was not a good idea? Maybe just a marketing story?

And yeah, the red prv makes sense as the kegs are rated to 4 bar, so relieving at 3.5 should save your keg.

So should I just take the spunding valve off and rely on the prv?
 
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