kegging for dummies

[Donoroto]

I like the idea of fermenting in the kegs, but I don't see it as practical with the oxebars (and I only have 2).
The opening is too small. You can't get your hand in there for cleaning (opening is about twice the size of a soft drink bottle.
Plus they are too small even for me. Just 8 litres, which means just 5-6 to ferment, bit of trub etc and just a 4 to 5 litre batch.
So closed transfer is out and it is a simple gravity feed from the 12 litre speidel into the oxebar.

Any advice on the not closed transfer?
Obviously keg is cleaned and sanitised.
Slowly transfer into keg.
And then?
I'm thinking that if there are enough sugars left, and a spunding valve is used, the air inside will be driven out by the CO2 formed? Then after a while, if the most of the air is out, it will be excess CO2 escaping.
So maybe a low setting initially on the spunding valve and increase after a day or so to carbonation pressure (based on temperature etc according to the carbonation tables)?

I clean all bits of the keg every time. Disassemble everything and wash with dish detergent. Reassemble, add a few liters of starsan, purge the keg with some co2 and there it sits until use (1/2 bar pressure). (Drain the starsan before adding the beer!)

Adding beer to keg: in via liquid line, have an open gas fitting on the gas port to let air escape as liquid fills.

 

[Craigerrr]

Any advice on the not closed transfer?

When I filled kegs using gravity drain I would first purge the receiving keg. To do this fill it to the tippy top with sanitizer, then push the sanitizer out with co2. When you remove the top to fill it there will likely be some mixing of gasses near the top, but the co2 will generally remain in the keg. When you fill the keg make sure your filling hose goes to the bottom of the keg so the beer will push the co2 out as it fills, and there will be no splashing. Once filled put the lid on and burp it a few times (pressurize, pull the relief valve, repeat) to purge any remaining o2 (in theory). I followed this process for a couple of years, never had a single oxidized batch.

 

[Zambi]

Thanks @Craigerrr , that's more or less whatI had in mind
I got a piece of pipe that fits on the spigot and is long enough to reach the bottom of the keg

@Donoroto
I'm trying to visualise: so you would have everything connected but make sure gas can escape.
Then attach piece of pipe to the liquid side. I can see it working except that you now fill via the beer dip line which is only 4 mm internal diameter (I think, can't check as they are both in use) and has a filter at the end.
Won't this take forever?
And will the filter not clog from the inside, esp when spunding (beer not totally fermented yet, so could have bits of yeast etc)?
If doable, I need to find a piece of pipe to fit the spigot or auto-syphon and a disconnect.

 

[thesand.man]

Hello, I have what will probably be a "stupid" kegging question.

I usually keg it up, set it to about 12 psi for a week, then tap and drink. Not a huge amount of carbonation, but it's what I like.

I am about to fill a keg, then go out of state for about a month. If it put it in the fridge at 38f and leave it under 12psi of pressure for a month, will the liquid absorb the volume of co2 and stop? or will it just continue to absorb co2 until it is just an over carbonated mess?

I would usually wait until I get back home...but I want to come home to some nice cold beer on tap!



Jeff

 

[GFHomebrew]

Hello, I have what will probably be a "stupid" kegging question.

I usually keg it up, set it to about 12 psi for a week, then tap and drink. Not a huge amount of carbonation, but it's what I like.

I am about to fill a keg, then go out of state for about a month. If it put it in the fridge at 38f and leave it under 12psi of pressure for a month, will the liquid absorb the volume of co2 and stop? or will it just continue to absorb co2 until it is just an over carbonated mess?

I would usually wait until I get back home...but I want to come home to some nice cold beer on tap!



Jeff

Yup keg her up under 12psi it'll have a healthy amount of carbonation when you get back.

No it won't just keep pushing co2 into solution it'll reach a saturation point where no more co2 can readily be absorbed into solution.
Once it reaches this point after a week or two it will sit indefinitely at that carbonation point until you serve some beer from the keg or B if you've got a leak somewhere.

 

[thesand.man]

Yup keg her up under 12psi it'll have a healthy amount of carbonation when you get back.

No it won't just keep pushing co2 into solution it'll reach a saturation point where no more co2 can readily be absorbed into solution.
Once it reaches this point after a week or two it will sit indefinitely at that carbonation point until you serve some beer from the keg or B if you've got a leak somewhere.

THANK YOU!! That's what I was thinking...based upon what I learned a LONG time ago.



Life is good... quite a bit better with beer!

 

[Donoroto]

Thanks @Craigerrr , that's more or less whatI had in mind
I got a piece of pipe that fits on the spigot and is long enough to reach the bottom of the keg

@Donoroto
I'm trying to visualise: so you would have everything connected but make sure gas can escape.
Then attach piece of pipe to the liquid side. I can see it working except that you now fill via the beer dip line which is only 4 mm internal diameter (I think, can't check as they are both in use) and has a filter at the end.
Won't this take forever?
And will the filter not clog from the inside, esp when spunding (beer not totally fermented yet, so could have bits of yeast etc)?
If doable, I need to find a piece of pipe to fit the spigot or auto-syphon and a disconnect.

Yes, but... My kegs don't have a filter on the dip tube. That might clog, yes.

4mm goes faster than you think.

In this case, maybe remove the filter. Or, fill it from the cap. Yes, you may risk a little oxidation, but if you don't splash too much it should be fine.

 

[Zambi]

I can easily remove the fliter, but that may not be too clever when spunding?

Anyway, I'll try all methods and see what works best (for me).

In another thread I saw a keg being filled while "pouring" CO2 at the same time.
I can try that as well, but only once I know I can get a re-supply of CO2

Thanks again for all the help

 

[Donoroto]

I can easily remove the fliter, but that may not be too clever when spunding?

Anyway, I'll try all methods and see what works best (for me).

In another thread I saw a keg being filled while "pouring" CO2 at the same time.
I can try that as well, but only once I know I can get a re-supply of CO2

Thanks again for all the help

If the filter is on the liquid line, and the spunding valve is in the gas line, makes no difference.

You can drop the beer in through ghe gas port too, but then how do you let the air escape? Or crack open the lid a bit. The small amount of oxygen exposure will have no effect if you drink it in a month anyway, so don't worry about it much.

When I keg, I expect it to last several months. Thus, no oxygen exposure at all is my goal.

I need to take some photos and write all this up some day.

 

[Zambi]

I was thinking:
If I transfer the beer while it is still "actively' fermenting, then some yeast etc will come with.
It will finish in the keg, so now it would be good to have that filter to dispense.
But maybe it doesn't matter much as most debris should be left in the fermenter.

If you go in via the gas line it will agitate a lot when filling (as it fills from the top)
Gas could go out via liquid line (even via beer line & picnic tap if tap is in the open position

I'll figure it out eventually.
For now I got cider repitched on trub in the keg. Just incrrased pressure to sort of halfway self-carbonate

Then beer in the other. Open transfer. No CO2. But with sugar for carbonation. No spunding valve or anything. Just a big bottle.

Very tempted to move both to the fridge fridge so I can use my fermentation fridge again. But I gotta be patient!

 

[Donoroto]

I was thinking:
If I transfer the beer while it is still "actively' fermenting, then some yeast etc will come with.
It will finish in the keg, so now it would be good to have that filter to dispense.
But maybe it doesn't matter much as most debris should be left in the fermenter.

If you go in via the gas line it will agitate a lot when filling (as it fills from the top)
Gas could go out via liquid line (even via beer line & picnic tap if tap is in the open position

I'll figure it out eventually.
For now I got cider repitched on trub in the keg. Just incrrased pressure to sort of halfway self-carbonate

Then beer in the other. Open transfer. No CO2. But with sugar for carbonation. No spunding valve or anything. Just a big bottle.

Very tempted to move both to the fridge fridge so I can use my fermentation fridge again. But I gotta be patient!

Well, if it is even a little bit active, the yeast will consume the oxygen quickly. If you treat it like a bottle (a really big bottle) for carbonation, or at least partial carbonation, your transfer method is almost irrelevant.

Liquid line to vent gas can't work. Once the liquid level reaches the bottom of the liquid line, only liquid would come out, not gas. (Try it with water. You'll see).

Of course we are waaay over-thinking this: it does not matter much what we do, all that we might do is shorten the shelf-life of our kegged beverage. If you keep it cold and drink it in a month, you will never notice a difference.

So give it a go, it'll be fine no matter what.

Except hippos. They could ruin everything...

 

[Zambi]

Liquid line to vent gas can't work. Once the liquid level reaches the bottom of the liquid line, only liquid would come out, not gas. (Try it with water. You'll see).

Ain't gonna try as I already know you are right.
I could look at the prv connection, but as you say: probably unnecessary with the way I would like to carbonate

"Except hippos. They could ruin everything..."
OK that made me laugh...

 

[Craigerrr]

I am getting a 2.5 gallon 9.5L keg for my BD later this month..
Planning to have beer on tap at the trailer with a picnic tap in the fridge, but I don't really want to drag a Co2 bottle back and forth.

Does anyone use a soda stream type Co2 cylinder?
I wonder what would be needed to set one up with a regulator?

 

[Steve SPF]

These work really well with the small CO2 bulb type cartridges, we use them with 4lt mini kegs. Soda stream bottles will work fine but, as you suggest, need a regulator.

 

[Craigerrr]

These work really well with the small CO2 bulb type cartridges, we use them with 4lt mini kegs. Soda stream bottles will work fine but, as you suggest, need a regulator.



View attachment 24591

Thanks, I hate the disposable part of those small co2 cartridges, but maybe that is the best route to go. I would only use them for serving , so they would like last quite a while...

 

[Zambi]

You can get soda stream adapters for those CO2 cartridge regulators.
And I would be very surprised if you can't get them for your "standard" rig

 

[Steve SPF]

Thanks, I hate the disposable part of those small co2 cartridges, but maybe that is the best route to go. I would only use them for serving , so they would like last quite a while...

I'm saving them all, convinced I can make something out of them.

 

[Craigerrr]

I'm saving them all, convinced I can make something out of them.

Found a mini regulator that will work, sent Barb details on the regulator, co2, and a 2.5 gallon keg. Happy Birthday to me!

 

[Mark Farrall]

...fill it to the tippy top with sanitizer, then push the sanitizer out with co2...

When you're doing this with the oxebar kegs make sure the container you're pushing the sanitiser into is higher than the keg. If not you'll end up getting a siphon going and the walls of the keg will start to collapse as there's not enough CO2 coming in to keep it inflated.

 

[Zambi]

Thanks!
I wouldn't have thought of that!

Since the oxebar kegs are light, I thought of just pouring in some sanitiser, shake etc and then just empty out by putting it upside down
Since I will get oxygen coming in when transferring from fermenter to keg, it seems overkill to purge the keg.