mattyboy

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Hi guys just have a question for you all.
I just kegged my lager and I primed my plastic keg with sugar.
I bottled about 10 bottles and the rest is clearing nice.
My question is there is a lot of pressure in the keg and I have not put any co2 into yet
Is this from the sugar 230g I put in and also have I done it right. Most people by the looks of it bulk prime and then bottle but I've primed the barrel and let it carbonate by its self.
Any suggestions would be great
Thanks guys

JLem

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What size batch? 230g of sugar seems like a lot for 5 gallons. And yes, the pressure you are getting is from the yeast fermenting this sugar.

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mattyboy

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Sorry guys I should reread my post before posting lol
I primed with 120g of sugar

Pappers_

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Not sure what you mean by a plastic keg, perhaps more info or pictures would help.

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Nagorg

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I havent started kegging yet. But I didnt think you needed to prime if force carbing with CO2. I would also think that if you did add priming sugar to the keg then you wouldnt really need CO2 unless it were to maintain the pressure or something. Like I said, I havent started kegging so I am probably confused.... Looking forward to learning though...

Other than that, the sugar amount seems right for a 5 gallon batch though I usually use a bit more at ~142g. But I like a well carbed brew!

freisste

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Did you prime the whole batch with 120g ad then put some of the batch in the keg? It did you put 120g of sugar in the keg.

Brewskii

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I sense a dangerous lack of knowledge about kegging and carbonation.

Kegging in plastic (??)

I hope I'm wrong in thinking that you might think that the brew will carbonate mearly from the addition of priming sugar. The real key to carbonation is CO2 pressure -and lots of it -too much for most plastic vessels. You either provide from a secondary source like a CO2 hi pressure bottle, or from the active yeast by priming. Either method only works in a closed system which will develope pressures in excess of say ~35 psi up to ??

I hope I'm wrong.

freisste

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Lots of plastic vessels are fine for carbonation. For example, about a billion soda bottles that are produced every day. Mr. Beer kits come with plastic bottles. Also, I have seen small party kegs which are plastic, I believe they are called a party pig? I'm guessing that's a brand name.

If the vessel was designed for carbonated liquids, it should be fine...to a point. The brewer needs to understand how much carbonation will come from a set amount of sugar. I hope he does, or he is headed for a sticky mess.

Brewskii

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Perhaps I should have clarified....You are correct, I was thinking in terms of large vessels -what the OP labeled a "keg". I don't think most people would be thinking of "about a billion soda bottles" as plastic kegs.

JLem

Recipes 

1) there are 5 gallon plastic kegs/barrels
2) you can naturally carbonate beer in a keg like the OP is doing
3) pressurized CO2 is then used to dispense the beer (though this is not necessary if you are going for a traditional cask-conditioned style...though then you'll need a beer engine to dispense the beer)

To the OP - 120 grams is much more in line with what I would expect for 5 gallons. Are you sure the beer was finished? What was the FG?

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