Primary Fermenting in a Corny Keg

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I did this past go around, only once, though. That batch is currently being cold crashed.

I've another batch that's still fermenting. I'll lightly shake them daily over the next week to see if I can squeak an extra few points out of the yeast.

I was also thinking I could lay the kegs on their side with the gas post up to try and get more surface area and less convection. Dunno if that would work. If the shaking does is not productive, I'll probably try that.
 
Update:
I took the kegs for a daily walk over the past week - rolled them around the basement. These beers (two separate 10 gallon batches) finished at 1.012 and 1.014. There might be something to keeping the yeast in suspension.

Next time around, I'll take one corny for a walk and leave one alone. I'll post the results.
 
How many experiments were there where they got 2 points higher FG in a corny? You got 2 points higher on two identical brews which just illustrates that a 2 point higher FG in just one or two trials doesn't mean much. Could be due to any one of several things. Seems they'd have to repeat it several times with the same results to really draw any valid conclusions.
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
Have you tried agitating mid ferment?
Click to expand...

+1 to mixing things up. I think this is a good practice even if you're not using a corny, especially in things you want to finish with low FG, like IPA's, etc. Even though it goes against the idea of "closed fermentation", I like to add whole hops in after a few days and agitate gently. By doing this you would rouse the yeast, and simultaneously begin dry-hopping which will incidentally reach its floral/aromatic peak in 7-10 days. At that point, you could cold crash, transfer, and force carb. You'd save about a week by not having to dry hop in secondary, and you wouldn't have to filter/transfer more than once (if you filter).

I'm stoked about using corny's as primaries. I've been watching this method for a few years, but when I brew it always seems easier to go with my buckets. I need to break away from the norm, there's no reason why this can't work. :mug:
 
ScubaSteve said:
+1 to mixing things up. I think this is a good practice even if you're not using a corny, especially in things you want to finish with low FG, like IPA's, etc. Even though it goes against the idea of "closed fermentation", I like to add whole hops in after a few days and agitate gently. By doing this you would rouse the yeast, and simultaneously begin dry-hopping which will incidentally reach its floral/aromatic peak in 7-10 days. At that point, you could cold crash, transfer, and force carb. You'd save about a week by not having to dry hop in secondary, and you wouldn't have to filter/transfer more than once (if you filter).

I'm stoked about using corny's as primaries. I've been watching this method for a few years, but when I brew it always seems easier to go with my buckets. I need to break away from the norm, there's no reason why this can't work. :mug:
Click to expand...

Steve,
I've fermented ~100 gallon in cornys. I'm attributing my former problems to pitching rates/mash temps. The past few beers have been the best made to date.

Cornys are easy to clean. Oxyclean soak and disassembly of posts. You can use a secondary corny to dry hop. When you transfer, it's under pressure. From the time the yeast is pitched to the time the beer hits the glass, it has never been exposed to oxygen.

What's holding you back?:mug:
 
Well, the fact that I'm about 8,000 miles from home is a start :D All in good time, though....

For fear of the repercussions, I won't link to other brew forums, but do a search for Doc-Tasty-Style-Keg-Cleaner, and you'll find one more reason why fermenting in cornies isn't a bad idea. It's a dead simple keg cleaner that you can just hook right up, probably with spare fittings left over from other projects. I plan on making one for sure, but they can be had for pretty cheap.
 
I've doing an apfelwien in a corny. I like it. I rigged a tube and airlock in to my gas in quick connect, so it still bubbles away. Haven't done a beer yet though. Transferring that makes sense. The abfelwien I just serve from the ferment vessel. Quick and easy.
 
I've got my first corney fermented batch as a hefe going right now, put 3-4 gallons in each of 3 corneys. I used an airlock attached to each gas QD, but one of them didnt properly engage the poppet and built up pressure. Just got to clean 3 gallons of wort out of my fermenting chamber because the relief valve let it all out at once.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25840136@N02/4282726611/
 
FERMENTER.jpg


...I have been using this for a while, and it works nice.

However, you are making me think more about moving to pressure fermentation. There's no reason you couldn't pour your wort in hot - allow to cool - pitch yeast in the pressure relief hole, and aerate with O2 connected to the dip-tube post. Then periodically bleed off some CO2 gas to keep it safe.


I also thought about welding a stainless ball valve to the bottom of the keg to create a sort of conical setup.
 
germanicus81 said:
I've got my first corney fermented batch as a hefe going right now, put 3-4 gallons in each of 3 corneys. I used an airlock attached to each gas QD, but one of them didnt properly engage the poppet and built up pressure.
Click to expand...

With fermcap and a hose blowoff (instead of an airlock) you could have gotten away with using the same amount in 2 corneys. That stuff is so worth the price tag, if not preventing a trip to the ER from a boilover.

Even in a carboy, airlocks are a PITA.
 
Currently rockin my first corny fermentation. It is going awesome. I just converted a under-bar mini-fridge that holds two kegs at a time to a heated/cooled fermentation chamber.
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
Currently rockin my first corny fermentation. It is going awesome. I just converted a under-bar mini-fridge that holds two kegs at a time to a heated/cooled fermentation chamber.
Click to expand...

Excellent!
Please let us know how it turns out.
I've used them to ferment well over a hundred gallons and am pleased with the result. I like the fact that from the moment I inoculate the wort until the time the beer is served, it is never exposed to oxygen.

Do you have some pics of the mini-fridge?

:mug:
 
One under the bar fridge. This is a nice one by Sub-zero that we got for free from some relatives that no longer wanted it. Eventually It will be under a small bar in my brewery (or at least that is the plan).

CIMG4346.JPG


Here is is with the door open. The old thermostat sat in the lower left where you can see my LOVE TSS2-2100 dual stage controller. With a little modification it fit perfect. The fan looking thing to the left has a resistance heating element and a fan. The heater and the refrigeration unit combine to give me any temp I want at the touch of a button.

CIMG4342.JPG


The light turns on when the door opens...

CIMG4343.JPG


CIMG4345.JPG


Loaded up with one corny. Two fit very nice with a blow off in between.

CIMG4347.JPG


CIMG4348.JPG
 
germanicus81 said:
I've got my first corney fermented batch as a hefe going right now, put 3-4 gallons in each of 3 corneys. I used an airlock attached to each gas QD, but one of them didnt properly engage the poppet and built up pressure. Just got to clean 3 gallons of wort out of my fermenting chamber because the relief valve let it all out at once.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25840136@N02/4282726611/
Click to expand...

Yeah, forgot to update this when I found out, but that was the first time I used that keg and it had a pinhole leak in the weld around the base. Wasn't a poppet problem like I thought.
 
OK, so I can ferment 2 5gal batches in the same small fridge that one carboy use to be in, and double my output!

A few questions please. And thank you.

1) do I put the fermcap 'on top' of the beer, or mix in?
2) can I just use a hoseclamp and secure a hose to the ball lock 'in post' with the poppet removed?
3) how full can I fill the corney?
4) how much trub can I expect? 1",2"?
 
Layne said:
1) do I put the fermcap 'on top' of the beer, or mix in?
Just drop it on top. The mixing action of the ferment will keep it in suspension, then after fermentation finishes it drops out of solution to leave the beer clear.
2) can I just use a hoseclamp and secure a hose to the ball lock 'in post' with the poppet removed?
Yes you can do that. I just use an air QD with the poppets removed and a tube into a wine bottle.
3) how full can I fill the corney?
I wouldn't go more than 4.5 gallons, but who knows, I am putting 4.25 in mine so far.
4) how much trub can I expect? 1",2"?
I'll report after this weekend.
Click to expand...

blahblahblah
 
Layne said:
OK, so I can ferment 2 5gal batches in the same small fridge that one carboy use to be in, and double my output!

A few questions please. And thank you.

1) do I put the fermcap 'on top' of the beer, or mix in?
2) can I just use a hoseclamp and secure a hose to the ball lock 'in post' with the poppet removed?
3) how full can I fill the corney?
4) how much trub can I expect? 1",2"?
Click to expand...

1) I mix it in, since bubbles form throughout the volume of the liquid I think you need to be reducing surface tension throughout as well.

2) Sure, there are a lot of ways to skin that cat.
3) I'll skip this since I don't ferment in them.
4) Wildly variable. For an average gravity beer maybe half an inch plus whatever cold/hot/hop trub came from the kettle.
 
#4) I get at least that much trub in a carboy, trying to imagine how much deeper in a much smaller round container (corny)
 
I am glad to see this gaining popularity. I have been fermenting in cornies exclusively for years.

The BN folks are hung up on the ratio of the fermenter height to width.

Studies have found that professional fermenters that are too high put too much hydrostatic pressure on the yeast. A 24" corny doesn't do that.

My barleywine is going to the NHC 2nd round. So I don't think there are any fermentation problems related to my 5 gallon corny.
 
I fill them to the rim, let settle, and "serve" off about 2 qt of trub.

I end up with 4-4.5 gallons when it's all said and done. Lagers don't blow off nearly as much as ales.

I just bought 2 "slim" quarter barrels. They are the same height as a regular half-barrel and a little wider than my cornies. They are 7.75 gallons so I should end up with 5.

Brew on
:mug:
 
I've fermented up to 5.5gal in a standard corny and don't use fermcap. Just make sure to use a blow off tube if you do this and DONT have a dip tube in place. My finished batches are usually around 4.75-5gal.

On a different note, I have found that allowing the blow off to escape a fermenter generally clears and gets cleaner faster, leaving less time to have a 'green' taste to the beer. YMMV.

Credentials: Been fermenting exclusively in Cornies for about 20 batches or so. Everything from a Hefeweizen to a Barleywine (note that I used 2 cornies for a 5gal 1.1 BWine) Recently did 11gal of 7.5% Old Ale in 2 cornies, made a mess but it seems to be working well.
 
I just dumped yeast last night, re purged and dry hopped.

I AM NEVER FERMENTING IN CARBOYS AGAIN!!!

This is awesome. I just hooked the fermenter keg into my draft system because I was lazy. Cranked the pressure to 30 psi to get the cake moving, and tapped off about a pint and a half of yeast trub slurry. Totally closed, totally easy.

Then I dry hopped through the giant opening and closed it up. Fan-frickin-tastic!

I don't know the depth Layne, sorry. Just guessing that 20ish ounces is about 3/4" ???

Also, no attenuation problems here... 1.066 -> 1.006 in 7 days.
 
Welcome to the club BK.

Forgot to mention, dependent on if you cold crash or not, you yeast will vary widely, as will it by abv of beer of course. With some serious cold crash, most just sticks to the bottom and I decant about a pint before hooking the jumper to the serving keg.
 
Too Cool!
I'm brewing a 10 gal batch this weekend. Have 2 cornies ready to go!

Question- I'm at work, and ordering supplies. What size tubing do i need for blow off? I plan to remove the popett and hose clamp to the post.
 
I think I had 3/16 but I am going to make some dedicated setups with 5/16 tubing.

A couple squirts of Fermcap... I go by feel and add more if things start getting out of hand.

This is an unbelievable step in my brewing... like full boils for extract or temp control. It is just so easy and the results are great.

St. Simon is the best IPA I have made and the kiwi wit is awesome too.
 
I just use a regular gas-in connect with 1/4" hose. I haven't found a need to take it apart.
 
Layne said:
Too Cool!
I'm brewing a 10 gal batch this weekend. Have 2 cornies ready to go!

Question- I'm at work, and ordering supplies. What size tubing do i need for blow off? I plan to remove the popett and hose clamp to the post.
Click to expand...

1/2" ID if you are putting it on the threads. If you attaching a QD to the post without a poppet inside, it would be whatever barb you have on your QD.

If you are thinking of taking out the poppet and leaving the post, I would recommend just clamping it straight to the threads underneath the post, perfect 1/2" fit and secure.
 
Had to wait till this weekend. Tomorrow is the day.
10 gal of Eds Pale ale in two cornys.
I'll report back soon.
 
I found this topic doing a search on transferring from keg to keg. My reason is that I have a Bass Ale clone that I suspect did not fully finish fermenting before I kegged it. It is currently in my kegerator at about 33 degrees ambient. I removed it from the serving pressure and have been bleeding it daily. Should I move it to a warmer environment to finish fermentation? Should I move it to a different keg altogether to let i finish fermenting?
 
I would let it warm up for a day or two then you should be good and finished. I wouldn't move it to another keg until you are done fermenting.
 
Transfer was a breeze!
I did not cold crash like I normally do, and it was a little cloudy, even after a half a gallon.
I transfered both kegs anyway, and will pitch the first few pints after it settles in the keggerator.
 
John Palmer was just in Milwaukee to sign some books and I spoke with him about fermenting in cornies.

I asked him what he thought, and he said there are some who think that the less than ideal aspect ratio is a problem but that realistically, at our scale, as long as you have enough head space they are just fine. I told him my process and he said it sounded great.

So there you go. I think when they did that BrewStrong podcast none of them had really thought of it before. I think JP's opinion means something (he's brewed way more than me and knows his stuff) so take that for something.
 

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