For all you that are afraid of O2... keg fermenting

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That is really cool. I think this may solve one of my current problems and allow me to ferment my batches in one container versus the two I'm doing now. My only concern is blow off. I'm thinking I could pull the gas out off and put a piece of tubing over the threads and run it into a blow off bucket. Anyone on this board try this?
 
That is so cool! As I was laying in bed last night I was thinking about doing something like this and wondering if it was even feasible. I'm definitely going to give this a try on a 5 gal corny.:rockin:

I think it would enable me to really up the 'smack-in-the-nose' aroma of my IPAs! Just load up gobs of hops into some nylon hose, weight them down with S/S weights and lower them into the corny!
 
I just went out in my garage to see how many 5 gallon cornies I can fit in my fermentation fridge, and I can get 8 in there without much of a problem. I'm thinking about converting a couple into fermenters to try it out. If it works, then I'll be able to have 3-4 batches working at a time. :ban:

I'll remove the gas post and find a piece of tubing to fit over it for a blow off tube. I think I'll have to cut the dip tubes, but I can always find a couple of new ones if it doesn't work. Just checked the size of the dip tube and a racking cane cap doesn't quite fit it, so I'll need to figure that out. I've got a brew scheduled for this weekend, so it'll have to wait until the next batch, but this is showing some promise.

This might work really well for EdWorts Applewine if it doesn't pan out on the beer.
 
Thanks for the link. I was just about to post a new thread inquiring on corny's for secondaries. This guy you shared had a airlock on the corny for a secondary, the cruisenews dude below didn't.

http://cruisenews.net/brewing/kegging/page1.php

I'm not quite clear though on how the Bodensatz guy retrofitted the top for an airlock. Anyone out here got any insight? Airlock need or not on the secondary? I figured if it's really almost complete in ferm you could burp it every once in a while from the pressure release valve but I'd prefer to follow the concensus.
 
I am lucky enough to have a bunch of 15 gallon kegs, and one ten actually. I have tried the airlock both as a tube, and the airlock route as illustrated on bodensatz. The tube is a lot less fussy, as long as you don't have dogs or kids to knock the "blow-off bucket".
I hate carboys, so this works fine for me. Easy to rack into the next keg, but you will use a lot more CO2. OTH, no O2 in your beer.... Finally, if you are using the keg as a secondary, no need for venting off the CO2, just gets the beer carbonating a little earlier...

Cheers
 
Instead of modifying a lid for an airlock, you can just attach a gas in disconnect and run the tube into a jar of water. I wouldn't use a corny as a primary because it's only 5 gallons and I don't care what kind of blowoff tubing you use, the krausen is going to be 5" tall due to the narrow vessel.

Also, there's really no difference as far as O2 exposure is concerned between this an a carboy. You can easily flush carboys with CO2 and do no-o2 transfers by connecting a hose between two carboy caps and even using CO2 to transfer. The corny has no real advantage on this front.
 
thatleetboy said:
I am lucky enough to have a bunch of 15 gallon kegs, and one ten actually. I have tried the airlock both as a tube, and the airlock route as illustrated on bodensatz. The tube is a lot less fussy, as long as you don't have dogs or kids to knock the "blow-off bucket".
I hate carboys, so this works fine for me. Easy to rack into the next keg, but you will use a lot more CO2. OTH, no O2 in your beer.... Finally, if you are using the keg as a secondary, no need for venting off the CO2, just gets the beer carbonating a little earlier...

Cheers

Question for you on the 15 gallon cornies. Do you have the dimensions on these? This would be the ideal situation size wise for me if they will fit into the fridge I have. Don't know where I'll find some though.
 
Bobby_M said:
Instead of modifying a lid for an airlock, you can just attach a gas in disconnect and run the tube into a jar of water. I wouldn't use a corny as a primary because it's only 5 gallons and I don't care what kind of blowoff tubing you use, the krausen is going to be 5" tall due to the narrow vessel.

Also, there's really no difference as far as O2 exposure is concerned between this an a carboy. You can easily flush carboys with CO2 and do no-o2 transfers by connecting a hose between two carboy caps and even using CO2 to transfer. The corny has no real advantage on this front.

The lack of headspace is my one real concern, but is it going to hurt the beer if the krausen is all blown off? My main reason for wanting to try this is to increase my primary capacity in my fermentation fridge. I can only fit two 6.5 gallon carboys and one 5 gallon in it, but can fit 8 cornies. Huge difference in production. If only they made a 7.5 gallon corny.
 
Bobby_M said:
Instead of modifying a lid for an airlock, you can just attach a gas in disconnect and run the tube into a jar of water. I wouldn't use a corny as a primary because it's only 5 gallons and I don't care what kind of blowoff tubing you use, the krausen is going to be 5" tall due to the narrow vessel.

Also, there's really no difference as far as O2 exposure is concerned between this an a carboy. You can easily flush carboys with CO2 and do no-o2 transfers by connecting a hose between two carboy caps and even using CO2 to transfer. The corny has no real advantage on this front.

Thanks for the chat on this. My intent is only for secondaries and reason for it is space. They'll just stack up better in my temp controlled chest freezer. I do have the one small problem of not having a second regulator to move the beer to the final keg. I'm not enthused about pulling out the co2 etc from my kegerator everytime I rack. Time for more toys! Oh, and thanks for the no airlock needed on secondary... Guess it all depends on fg at rack time and could do the blow-off model if need be.
 
I agree with BobbyM. Secondary conditioning is great in a keg, but the risk of a mess due to blow off in that narrow container is pretty high, unless you're doing a recipe that you know has a low krausen.

I just use a 2" piece of tubing fit over the gas post with an airlock.

Kegs make great secondaries.

Four_Fermenters.JPG
 
BierMuncher said:
Primaries 1 & 2- 10 Gallons of My Red Hook ESB Clone "Captain Hooked on Bitters"
Please let us know how this Red Hook clone turns out! I have an extract + grain clone kit from Midwest that I intend to brew up this weekend. Their ESB is definitely one of my all time favorites.

If you're ever in the Seattle area, find the time to take the Red Hook Brewery tour. It's a pleasant way to spend an hour or so, culminating in the chance to sample each of their products.
 
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