2 kegging questions

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Warthaug

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A while ago I get some kegs for almost-free, and am about to embark on my first kegging adventure. As part of the preparation process I am disassembling and cleaning the kegs - or, at least, I'm trying to. The first keg came apart exactly as expected - the gas/beer connects unscrewed with an easy turn of a wrench, the gas/beer dip tubes pulled out (I didn't try to remove the poppets, they seem fine). I then moved to the next keg and . . . no dice.

The connects wont turn, despite me trying very hard to do so (I even broke a pin off of one I was turning so hard). Moreover, when I reach inside the keg there doesn't seem to be an air dip-tube like in the first keg, just an upwards opening.

So my first question is . . . what the heck do I do to clean the weird kegs (2 of 4 are like this)? I really want to take it apart and make sure everything is kosher & clean...but I'm worried that I'm going to break the damned thing in trying to take it apart.

My second question is unrelated. I've been reading a lot of the posts on using a beer gun to fill a few bottles. I'm planning on doing this - at least until I can make some sort of ice-based insulated keg doo-dadder at the cottage. But most of the posts I've read indicate that the beer is only "good" for a week or so in the bottles. Why is this? Is carbonation being lost during transfer? Is it oxidation? It seems to be a common comment, but I've never seen what is going wrong - and moreover, if there is a work-around. I need beer for 3 weeks...1 just isn't enough!

Bryan
 
I'm not sure about the kegs, though I do have a keg with a very short air dip tube, like 1cm or so. It's the nicest one to keg in because I don't need to worry about getting beer sucked up into it as much. Make sure you're using a good socket wrench, there's a specific type of socket (a deep well socket to boot) to use, I can't remember exact sizing but searching for keg and socket should turn it up. Even with socket wrench leverage I'd still need to sit on my keg and either extend the socket out with a pipe or give it a sharp whack to really force it. Those connections stick something fierce!

Regarding bottling from a keg, yeah don't worry about it, that 3 day thing is a bunch of crap ;) I've bottled directly from the tap, no beer gun no tube, just turn the pressure down, clean and chill the bottles and open 'er up. Keep an inch or two of air just like normal. The longest I've saved bottles like this is about 3-4 months and absolutely no ill effects. Maybe I was lucky? Probably that's just the norm though. The carbonation didn't change at all, it was good throughout that time.
 
Wow, fast reply! Sounds good - buy a socket (I can hear the wife already - "you need more tools why?"), crank the crap outof it until it comes loose, and move forward from there. And I'm relieved to hear about the bottling thing. I'm thinking about making one of these bad boys. Sounds like they work well, and hell, it'll cost me all of $12; the socket will cost more.

Thanx again!

Bryan
 
Take the keg and your wrench outside, pour a quart of near-boiling water over each of the balky posts, then wrench them off...

Cheers!
 
Wow, fast reply! Sounds good - buy a socket (I can hear the wife already - "you need more tools why?"), crank the crap outof it until it comes loose, and move forward from there. And I'm relieved to hear about the bottling thing. I'm thinking about making one of these bad boys. Sounds like they work well, and hell, it'll cost me all of $12; the socket will cost more.

Thanx again!

Bryan

Yeah I've wanted to build a DIY beer gun like that but have had troubles finding little doodads like the stopper...and really haven't had any problems filling right off the tap without anything extra.

The only catch is until my tap cools down from the first pour, it's a bit foamy on the first bottle. Have to pull a pint to really cool it down first...best. fix. ever.
 
Yeah I've wanted to build a DIY beer gun like that but have had troubles finding little doodads like the stopper...and really haven't had any problems filling right off the tap without anything extra.

The only catch is until my tap cools down from the first pour, it's a bit foamy on the first bottle. Have to pull a pint to really cool it down first...best. fix. ever.


This should be standard operating procedure anyway. Bottling can be hard work, need a drink while you are doing it.
 
A simple solution is to clean your keg with some PBW or oxiclean. Hook up the gas and beer out line, hit it with a little pressure to run the cleaning solution through and out the faucet, then do the same with fresh water and again with a StarSan solution. Bam! Keg is ready to be filled with beer.

Maybe a little hassle but it will work well.
 
So I took a beer-out connector to the hardware store last night and found a wrench that fits (21mm; I couldn't find anything in imperial that was a better fit). I had to get a wrench, as I have pin-locks and no socket fits those (which is too bad, as my current socket set sucks, by SWMBO'd was watching). All four of my kegs are now bereft of their connectors, and everything is getting a good soak in oxy. Come friday, they'll be full of beer :ban:

Parts for the beergun are on order...

...which brings up a small question. When bottling from a keg, is it a good or bad idea to slightly over-carb (i.e. carb to 2.7 a beer you want at 2.5) and then bottle that? Or is that just overkill/asking for trouble?

Thanx everyone for your advise!

Bryan
 
So I took a beer-out connector to the hardware store last night and found a wrench that fits (21mm; I couldn't find anything in imperial that was a better fit). I had to get a wrench, as I have pin-locks and no socket fits those (which is too bad, as my current socket set sucks, by SWMBO'd was watching). All four of my kegs are now bereft of their connectors, and everything is getting a good soak in oxy. Come friday, they'll be full of beer :ban:

Parts for the beergun are on order...

...which brings up a small question. When bottling from a keg, is it a good or bad idea to slightly over-carb (i.e. carb to 2.7 a beer you want at 2.5) and then bottle that? Or is that just overkill/asking for trouble?

Thanx everyone for your advise!

Bryan

Nice, glad you found something that works! I didn't realize you had pinlocks, that would mean a special socket I think, pain in the butt. :)

As far as overcarbing before bottling from the keg, my personal opinion is it's not worth it. I've had zero issues with carb vanishing once bottled so long as I'm capping well and didn't leave 5 inches of headspace.

Any headspace left in the bottom (including space taken by foam that drops down after a night) means the carb will come out and equalize into that space. Fortunately it's very little, so you'd need a lot of headspace to affect it adversely.

Leaving the typical 2-3 inches in the neck is 100% fine, and the only way I've been able to tell if something is bottle conditioned or kegged then bottled is by lack of trub in the bottle, clearer beer, and no bit of residual sweetness from the bottling sugars.
 

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