Getting Ready to Keg for the first Time!

Hey Guys:

I'm getting ready to keg my batch for the first time. I have a couple questions. This brew is a hefeweizen so I'm not going to be filtering it, but I plan I filtering in the future. Because I was reading about filtering I've been reading alot about oxidation and that you have to purge empty kegs??? I was under the impression that with a corny keg you opened the lid dumped it in locked it up and gave it pressure... Is this wrong? Also I've been ready alot about filling and dispensing beer from 2 or three kegs to filter... To simplify filtering couldn't I just put the filter inline with a bottling bucket and let it flow into the keg as it filters? Someone please shed some light on the subject.

Thanks,
Mike

PS Pictures would be greatly appreciated.

CO2 purging the keg before filling it isn't entirely necessary, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Most filtering systems require pressure to push the beer through the filter material. That's why you're seeing systems with one or more kegs in series.

If you aren't filtering, just siphon the beer into the keg from the carboy. Then charge the keg with a bit of CO2 and purge it. CO2 is heavier than Oxygen, so it will push all of the O2 out of the keg after a few purges.

About how long do you hold the handle open to purge the keg? Or is it no exact science, just doing what you can?

Thanks,
Mike

When purging, I pressurize the keg to about 10 psi, then vent the pressure. Repeat two more times.

Unless you are trying to age a keg for a lengthy period of time, I wouldn't even bother prefilling the keg w/ co2 (purging). Just carefully and silently transfer the beer to the keg and then vent it a few times to rid the O2.

Cold chilling and time will serve the purpose of filtering, and is a heck of a lot easier, Why are you kicked on filtering?

just my .02.

wilserbrewer said:

Why are you kicked on filtering?

Click to expand...

I'm not really. Just sounded like something else to do to give the beer a better finish. I figured I've done ales, next kegging, then lagers, then filtering. There's always something new to try I guess. Plus it'll make the beer more visually pleasing to a commercial beer drinker.

Here's how I siphon into my purged cornies. I purge first by pressurizing to over 10 psi and bleeding the pressure several times. then leave the pressure release open (in pic) and take off the "out" post, leaving the diptube in place. Then siphon out of your fermenter straight to the corny. I actually seal the fermenter with a siphon stuck through a carboy cap, then push the beer out with CO2 via the other carboy cap hole. My beer never even gets close to oxygen. edit: I chill my full fermenter to 40 before this siphoning.
Good luck and cheers! Glad to answer any questions about CO2 pushing.