If I'm going to wait, why not sugar prime keg?

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badmajon

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I usually leave a beer in primary for three weeks, then force carb at 30psi and then drink it. However, I've been thinking, why not just wait a week for the actual fermentation to stop (or however long it takes) and then stick it in the keg, and add some sugar (I know, 1/2 normal amount) to the keg and then wait two more weeks?

It'd be basically the same amount of time, but using sugar instead of Co2 which is more expensive, and going to the tank place is a hassle.

Can conditioning and priming take place at the same time?
 
Absolutely, although you will want to prime at the temps your yeast like...of course.

What I have been doing is hooking up my kegs at serving pressure ~10 psi and burping it a couple of times and that's it. It will slowly carbonate over the course of a week. If it isn't fully carbonated, you can force carbonate by barely opening the faucet when dispensing the beer.
 
badmajon said:
I usually leave a beer in primary for three weeks, then force carb at 30psi and then drink it. However, I've been thinking, why not just wait a week for the actual fermentation to stop (or however long it takes) and then stick it in the keg, and add some sugar (I know, 1/2 normal amount) to the keg and then wait two more weeks?

It'd be basically the same amount of time, but using sugar instead of Co2 which is more expensive, and going to the tank place is a hassle.

Can conditioning and priming take place at the same time?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can certainly do that. The beer can spend a couple of weeks at room temperature while carbing up. That's really a great idea for beers that need a bit longer to come together before chilling in the kegerator.
 
One week is probably not enough for the yeast to clean up after themselves and then floculate. You are going to end up with off flavors and a bunch of yeast in the bottom of your keg if you try that.
 
I do that with most of my beers. Unless I want to serve it immediately, then I'll add priming sugar and leave it at room temp for 3+ weeks. The only minor problem is that you'll need to dump the first glass since it pulls the yeast around the diptube. Then you'll be fine. But if you move the keg again, then you'll have to let the yeast settle and run the yeast out again.
 
KevinM said:
I do that with most of my beers. Unlesd I want to serve it immediately, then I'll add priming sugar and leave it at room temp for 3+ weeks. The only minor problem is that you'll need to dump the first gkass since it pulls the yeast around the diptube. Then youll ne fine. But if you move the keg again, then you'll have to let the yeast settle and run the yeast out again.
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+1 to that. i do most of mine this way also. let it naturally keg, then pour off the first pint
 
If you have your pipeline set up where you can wait 2-3 weeks before putting a keg in the kegerator, then you might as well carb naturally. I'm pretty sure it's cheaper to do it that way than to force carb. My 5 lb. CO2 tank costs me $15 to fill at the local paintball shop, and I can get about twice as many kegs out of it if I carb with priming sugar.
 
douglasbarbin said:
If you have your pipeline set up where you can wait 2-3 weeks before putting a keg in the kegerator, then you might as well carb naturally. I'm pretty sure it's cheaper to do it that way than to force carb. My 5 lb. CO2 tank costs me $15 to fill at the local paintball shop, and I can get about twice as many kegs out of it if I carb with priming sugar.
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not so worried about the co2, since it costs me 4.50 for 10 lbs, but it helps to have it already carbed when i'm ready to cool it. takes me 2-3 days to get it cooled and carbed right when i let it sit 2-3 weeks aging already
 
Cool, good to see the positive responses... I'm about to do a Porter which I want to drink in 6 weeks (first dark beer of the season!!), so I'll try that. I'll probably keep it on primary for a couple weeks, then prime/condition at room temperature.

Oh and a Co2 swapout here costs me $23. Why the hell it is that expensive, who knows.
 
Texas CO2 is bigger so it doesn't take as much:D Us folks up nort have to pay $20 plus for a 10 pounder. I have a couple of cornys and plan on doing a barley wine this fall that will be keg conditioned. I figure if it needs to age some anyway, why not let it carbonate itself. The brew is going to be large so would most likely be way better after sitting a month or two.
 
Oh and a Co2 swapout here costs me $23. Why the hell it is that expensive, who knows.[/QUOTE]

That sounds abit high for a 5lb tank, I would look around check welding supplier shops......my.02
 
The cost of filling the tank is mostly labor. Little tanks take almost as much time as big ones so there isn't much difference in price. Makes sense to get the biggest tank you can use and have room for.
 
i've never primed a keg before.. do you fill it the headspace with co2 a bit, then purge so there is no oxygen in there first before you let it sit? i'm looking to get another keg or 2 so i can do just that, let it condition because i can only hold 1 keg in my fridge for now.. if so, do you need to do anything else, or will it pressurize itself in a couple weeks at room temp?
 
krenshaw said:
i've never primed a keg before.. do you fill it the headspace with co2 a bit, then purge so there is no oxygen in there first before you let it sit? i'm looking to get another keg or 2 so i can do just that, let it condition because i can only hold 1 keg in my fridge for now.. if so, do you need to do anything else, or will it pressurize itself in a couple weeks at room temp?
Click to expand...

Exactly....I just prime my keg the same way I would when bottling, purge it a few times when its full, then hit it with a quick shot at about 20psi to make sure the lid is sealed properly...then just set it aside for several weeks
 
How much yeast comes out of the first glass or two? Could I primary for 2 weeks, transfer to keg. Add sugar, wait 2-3 weeks more, and then save the yeast from first pour for yeast storage? Seems easier than trying separate yeast from primary trub.
 
solbes said:
How much yeast comes out of the first glass or two? Could I primary for 2 weeks, transfer to keg. Add sugar, wait 2-3 weeks more, and then save the yeast from first pour for yeast storage? Seems easier than trying separate yeast from primary trub.
Click to expand...

Just a small amount of sediment in the first pour...maybe the first half pint. I throw it in a sealed cup and give it to a friend who dumps it down his drain (he has a septic tank)

Probably not enough worth saving and trying to clean up
 
You definitely don't want to reuse yeast from the keg. It's tired, there's very little of it, and it has been selected to be the least flocculent cells.

You can try top-cropping if trub is a problem.
 
insubordinateK said:
If it isn't fully carbonated, you can force carbonate by barely opening the faucet when dispensing the beer.
Click to expand...

I dont get this statement. Do you mean letting the beer spray out of the faucet? I guess that may give the beer more head, but its not going to increase the carbonation or mouthfeel. If anything you are losing carbonation.

If you meant something else I apologize.
 

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