Lagering in a keg

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pnh2atl

pnh2atl

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I have 5 corney kegs that I will one day use to keg. Right now I'm to cheap to spend the money to get the rest of the stuff. So in the mean time can I use them to lager in? I have a Munich Dunkle in my only carboy but it still has a month or so to go. I'd like to brew again in a few days (another lager) and rather than buy a new carboy I was going to use a keg. I don't have any CO2 to use so I can't put in under any pressure. It will be just beer in the keg. Is there any issues with that? Any ideas or advice? Thanks,

Nick
 
You'll need to attach a blowoff tube or install an airlock. You can remove the gas-in valve to attach a tube.
 
I'm thinking spunding valve is in order. :)
6533-DSCN1664.JPG
 
Ohio-Ed said:
You'll need to attach a blowoff tube or install an airlock. You can remove the gas-in valve to attach a tube.
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Not for lagering you won't. Now if used for a fermenter that's a different story. Just fill, purge and lager away.
 
I know this is an old thread but I was going to do this today to free up my fermentation chamber. I have a Vienna Lager that's been in there for 2 weeks at 51 degrees. I was going to keg it and leave the pressure relief valve open with a piece of tinfoil over it a stick in my kegerator for a month or more at 39 degrees. How's that sound to you guys?
 
RandalG said:
I know this is an old thread but I was going to do this today to free up my fermentation chamber. I have a Vienna Lager that's been in there for 2 weeks at 51 degrees. I was going to keg it and leave the pressure relief valve open with a piece of tinfoil over it a stick in my kegerator for a month or more at 39 degrees. How's that sound to you guys?
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If the beer is done, you don't need the pressure relief valve open. If the beer isn't done, 39 degrees is too cold!

You don't want to start lagering until the beer is finished, and the diaceytl rest is done. But after the beer is at FG, and the diacetyl rest is over, you can rack to the keg and lager and go ahead and close the keg.
 
Thanks for the quick response Yooper. I took a reading and it's only at 1.016 so it's not quite done. I'm going to let it go another week or two. Do I need to rack to secondary or can I rack it to a keg and leave the valve open in the FC at 51 until it finishes then close the valve and move it to the kegerator for lagering. I'm thinking secondary may be better so I end up with less trub in the keg after a week or two. Also regarding the diacetyl rest. Do all lagers benefit from one or and if so I should do it now before transferring to secondary right. I read a few threads and it seems to be kind of an ongoing debate.
 
RandalG said:
Thanks for the quick response Yooper. I took a reading and it's only at 1.027 so I'm going to let it go another week or two. Do I need to rack to secondary or can I rack it to a keg and leave the valve open in the FC at 51 until it finishes then close the valve and move it to the kegerator for lagering. I'm thinking secondary may be better so I end up with less trub in the keg after a week or two. Also regarding the diacetyl rest. Do all lagers benefit from one or and if so I should do it now before transferring to secondary right. I read a few threads and it seems to be kind of an ongoing debate.
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You'll want to do the diacetyl rest before racking definitely. I'd do it when the beer hits about 1.020.

Not every single lager absolutely needs a diacetyl rest, but it won't hurt to do one as a matter of course. It's better to do it, and then not worry about it. After the beer is racked, it's too late.
 
RandalG said:
Thanks for the quick response Yooper. I took a reading and it's only at 1.016 so it's not quite done. I'm going to let it go another week or two. Do I need to rack to secondary or can I rack it to a keg and leave the valve open in the FC at 51 until it finishes then close the valve and move it to the kegerator for lagering. I'm thinking secondary may be better so I end up with less trub in the keg after a week or two. Also regarding the diacetyl rest. Do all lagers benefit from one or and if so I should do it now before transferring to secondary right. I read a few threads and it seems to be kind of an ongoing debate.
Click to expand...

Don't need to open valve just leave it it will carb itself. How much lower is fg going to be? You may get small amount of sediment in first few tapped just a little cloudy.
 
I actually like to lager on the yeast for a month or so before racking. I generally lager for a month on the primary and then rack it to the keg and let it sit in there for another month. Never had any autolysis problems.

Going straight to the keg and lagering that way is a widely accepted method, even if it's not what I personally do. Go ahead and do it.
 
beaksnbeer said:
Don't need to open valve just leave it it will carb itself. How much lower is fg going to be? You may get small amount of sediment in first few tapped just a little cloudy.
Click to expand...

Initially I did a refractometer reading (still learning how to use it) and converted it in beersmith and it came out 1.027 which was way off in my first reply but I don't think I entered it right. I took a hydrometer reading and it was 1.016 so I edited it. The sample had a slight diacetyl taste so I raised the temp yesterday and it's bubbling away now.I had no bubbles prior to that. Beersmith says 1.013 for a FG as an estimate so I thought I missed my chance for a DR as it's close to being done but I have bubbles so I guess not. I think I'll rack it tomorrow and lager for a month or so. It's my first lager so I'm still in the learning process but so far so good.
 
Sorry to tag along on this thread, but what about lagering in the same keg from which you'll serve it from. I just racked an oktoberfest into a keg and it is sitting in my keezer. Can I keep it in the same keg to serve, and should I carbonate now or later?
 
DirtyPolock said:
Sorry to tag along on this thread, but what about lagering in the same keg from which you'll serve it from. I just racked an oktoberfest into a keg and it is sitting in my keezer. Can I keep it in the same keg to serve, and should I carbonate now or later?
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You can serve from the same keg if you want to.
 
RandalG said:
Initially I did a refractometer reading (still learning how to use it) and converted it in beersmith and it came out 1.027 which was way off in my first reply but I don't think I entered it right. I took a hydrometer reading and it was 1.016 so I edited it. The sample had a slight diacetyl taste so I raised the temp yesterday and it's bubbling away now.I had no bubbles prior to that. Beersmith says 1.013 for a FG as an estimate so I thought I missed my chance for a DR as it's close to being done but I have bubbles so I guess not. I think I'll rack it tomorrow and lager for a month or so. It's my first lager so I'm still in the learning process but so far so good.
Click to expand...

Don't rack until it's had plenty of time for a diacetyl rest!!!!! If there is a hint of diacetyl now, and it's not completely cleaned up, it will get worse with time.

It may or may not be done at 1.016 (bubbling can just be from the warmer temperature) but a diacetyl rest is very important to do if there is even a hint of a hint of diacetyl. In very low amounts, diacetyl is more of an "oily" or slick mouthfeel on the tongue. If you can actually taste some diacetyl, even just a small amount, you want to keep doing the diacetyl rest until it's competely and totally gone.
 

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