Cask Breather Setup

[Ryat66]

I am about to step into the lager world and I've decided to use Corny kegs for my secondary and lagering phase. I have done some secondary in carboys for certain ale styles (most of my beers are primary only) but I've never been overly thrilled with the airlock setup for several reasons the least of which is suck back. I have an idea for a cask breather setup where I would charge the Corny w/ a few pounds of Co2 and a smaller vessel (like a one gallon keg) with same charge and hook it to the gas side of the keg. My thinking is that as the beer cools and draws in it would be pulling Co2 from the smaller vessel rather than the potential of outside air.

I could also purchase an actual cask breather but I haven't really found any that have reviews.

Any ideas for a small stainless steel vessel that I could use for this purpose?

 

[Gavin C]

I am about to step into the lager world and I've decided to use Corny kegs for my secondary and lagering phase. I have done some secondary in carboys for certain ale styles (most of my beers are primary only) but I've never been overly thrilled with the airlock setup for several reasons the least of which is suck back. I have an idea for a cask breather setup where I would charge the Corny w/ a few pounds of Co2 and a smaller vessel (like a one gallon keg) with same charge and hook it to the gas side of the keg. My thinking is that as the beer cools and draws in it would be pulling Co2 from the smaller vessel rather than the potential of outside air.

I could also purchase an actual cask breather but I haven't really found any that have reviews.

Any ideas for a small stainless steel vessel that I could use for this purpose?

Why not just lager and force carbonate in the keg.

Primary, rack to keg. Attach gas at desired psi. No worries.

Cold lagering carbonating beer.

 

[Ryat66]

Why not just lager and force carbonate in the keg.

Primary, rack to keg. Attach gas at desired psi. No worries.

Cold lagering carbonating beer.

Now Gavin, this is way too simple so clearly it won't work.

Seriously though, I thought I had read somewhere that putting the beer under pressure during the lagering phase was a negative (I hate saying things like that without being able to cite the source but I can't find it). Anyway...sure, this sound much easier than what I proposed. So, let me ask you this: could I just charge the keg to carbonating pressure (12psi) and unhook the gas and just let it go in the chamber for the duration of the lagering phase or would you keep the gas hooked up? I can't imagine the cooling would contract enough to create a vacuum but I don't know the math behind these sort of things.

 

[Gavin C]

Now Gavin, this is way too simple so clearly it won't work.

Seriously though, I thought I had read somewhere that putting the beer under pressure during the lagering phase was a negative (I hate saying things like that without being able to cite the source but I can't find it). Anyway...sure, this sound much easier than what I proposed. So, let me ask you this: could I just charge the keg to carbonating pressure (12psi) and unhook the gas and just let it go in the chamber for the duration of the lagering phase or would you keep the gas hooked up? I can't imagine the cooling would contract enough to create a vacuum but I don't know the math behind these sort of things.

Keep it hooked up. Lager and carbonate to your heart's content. That is what I do at least. If you just charge the keg, pressurizing the small headspace this will quite quickly return to 1atm pressure as the CO2 is absorbed into the beer and you no longer have a certain seal.

I know of no downside to simultaneous lagering/ force carbing. All my beers are treated this way. A keg is the best vessel for this.

If you want to unhook the gas for other reasons, do 36 hours at 30psi for cold beer (longer if the beer is warm when it goes in the keg ~40hours). Now you have a close to optimally carbonated beer in the keg. That will stay sealed assuming your keg is sound.

 

[Ryat66]

Keep it hooked up. Lager and carbonate to your heart's content. That is what I do at least. If you just charge the keg, pressurizing the small headspace this will quite quickly return to 1atm pressure as the CO2 is absorbed into the beer and you no longer have a certain seal.

I know of no downside to simultaneous lagering/ force carbing. All my beers are treated this way. A keg is the best vessel for this.

If you want to unhook the gas for other reasons, do 36 hours at 30psi for cold beer (longer if the beer is warm when it goes in the keg ~40hours). Now you have a close to optimally carbonated beer in the keg. That will stay sealed assuming your keg is sound.

This certainly makes it much easier than I was anticipating. Again and as usual, I was overthinking something related to brewing, it's a common occurrence for me.

Thanks for your help.