First time kegging. Necessary to cold crash?

[blackonblack]

I assembled a kegging system but I have some questions. I'll be force carbing and not bottle conditioning but if I rack to keg from secondary at my fermentation temps ... Once the beer cools in my kegerator won't here be yeast sludge on the bottom right by the output tube in the keg? Seems the first few pints will be all yeast . My bottle conditioned batches all have a yeast sludge on the bottom of the bottle. Wouldn't this too develop on the bottom of the keg? Cold crashing before kegging necessary?

 

[day_trippr]

You will end up with some sludge in the keg if you don't do something to drop nearly all of it before kegging. I cold crash before kegging...

Cheers!

 

[zachattack]

I don't cold crash before kegging

I just do 2-3 week primaries then keg. The beer is usually pretty clear going into the keg (depending on yeast strain). I do the "set it and forget it" carbonation method, so it's usually two weeks until I take a sample. IME the first pour might be a little yeasty but it's clear after that as long as you don't disturb the keg.

 

[Yooper]

I don't cold crash before kegging.

I keg at about day 10-14, if the beer is clear, and it sits for 36 hours or so in the kegerator. I pour off about 2 ounces of yeasty stuff, and then the rest is clear beer as long as you don't move the keg. When the keg is empty, there is a bit of yeast sludge on the bottom, about 1/2" away from the diptube and I just easily rinse that out.

 

[SeeMont]

I echo what Yooper says. I have been both directions and I tend to keg after primary, cold crash in Keezer ( I have one spare CO2 line), poor off a small glass and then enjoy. I have also have been kegging as a secondary for Dry hopping and other additions and then transfer with a jumper hose and CO2. Works slick. Good Luck

 

[blackonblack]

I plan to attempt the burst carbonation method . Should I cold crash in keezer , hook up to co2 and pour off the yeast sludge before I carbonate? Just give the keg pouring pressure.

I was planning to chill in keezer. Burst carb the beer and let it sit a day to settle and then pour off the yeast and enjoy

 

[day_trippr]

Probably doesn't matter. Either way, you'll be drawing some yeasty/trubby pints before the beer runs bright...

Cheers!

 

[zacster]

I keg after a 2 week primary. I cold crashed the primary before I kegged to get the yeast/trub to settle, and then leave as much behind as possible. Then I lager in the keg. There will always be a sludgy first pour, maybe even the second, but then it is clear. And since I'm lagering, the first pour is just a quick taste anyway at about week 2.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

If it your first time kegging,

I wouldn't attempt the fast or "burst cab" method if so.

But that's just me...........

 

[day_trippr]

LOL! Even if it was my last time kegging, I still wouldn't do it.

Cheers!

 

[zacster]

I didn't make it to week 2 for my first taste. And it was good.

 

[eric19312]

I didn't make it to week 2 for my first taste. And it was good.

Some people including me carb kegs with sugar (I do it when I don't have enough room for the kegs in my keezer to set and forget). Yeasty first pour but clears up well after a pint or two.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I plan to attempt the burst carbonation method . Should I cold crash in keezer , hook up to co2 and pour off the yeast sludge before I carbonate? Just give the keg pouring pressure.

I was planning to chill in keezer. Burst carb the beer and let it sit a day to settle and then pour off the yeast and enjoy

I have found the easiest and most reliable way to speed up carbonation is to increase pressure to 30 psi for 36 hours on cold beer, reduce to serving temp. and let sit a day or two. This will put you close and shave a week off carbonation time. I do agree that the extra week wet and forget gives the beer more time to cold condition, but sometimes you need a beer more pronto...