How do you keg?

[pilot45]

Simple question, right? I read the stickies, and the advice varies. I just ordered a kegging system, and when it comes, I have a stout in the primary that I want to transfer directly to the keg and force carbonate. So, what advice is there about how to do this? I've read that you have to bleed out the air in the keg? How do I do this and how many times do I repeat? What pressure should I set the gauge at for dispensing a stout after it is carbonated?
Thanks.

 

[wildwest450]

Lot's of questions, i'll take two. You purge the keg with co2 after filling(I fill mine with a auto siphon). Most people seal there's with 20psi, just give a few tugs on the pressure release to displace the air, seal with 20psi and your good to go.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Get yourself an autosiphon and a hose long enough to go from your fermenter height at transfer to the bottom of your keg plus enough length for the pump prime of the AS.

I usually sugar prime the keg and let is cellar for a little while. Kegs rotate slowly with me so, there is usually enough time for it carbonate without the gas. I could hit is with gas but I did'nt plan for that (line lengths, etc...) and it's a PITA for me.

 

[Slipgate]

I put my fermenter on the kitchen island, put the keg on the floor, use the auto-siphon and siphon it is. Then I hook it to the gas to 10psi, let it all out and repeat 2-3 times. Then I put it at 30psi for 2 days, lower to 8-9psi, wait another day and drink. It gets fully carbonated like that within a week but after 2-3 days there is enough to drink it.

I never do the shake thing.

 

[Clayton]

shakeing saves so much time.. you can hear it, turn on the gas and it flows then stops,
just bump the keg and you can hear the gas flow some more, keep its shaking or rocking and it just keeps flowing.

 

[ajwillys]

The only thing I do that hasn't been mentioned is I also purge my keg with CO2 before I transfer the beer as well as after. If the keg is full of CO2, that's just even less oxygen that will touch the beer. Afterwards, I still purge. I'm paranoid.

BTW, this is also how the pro's fill kegs. Pre-evac with CO2, fill, top-off with CO2

 

[pilot45]

Thank you for all the great advice. I am planning on auto-siphoning directly to keg, then I'll purge as stated and then try the shake bit. I'll let you all know how it turns out.


Wildwest: SWEEEEET avatar!

 

[Stevorino]

The only thing I do that hasn't been mentioned is I also purge my keg with CO2 before I transfer the beer as well as after. If the keg is full of CO2, that's just even less oxygen that will touch the beer. Afterwards, I still purge. I'm paranoid.

BTW, this is also how the pro's fill kegs. Pre-evac with CO2, fill, top-off with CO2

So how do you get the beer into the sealed CO2 keg? or do you just fill w/ CO2, purge completely, open the lid, siphon in beer, close, and repurge w/ co2?

 

[ajwillys]

So how do you get the beer into the sealed CO2 keg? or do you just fill w/ CO2, purge completely, open the lid, siphon in beer, close, and repurge w/ co2?

Yeah, I don't pressurize with CO2. Just fill it. Basically, just set the reg to 2 PSI, drop a hose in and let it sit for 30 seconds. CO2 is heavier than air so it sinks to the bottom for the most part. The idea is just to get most of the O2 out.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

After I've cleaned/rinsed the keg I then fill it with about 2 gal of Starsan solution, seal it, then let it sit upright...then upside down (depress the gas line poppet a couple of times to get full Starsan contact there). Then I blow almost all the Starsan out of the liquid side using CO2. Then I leave the keg sealed with the remaining Starsan until just moments before I fill it (meanwhile I sanitize the auto-siphon/etc.). Then right before I fill it I bleed off the pressure, remove lid (placed back into Starsan bucket temporarily), and dump the last bit of Starsan. The keg should now be sanitized and with a nice little CO2 blanket in there.

 

[Arkador]

I don't think that filling the cylender with CO2 first does much other than empty your tank faster.

to purge the CO2 from the tank, just set your regulator to 15PSI to seal the keg, then open the relief valve for about 10 seconds, and there should be only CO2 in the keg now.

to carb, I leave the keg in the fridge overnight to chill to serving temp, then add 30PSI, and shake the keg well for about 30 seconds, wait 5 minutes, and shake it again. After another 24 hours at 30PSI, i drop it to my final pressure, bleed the keg down to that new pressure, and leave it for another 3-4 days and consume.

 

[ajwillys]

I don't think that filling the cylender with CO2 first does much other than empty your tank faster.

I agree it does empty your tank faster but CO2 is the absolute cheapest part of my brewing. My 20 lbers cost $15 and last me about 6 months. That's even using the CO2 for pressurized beer transfers instead of siphon, which I also do alot.

With that said, I think any and all oxygen is bad. Every brewery I've ever seen/heard of their process fills both kegs and bottles with CO2 before filling them with beer.

 

[Stevorino]

I agree it does empty your tank faster but CO2 is the absolute cheapest part of my brewing. My 20 lbers cost $15 and last me about 6 months. That's even using the CO2 for pressurized beer transfers instead of siphon, which I also do alot.

With that said, I think any and all oxygen is bad. Every brewery I've ever seen/heard of their process fills both kegs and bottles with CO2 before filling them with beer.

Yes, part of this is how fast you are drinking your beer too. If you are knocking a keg out in less than 2 months, no worries. But if it's sitting in there and has a chance for some oxydation, ajwillys' practice will go a long way.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I don't think that filling the cylender with CO2 first does much other than empty your tank faster.

to purge the CO2 from the tank, just set your regulator to 15PSI to seal the keg, then open the relief valve for about 10 seconds, and there should be only CO2 in the keg now.

I'm not following you. What I bolded means you filled the keg with CO2...or am I misunderstanding? I just use the 12-14 psi to push the Starsan out and it doesn't take much...about the same as letting it blow @ 15 psi for ~10 seconds.

I'm not so much worried about the keg beer getting oxidized...it's the bottles I fill from the keg that might sit around for a year or longer (and occasionally get sent to comps).

 

[HoppyDaze]

I am in the same boat. I will receive my new kegging system in the mail today and will fill with a belgian dubbel tonight. I want to drink within a week. So: fill keg, seal, purge O2, set to 30 PSI...shake briefly, shake again in five minnutes? then set to serving pressure and wait around 3-4 days. Does this sound right?

 

[Bobby_M]

I pressurize the keg to a few psi, wait about 10 seconds, then vent the whole thing. In concept, the lighter air will have settled to the top of the keg and will be the first thing out the vent valve.

On the issue of how much pressure and how long to carbonate, you really do have to consider the age of the beer going in. You mentioned the beer going from primary to keg but how long has it been sitting in there since it stopped actively fermenting? If less than two weeks, you really don't have anything to rush about. Just because "hurried" force carbing can be done in 3 days doesn't mean you should. If the beer is young, keg it, apply about 12psi and leave it alone for 2-3 weeks. It will be carbed at about the time the beer starts tasting good.

Spanishcastleale, if you only use CO2 to push out liquid, you still have a pocket of plain air (with O2) sitting at the top of the keg. The only way I know to remove that is to open the vent or depress the gas-in poppet for a bit.

 

[HoppyDaze]

If you are talking to me; my beer has been in primary for nearly seven weeks so it is hardly young...

 

[Arkador]

fill keg, seal, purge O2, set to 30 PSI...shake briefly, shake again in five minnutes? then set to serving pressure and wait around 3-4 days. Does this sound right?

fill keg, seal, purge O2, set to 30 PSI...shake briefly, shake again in five minnutes, leave it at 30PSI for 2 days, then set to serving pressure and wait around 3-4 days. Does this sound right?

That is if you want to carb it fast.

If you are in no rush, just set it, and forget it.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Pretty much StillBrew...everybody has their own little tweeks. But keep in mind that the beer will be better after it's had some time to fully condition. Note the head retention on your first few pours then a couple of weeks later...much better after some time.

Also, the beer is constantly settling more and more. Where does it settle? Where is the end of your dip tube? You'll find the last few pours are as crystal clear as can be...the first few not so much. I always try to bottle from the keg well, well after I've tapped it so I get the really clear stuff with great head.

 

[Stevorino]

I am in the same boat. I will receive my new kegging system in the mail today and will fill with a belgian dubbel tonight. I want to drink within a week. So: fill keg, seal, purge O2, set to 30 PSI...shake briefly, shake again in five minnutes? then set to serving pressure and wait around 3-4 days. Does this sound right?

I'm going to be honest w/ you -- the shaking concept is really hard to pin down at first. If you want to expedite it -- hit it at 30, shake it hard for like a minute - you should be tired when it's over, and then just put it in there at the pressure you want it at -- not necessarily serving.

If you have a lot of line, you can make 'serving' pressure the same as the actual carbonation of your beer. But if your lines are too short, you'll have to decrease pressure to serve and then amp it back up to keep the carbonation at the level you want -- does that make sense?

After letting it settle for a day - start tasting it pretty often -- it's good to get a feel for where you like your carbonation levels at.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Spanishcastleale, if you only use CO2 to push out liquid, you still have a pocket of plain air (with O2) sitting at the top of the keg. The only way I know to remove that is to open the vent or depress the gas-in poppet for a bit.

Correct Bobby...but remember that I will vent the keg just before I open it and fill it. The CO2 I put in should be at the bottom and the air should get purged out...more or less. Also, a little air at the top of the keg isn't a big deal because as I fill the keg (under that blanket of CO2)...the air at the top will be displaced/pushed out.

 

[ajwillys]

I'm not following you. What I bolded means you filled the keg with CO2...or am I misunderstanding? I just use the 12-14 psi to push the Starsan out and it doesn't take much...about the same as letting it blow @ 15 psi for ~10 seconds.

I was assuming you meant with your explanation that you only put CO2 in after the beer goes in. I was trying to say that I think you should put CO2 in before AND after you put in the beer. I think we're on the same page, just saying it differently maybe.

The main point is, O2 decreases the shelf life of your beer and any steps you can take to reduce post-fermentation exposure of O2 will help with the age-ability of your beer.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

ajwillys, I was responding to Arkador's post that said:

I don't think that filling the cylender with CO2 first does much other than empty your tank faster.

But then went on to say:

...just set your regulator to 15PSI to seal the keg, then open the relief valve for about 10 seconds, and there should be only CO2 in the keg now.

So it seemed he was saying it was a waste of CO2 to fill the keg with CO2...but then proceeded to say that he filled his kegs with CO2. I probably misunderstood.

 

[schristian619]

"If the beer is young, keg it, apply about 12psi and leave it alone for 2-3 weeks. It will be carbed at about the time the beer starts tasting good."

+1
I always set my beers to serving pressure and wait. After 203 weeks they are always ready and taste great. I've never understood the fascination with quick carbing using either high psi or shaking. As with everything else in brewing, patience will pay off. I understand if it's your first batch, but otherwise, let it sit and mature and get better.

Other than that, i do the same things as noted above, rack with syphon, seal, purge a couple times, set to pressure and taste in 2 weeks.

 

[Bobby_M]

There's no disappointment like finding out your beer is hitting its peak flavor just as you're pouring your last pint. Freshly carbed beer also has a pretty nasty carbonic acid bite that takes a few days to disappear.

 

[springer]

first I give the opened keg a short blast of CO2 then I rack with an auto siphon . Close her up hit with 20PSI to seal and purge the tank about 5-10 seconds then just let her sit at 12 psi for 10-12 days.

 

[UncleMule]

OK, so with all that great advice given (THANKS!), what if you only have a single dual gauge regulator and a keg on tap. Then your next batch of brew gets finished and you put it in a keg. I suppose you could attach a "Y" fitting to your regulator and let the new keg sit at serving pressure until the first keg is kicked. Could you fill & chill the second keg, hit it with 30psi for 24hrs and then take it off the co2 with the 30psi sealed inside then when the first keg is kicked hookup the second keg at serving pressure?