Mini keg priming

[Drunken Monkey]

I’ve been brewing for a long time doing bottle priming. But, recently got a mini keg setup with multiple sized growlers. They all have caps with a blow off valve.

My question is can your rack and prime your beer into these? Then
let prime and and age in the growlers until you wish to tap?

Being, already force primed carbonation. And just need to add pour flow. Or, don’t the growlers hold the pressure ? 1st time experiment!

 

[mac_1103]

In theory at least, you should be able to prime in any container that will hold the pressure. Just what kind of minikeg are we talking about?

 

[fluketamer]

i do this all the time . i have been doing it very successfully for almost 2 yeasr now. im doing it right now.

i mini keg in all different shapes and sizes. and both ss and PET . sometimes i prime in them sometimes i dont. like mac said anything that holds enough pressure safely should work fine. i just scale up from the bottle when i prime a keg. i have heard others say to put less priming sugar in a keg but i dont.
prime and condition just like a bottle then pop in the kegerator chill for 24 hours and tap. its actually bettter to condition in a keg than a bottle cuase you can purge a keg first then do a closed transfer , then condition under pressure exposing it to much less o2 than a bottle.


this table may help with bottle priming instead of batch priming. just multiply the ounces up to your growler/ minikeg and thats the amoutn of sugar you can use.

theoretically i think you can keg 5-6 gallons of beer in a normal size keg, warm condition it under co2, then as needed to do closed trasnfers to a minkeg or growler. this is easier if it has QD ball locks . but this way you actually have space in the fridge for kegged beer. i think this is a way around a kegerator or keezer if you dont have space for one. when minikegging you can literally fit them anywhere. i havent done warm transfers but saw it done on you tube. and apparently as long as its counter pressure foaming shouldnt be a prob.

 

[mac_1103]

havent done warm transfers but saw it done on you tube

I chill everything when I transfer from full-sized keg to minikeg, but I'm not sure it's necessary unless you're really trying to fill the minikeg all the way to the gas out post. If that's the case then foaming could be an issue. Otherwise, any CO2 that breaks out during a closed transfer should get reabsorbed anyway.

 

[Drunken Monkey]

i do this all the time . i have been doing it very successfully for almost 2 yeasr now. im doing it right now.

Thanks for the reply.

In theory I thought it would be fine. I do beer, wine and ciders and recently got a mini keg system and some extra growlers in 1/2 and 1gal sizes. The growler only purchases came with a blow off valve in the cap. The full system that had the tap had the blow off as part of the full faucet assembly. The spare cap had no blow off.

My thinking if you primed and put on the cap with no blow off it would be very difficult to get the cap off to install the tap being under pressure. And, possibly damaging the threads in the process. So, I was just bottle priming and just filling the keg with already carbonated drink. Then install the tap and set for pour pressure.

I was thinking using the growlers with the blow off lid to prime, fill and allow a little aging should be ok. Being, I could release the pressure to remove the lid/cap and just install the tap and serve. I just wanted to hear from others that did this with success. I didn’t think the priming pressure would be enough to trigger the blow off valve. So, good to hear it will be fine. Will save some bottling time and effort to keg a gallon or two from batches for some draft

 

[warx]

I brew British cask ales and don't force carbonate. I cask [keg] condition it at 17C (62F) for about 5 days before chilling. I'm only shooting for 1.1 to 1.2 parts and add only 1g per liter. A 5L mini keg gets 5g.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I use 5-gal kegs and the mini-kegs are for taking out (growlers) and capturing any excess out of the fermenter that won't fit in the 5-gal keg. Usually, that amounts to a quart or two, sometimes more, by design. Anyway, I use the mini-kegs, immediately after transfer, to force carb so I can enjoy while I clean up and see how the beer came out.

 

[Broken Crow]

I didn’t think the priming pressure would be enough to trigger the blow off valve.

This part ^ is setting alarm bells off in my head... Can you post a picture? I'm wondering if you actually are talking about a 'blow-off' or if that's what you're calling a PRV (pressure relief valve).

 

[Drunken Monkey]

This part ^ is setting alarm bells off in my head... Can you post a picture? I'm wondering if you actually are talking about a 'blow-off' or if that's what you're calling a PRV (pressure relief valve).

I’m guessing it can be called both really. Meaning it can manually be used to release pressure. And, it’s rated to auto release(blow off) @ 30psi.
Sorry for the confusion.

 

[fluketamer]

which growlers are you talking about.
i think he means a prv valve

can you post a pic or copy and paste from google image

 

[mac_1103]

I’m guessing it can be called both really. Meaning it can manually be used to release pressure. And, it’s rated to auto release(blow off) @ 30psi.

That's a PRV. The auto-release pressure should be less than whatever the keg is rated for. And you shouldn't need one for priming unless you make a really big error (either way too much priming sugar or kegging way before fermentation is finished). But if you really want to get into this then it's probably better not to be opening the keg to install a tap lid, since you will both lose pressure and introduce oxygen.

 

[Drunken Monkey]

which growlers are you talking about.
i think he means a prv valve

can you post a pic or copy and paste from google imag

 

[mac_1103]

Did you buy them at Amazon or some other online retailer? Try posting a link.

 

[Drunken Monkey]

That's a PRV. The auto-release pressure should be less than whatever the keg is rated for. And you shouldn't need one for priming unless you make a really big error (either way too much priming sugar or kegging way before fermentation is finished). But if you really want to get into this then it's probably better not to be opening the keg to install a tap lid, since you will both lose pressure and introduce oxygen.

Well, there is not much top space to loose much when removing the cap to screw on the tap. Can be done within a few seconds. Then purge with some c02 pressure. Then set to dispense pressure.

I‘ll be able to report results in a few weeks from now. I just filled the mini with primed beer tonight.

 

[Drunken Monkey]

Did you buy them at Amazon or some other online retailer? Try posting a link.

My mini keg/growlers are Nutrichef. I have in 1 and 1/2 gal sizes. They come with a lid that has a purge valve. I noticed many other brands have lids with no valve. So, I would guess if you primed and filled the growler. It may be a pita to get off with the carb pressure that will build.

 

[fluketamer]

yeah i have a few of those size. i dont know why the have the prv lid. i dont see a use for it. in any case they are not hard to get off even under pressure . keg lube helps to make them not squeak when you tighten them. a good pipe wrench has no problem if they get stuck.


you can put growler spears on them for complete closed transfer

or this nifty low profile growler tapping head that i found :

cheers

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I use the top one pictured for my mini's to forcs carb. Attach a piece of hose as the pickup tube. Never seen the bottom picture version.

 

[fluketamer]

I use the top one picture for my mini's to forcs carb. Attach a piece of hose as the pickup tube. Never seen the bottom picture version.

yeah the top spear is the common one for ss growlers. there are other caps but they are less interchangable. the bottom is very new i believe kegland made them. williams brewing is selling them in the US. still waiting for mine due to usps problem (ARRG) but i like the concept a lot

 

[Drunken Monkey]

Just bottled and kegged (primed) last night. 1st time doing keg priming. I’ll report back in some weeks on how it worked out. I’m hoping to just pop on the tap, then purge. Then set 2-3lbs pressure to serve nicely carbonated beer .

 

[Drunken Monkey]

To those that followed this thread. Keg priming went as planned. The kegs I have with purge valves were easier to get off than the ones without. But, was doable.

Carbonation was as expected. So just pour pressure was needed and was yum.

 

[Drunken Monkey]

Update : After a few experiments I found having the prv valve cap was a bit easier and less damaging to the threads. The caps with no prv came off with a little muscle. They came off even easier with keg lube. But, we’re still under pressure and I would imagine it would damage the threads over time.

Most mini kegs don’t come with a prv top. But, for myself I’m only buying ones that do. TMCraft seems to be a decent mini keg imo.