Purging keg while dry spicing

[CyberFox]

I'm planning on adding powdered spice to my fermentation keg (dry spicing). I'm using some ascorbic acid to mitigate oxidation, but I was wondering how purging the keg further with CO2 would affect the powdered spices. My worry is that it will blow the spices straight out of the PRV. I haven't tried it and I don't feel like being a guinea pig. Does anyone know what the end result would be?

Thanks in advance!

 

[pvtpublic]

It shouldn't affect the spice aroma/flavor as it hasn't been imparted into the beer at the time of addition. Hook up your CO2 normally and run 2 PSI into the keg before, during, and after dumping in spices. Then, after you seal the lid, do your normal purge routine.

Edit: how do you purge?

 

[CyberFox]

It shouldn't affect the spice aroma/flavor as it hasn't been imparted into the beer at the time of addition. Hook up your CO2 normally and run 2 PSI into the keg before, during, and after dumping in spices. Then, after you seal the lid, do your normal purge routine.

Edit: how do you purge?

I'm not worried about the aroma/flavor; I'm worried about the spice being stirred up with the pressure from the CO2 and being blown out of the PRV when I purge. I'm also concerned that continuously purging with even 2 psi while adding the spices would blow them into my face.

As far as how I purge, it's just like you'd normally do with a keg: inject CO2 into the IN post, then purge with the PRV.

 

[pvtpublic]

2 PSI coming from the beer shouldn't blow it out the lid. And once it gets wet, it won't blow anywhere.

 

[mac_1103]

I think I must be missing something... you ferment in the keg, then at some point open it to add the spices, close it again and purge. Why do you think the spices will get blown out the PRV? Do they just sit on top of the beer without getting wet?

 

[CyberFox]

I think I must be missing something... you ferment in the keg, then at some point open it to add the spices, close it again and purge. Why do you think the spices will get blown out the PRV? Do they just sit on top of the beer without getting wet?

Yeah, I think that at least some of the spice wouldn't immediately submerge into the beer and would sit on top until it has time to absorb. It's similar to yeast: if I add yeast in one small area, some of the yeast will stay piled on top and will take time to absorb into the beer.

 

[pvtpublic]

I highly doubt you'll have an issue with applying a powder coating to your visage via keg.

 

[CyberFox]

I highly doubt you'll have an issue with applying a powder coating to your visage via keg.

For a worst-case scenario, what if I were to grind up 12 oz of hops into a powder and throw them in as a dry hop? Do you think that would cause an issue with purging?

 

[day_trippr]

Getting 12 ounces of anything powdered into a keg without opening the lid is going to be a huge challenge...

Cheers!

 

[CyberFox]

Getting 12 ounces of anything powdered into a keg without opening the lid is going to be a huge challenge...

Cheers!

Not if you know magic!

No, I'd open the lid, toss in the hops/spices, close the lid, then purge. I'm just not sure if purging would blow the powder out of the PRV.

 

[day_trippr]

I guess that would depend on how much beer was in the keg because 12 ounces of powdered hops is going to ride pretty high until it finally sinks...

Cheers!

 

[CyberFox]

I guess that would depend on how much beer was in the keg because 12 ounces of powdered hops is going to ride pretty high until it finally sinks...

Cheers!

Exactly! Let's say 0.5-1 gallon(s) of headspace.

 

[day_trippr]

I would say a quart two quarts of headspace would leave enough room above the floating hopberg to let you flow low pressure CO2 from the gas post to the PRV without the powder escaping...

Cheers!

 

[CyberFox]

I would say a quart two quarts of headspace would leave enough room above the floating hopberg to let you flow low pressure CO2 from the gas post to the PRV without the powder escaping...

Cheers!

Hopberg! I like it!

Well, I'm also going to use ascorbic acid, so that will help with oxidation. I'm just trying to come up with a plan of attack for minimizing oxygen while dry hopping. I can either do a continuous purge with 2 psi while adding the powder (pretty sure I'll get a face full of it), purge after the fact with low psi, or not purge at all. I'm leaning towards purging after the fact with low psi.

You don't seem to have an oxidation problem while using ascorbic acid and not purging your carboy though, right?

 

[day_trippr]

You don't seem to have an oxidation problem while using ascorbic acid and not purging your carboy though, right?

Happily, my neipas have been lasting for many months with no evident character loss. Couldn't be happier about that, really, as my post-pitch O2-avoidance is pretty comprehensive given the equipment I use and one hopes all the effort would pay off. It has, in spades

Cheers!