sorry to ask, but couldn't find a thread. Yeast in keg

[rtockst]

So I'm about to start kegging, and I only have 1 faucet but room for 2 or 3 kegs. I figured it would be pretty cool to rig up a bleed valve and gauge so I can just ferment lagers in the keg w/ my extra space, and bleed the extra pressure off. But a question is... must you siphon the beer to another keg for dispensing because of the yeast slurry and hop slop?

I thought the idea of cask conditioning it would be neat, but then again.... there is the problem with the yeast layer in the bottom. Would you have to adjust the dip tube height somehow to be above the yeast layer?

And then there's the general problem with yeast settling out of the beer. If you keg right after primary, there's going to be yeast settling in your keg. Yeast coming out the faucet in a "supposed to be clear" beer!

 

[Budzu]

Don't worry about the layer of yeast. Yes, you probably will get yeast out on the first pour or two, but the majority of the yeast will stay stuck to the bottom of the keg without being disturbed by the diptube. I'd leave your diptube as it is (but be aware some people do cut it slightly shorter). Just let it sit there in the keg for several days or more before you start pouring, so that the yeast will pack more tightly and you will have less waste.
I keg all the time from primary, and sometimes I intentionally transfer a decent amount of yeast to condition.
Once you have it in the keg where you want it, don't disturb it or you will need to wait for settling again.
Cheers!

 

[rtockst]

So you transfer some yeast intentionally? that is an interesting idea if you don't have to worry about continuously picking up yeast. I heard from a few people that homebrew keg beer spoils quite a bit faster than bottled beer because there isn't a least layer at the bottom stabilizing the beer. Putting extra slurry into the keg and not worrying about it would provide a nice solution to that problem

 

[Budzu]

I never thought about it sustaining the beer longer, perhaps it will.
What I was referring to was using the keg as a secondary, in which case I want the yeast in the keg to finish some fermentation and conditioning.
Often in those cases you'd want to push it to another keg later, off the yeast.
Edit: More specifically to your original post, for a lager it probably isn't a good idea to serve from the keg that you ferment the lager in. But how about go for a 4 gallon batch, use a keg to primary ferment (use an airlock, there are ways), then transfer to a secondary keg.

 

[rtockst]

yes that is a good idea bout the lager. I figured I could rig up some kind of an airlock. So you only put the additional yeast into the keg for secondary fermentation purposes?

I've read a few times in books that bottle conditioned beer lasts longer than filitered and artificially carbed beer because the yeast stabilizes it. Kinda interesting

 

[Budzu]

yes that is a good idea bout the lager. I figured I could rig up some kind of an airlock. So you only put the additional yeast into the keg for secondary fermentation purposes?

Yes, that was my intention. As far as aging with yeast, I do like the sound of what you've read, but thinking more about it leads me to worry about autolysis, or the flavor effects of dead, decomposing yeast over time.
I don't filter anything though, so I always thought my kegging was pretty similar to bottling.. I'm always getting SOME yeast.

 

[killian]

I think you will be fine with some yeast you just dont want to have a large amount.

 

[mordantly]

a primaries worth of dead yeast, for 10 years under the beer might cause a flavor problem. i've heard of bottle conditioned beer 10+years that didn't have any flavor attributed to yeast decay. some yeast is good for long-term aging success.