Using 1 Keg as Primary and Secondary Fermenter

[pdog44450]

I got a Mr. Beer kit (hey leave the amateur alone) for Christmas and I was wondering if I could use the 2 gallon keg and double it's use making it a primary and secondary fermentor. What I was thinking was getting a bucket from a hardware store, or using a big pot, or whatever it may be and dispensing the beer into it using the keg's spigot, then when it got to the bottom of the keg and to the yeast cake, cleaning it really well with some unscented dish soap and hot water, then dumping the beer back into the same keg it was in for primary fermentation, and moving onto the secondary stage then bottling after secondary was complete. Could it/should it be done? I started a new batch of Amber Ale yesterday I was hoping to use this tactic on.

 

[Yooper]

Remember that once fermentation starts, the beer should only be moved via siphoning to avoid splashing and oxidation.

Even if you siphoned from the Mr. Beer into a bucket, and very carefully siphoned it back, the risk of oxidation from the wide headspace of a bucket and racking it twice would not be recommended, though.

 

[pdog44450]

Remember that once fermentation starts, the beer should only be moved via siphoning to avoid splashing and oxidation.

Even if you siphoned from the Mr. Beer into a bucket, and very carefully siphoned it back, the risk of oxidation from the wide headspace of a bucket and racking it twice would not be recommended, though.

Yeah, I was trying to avoid the use of siphon since I don't have one. I am also under the impression that heavier beers should ferment longer that lighter, as well as beer sitting on a yeast cake for too long will cause it to develop off flavors. If I can't move it to a secondary I will have to bottle sooner than I want. Is there any step you could add to my original plan that would make it worth the risk of trying or should I just let it sit in the keg without moving it for 2-3 weeks then bottle?

 

[Rockn_M]

Let it sit until it's done then bottle. You'll be ok.