advice on using new carboy and new keg

[furstyjaymar13]

Hi all, I've got some new equipment and need a bit of advice from an experienced POV because I'm still a little green and need reassuring all the time!
I'm hoping to make an IPA soon for a BBQ coming up in a couple of months, so that's why I'm not just gonna go for it and end up with no brew to show off!

My current method has been using an enclosed trash pail/bucket, then siphoning direct to 500ml bottles and using carbonation drops. But now I've got some more equipment...

I've got a 27 litre plastic carboy, and I make my batches to 19 litres, the carboy has a cap with (about) a 9mm hole for tubing, given my batch size and the extra headspace I'll have, will I need to use a blow off tube? or can I just fit it with a bubbler straight away?

After fermenting I'll be using a 5g keg for the very first time, of which I'm hoping to carbonate my brew in. Admittedly my head gets dizzy when I hear words like pressurizing and purging...
I've bought a keg that uses an s30 valve (see- http://www.dorsethomebrew.co.uk/shop/397-875-large/standard-2-inch-cap-with-s30-valve.jpg).
Apparently the valve lets out excess pressure so once I enclose the brew along with the priming sugar am I just waiting for it to carbonate? Seems you can get these gas canisters that you squeeze into the top of the valve so I'm guessing I only have to use these to maintain the pressure once I've started to draw from the keg, would I be right in thinking that? or am I overlooking something?

 

[Dovage]

I'm not a kegger but it's my understanding that you use the C02 to force carb your beer. No priming sugar needed. It is much faster maybe 1 week as opposed to 3 weeks with sugar.


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[andy6026]

I'm not a kegger either, but i know that you can indeed carbonate your kegged beer via the priming sugar method should you so choose. Sorry I can't be of more help though...

 

[NickTheGreat]

You can pressure with sugar, but I'd wager less than 5% of keggers do.

How are you going to serve? Gas makes that easier too

 

[furstyjaymar13]

You can pressure with sugar, but I'd wager less than 5% of keggers do.

How are you going to serve? Gas makes that easier too

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I'm serving directly from the keg. Ive included a picture of it, that also contains the correct valve too.
Would the beer type make any difference? mines an kit IPA, but also the fact that its from a kit extract worries me a little by not carbing with additional sugar, since the general viewpoint is that kit yeast is poor, and i 'feel' it'd benefit priming somehow? the OG was 1.040 btw Maybe im just worrying too much as a novice, its just odd to me not adding sugar to carbonate, ive always done it so am i just being naive? sorry if im seeming a bit stupid! haha

PS -As a reference point for anyone interested in one of my unanswered questions about using a blow off followed by a bubbler; I ended up just using a bubbler and the foam and muck never got close to coming out of the bubbler. So seem to have had enough headspace but I do wonder whether 3litres -ish of headspace is bad for the fermenting as it includes more oxygen by nature of larger headspace?

 

[TheMattTrain]

I can't speak to the bad yeast with kits because I'm not experienced enough. I started brewing in January, I've done 5 batches (6 if you count the apfelwein I've got going) and I have only ever kegged. I can try to explain the process a little bit from a fellow novice.

I ferment in primary, rack to secondary (although it's debated if this is a necessary step. I do it more for filtering and freeing up the big carboys for another beer), and then rack directly to a keg. Make sure everything is sanitized, of course.

Once the beer is in the keg, you put attach your CO2 line to gas disconnect and to your regulator. Turn the regulator all the way down and make sure the pressure is off on both the regulator and CO2 can. Connect the gas disconnect to the keg (make sure you put it on the "in" side) and then open the gas. Turn the regulator up to about 5 PSI. Turn the regulator off again, vent the keg by pulling the pressure relief valve to get rid of the O2 in the keg. Open the valve again on the regulator, pressurize the keg to 20-30psi for 3-4 days. Once you think it's had enough time, tun off the air again, vent the keg, turn the regulator down. Add your liquid line, then pressurize the keg to serving pressure (about 5-10psi depending on liquid line length), open the tap, pour a beer. If it tastes/looks carbonated, you're good to go.

Keep in mind that the first pour usually tastes a little off because there can still be some yeast fallout at the bottom of the keg after the 3-4 days of pressurizing that ends up in your first glass because the liquid line pulls from the bottom of the keg.

Happy kegging!

 

[mamies]

I quite often add priming sugar to my kegs if I am storing them for a long time. I however half the amount of sugar that is needed for bottles.

If I am force carbing I hook up the gas bottle, put some gas in the keg and pull the ring a couple of times (get the oxygen out of the keg), turn the gas to 30 PSI and start rocking the keg. I rock for about 10 minutes. I then make the pressure to 10 PSI (keg system is optimised for this) and leave it until I am going to drink it.

 

[furstyjaymar13]

Thanks guys, Im just waiting for my co2 to turn up now before I transfer to the keg for the first time, can't wait!

 

[Puddlethumper]

No sugar is necessary when you are using a keg. You do need a co2 gas cylinder. 5 lb. is what many people use. Force carbing as suggested above will speed the process up quite a bit but it isn't necessary.

Best to just make your beer as you normally would. When you know you have reached FG and are ready to package, clean and sanitize the keg. Drain off the sanitizer (don't rinse) then rack the beer to the keg. Hook up the co2 line to the "IN" post and, with the lid off, slowly bleed a little co2 into the headspace. Secure the lid and turn the gas on to 10-12 psi. Allow it to fill and set for a few minutes to a half hour. Remove the gas line from the keg pull the pressure relief (if so equipped) to bleed off the gas. Then hook up the gas, charge it up again, and with the gas still connected put it in the keezer to get and stay cold (38-40F). In a week or so it will be carbed up and ready to serve.

Cold liquid absorbs co2 better than warm, so keeping it stored at serving temperature while under gas will optimize the carbonation and assure it is ready when you need it.

Cheers!

 

[chickypad]

OP you appear to have one of those beer barrel type kegs which are designed to be naturally carbed with sugar, they are much more popular where you are. Most US keggers use corney kegs and carb with a CO2 bottle and regulator - which is what most of the advice in this thread is referring to. For yours you would carb with the sugar, then as you mentioned use the little CO2 canisters to dispense so the beer doesn't go flat or get oxidized.

 

[furstyjaymar13]

OP you appear to have one of those beer barrel type kegs which are designed to be naturally carbed with sugar, they are much more popular where you are. Most US keggers use corney kegs and carb with a CO2 bottle and regulator - which is what most of the advice in this thread is referring to. For yours you would carb with the sugar, then as you mentioned use the little CO2 canisters to dispense so the beer doesn't go flat or get oxidized.

Yeah this makes more sense to me, nevertheless I appreciate everybody's help all the same, sounds like ive unintentionally misled a few people... a similar thing has happened before once but I tend to prefer this forum to uk forums for various reasons.

Ive included a picture of the valve and associated kit that sits on top of my keg below for future reference to anyone who stumbles upon this post.

Thankyou for your help.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Now that is an interesting piece of equipment. First I've seen like it. And yes, with that setup you will definitely need to carbonate with sugar unless you have a huge supply of those little co2 cartridges.

Cheers!