Batch size and kegging

[jbb3]

I hope to join the kegging club soon! Still gathering supplies and designing the keezer. Hope to start the build before the holidays are over.

I have a couple of FastFerment fermenters with a total capacity of 7.9 gallons. Before I decided to jump into kegging, I was going to scale up my batches to 6-1/2 gallons. But now that I plan on kegging, I'm wondering how I would manage batches in excess of the 5 gallon keg capacity??

After I start kegging, I really don't want to continue bottling if I can help it. Is my only option to reduce batch size to the 5 gallon keg capacity??

 

[beersk]

I brew 6.5 to 7 gallon batches, keg 5 and bottle the rest for archive/aging. Bottling definitely has its place, don't discount it completely. So, if you can bottle off the FastFerment deal, then that'd work. I just use a few grams of honey in each bottle.

 

[masonsjax]

You could also get a couple of 2.5 gal or 3 gal kegs for the excess. Those would be perfect if you did double batches too cause that's just about what you'd have left between two 6.5 gal batches.

 

[chickypad]

Like mason said you could buy a couple smaller kegs, or split between two 5 gal kegs, though you will use more gas to headspace. If it's just an extra gallon that would only be about 5-6 bombers, bottling with carb tabs would be pretty quick. You could also get a carbonation cap and put the extra in a couple 2 L soda bottles.

 

[bobeer]

You can usually fit more than 5 gallons in a 5 gallon corny keg. I usually brew 5 gallons and there's always more room to fit maybe another gallon or so. You'd only have to bottle a few bombers in that case.

 

[jbb3]

You could also get a couple of 2.5 gal or 3 gal kegs for the excess. Those would be perfect if you did double batches too cause that's just about what you'd have left between two 6.5 gal batches.

Like mason said you could buy a couple smaller kegs, or split between two 5 gal kegs, though you will use more gas to headspace. If it's just an extra gallon that would only be about 5-6 bombers, bottling with carb tabs would be pretty quick. You could also get a carbonation cap and put the extra in a couple 2 L soda bottles.

Both seem like good suggestions!

I have found out, the initial outlay of cash to build a 3 tap keezer is NOT small...

The 2.5/ 3 gal kegs seem like the best long term solution but just did a search for them. Many places want more for the 2.5/3 gal then they do for 5 gal!?!?

So maybe I'll troll CR for some 32 oz swing-top bottles. I usually drink 3 12oz beers a night anyway... Then look into some smaller kegs later.

Thanks Yall!

 

[kh54s10]

You can usually fit more than 5 gallons in a 5 gallon corny keg. I usually brew 5 gallons and there's always more room to fit maybe another gallon or so. You'd only have to bottle a few bombers in that case.

What kegs are you using? I don't find this to be the case. Mine are full at 5 gallons.

 

[masonsjax]

5 gallons will take you right up to the weld, just below the gas diptube. Total capacity is 5.15 gallons I believe, but you have to have surface area if you want carbonation, if the gas diptube is submerged you risk backflowing beer into your lines and regulator, and you really shouldn't be dipping the lid into the beer to insert it.

 

[jbb3]

5 gallons will take you right up to the weld, just below the gas diptube. Total capacity is 5.15 gallons I believe, but you have to have surface area if you want carbonation, if the gas diptube is submerged you risk backflowing beer into your lines and regulator, and you really shouldn't be dipping the lid into the beer to insert it.

So keep the beer level below the gas dip tube. That's good to know for new kegger...

 

[Craw3773]

I brew 6.5 to 7 gallon batches, keg 5 and bottle the rest for archive/aging. Bottling definitely has its place, don't discount it completely. So, if you can bottle off the FastFerment deal, then that'd work. I just use a few grams of honey in each bottle.

This isn't a bad idea. Beer can get better or worse with age. Experimenting is always fun. If you ferment 6.5 gallons, you can probably get 5.5 gallons in a standard Corny. You could easily sanitize a few bombers, and put them in storage.

I don't see the "bang for buck" value in investing in a bunch of 2.5 gallon kegs when you could stick to 5 gallon batches.

** DISCLAIMER: It takes me about 3 months to go through a keg, when I have 3 different kegs on tap. I don't have a need to produce larger batches of beer.

**DISCLAIMER #2: I want credit for typing this drunk like a respectable homebrewer

 

[chickypad]

The 2.5/ 3 gal kegs seem like the best long term solution but just did a search for them. Many places want more for the 2.5/3 gal then they do for 5 gal!?!?!

Yeah the small kegs definitely aren't the cheapest option, no good supply of used so you end up buying new. I initially made the investment with some stackable ones from Adventures in Homebrewing because I brew a lot of 2.5 gal batches, and I could fit 2 in the keezer in place of a single 5 gal keg plus one on the hump. I'm not sure they're still selling stackables.

 

[jbb3]

This isn't a bad idea. Beer can get better or worse with age. Experimenting is always fun. If you ferment 6.5 gallons, you can probably get 5.5 gallons in a standard Corny. You could easily sanitize a few bombers, and put them in storage.

I don't see the "bang for buck" value in investing in a bunch of 2.5 gallon kegs when you could stick to 5 gallon batches.

** DISCLAIMER: It takes me about 3 months to go through a keg, when I have 3 different kegs on tap. I don't have a need to produce larger batches of beer.

**DISCLAIMER #2: I want credit for typing this drunk like a respectable homebrewer

Yeah, I'll do the 32oz swing-top growlers for the overage for a while. But the smaller kegs definitely seem like the right solution.

We're at different places with our consumption. I can go through a full batch in two weeks or less without much help...

I'm big about bang for your buck. But sometimes DANG goes POOF...

 

[Zepth]

For my first while with kegs I just had 2 and the gas inside an STC-1000'ed freezer. No collar, picnic faucets, open lid before pouring. Not an ideal system but a good intermediate step before getting the stainless shanks and perlicks. Now I've got this setup and wondering what I waited so long for. Anyways, as I said it's a good starting point with kegs.

"Overflow" into bottles is the way to go IMO. It's always nice to have some portable brews kicking around. I've gained a bit of a reputation of being the guy who brings beer everywhere for any occasion. Difficult to live up to when 4/5 batches go into kegs.

I looked at the small kegs thinking I could fit 3 regular cornies and a 3 gal into my freezer with a tower setup instead of collar and pass-through taps. Always good to research things. After more thought the price is them is just absurd for what they are. Usually more expensive than new 5 gallons, not to mention if you have a source to get used 5 gal kegs. If the "overflow" beer shall go into a keg use a 5 gal one. Yes you'll use more CO2 for headspace (or sugar carb it and purge headspace once), but the real question is "How much co2 do you need to go through to balance the cost of the half batch kegs?"

 

[Fatman_Brew]

If you wanted to go with sanke kegs, 1/4 barrels are 7.75 gallons. That is what I use for my 8 gallon (to fermenter) batches.

 

[bobeer]

What kegs are you using? I don't find this to be the case. Mine are full at 5 gallons.

No idea. I have a low profile one from China, i think, so I'm not sure of the brand. My other keg is a Pepsi corny that can hold a bit over 5 gallons. I think the China one is a little bigger than the Pepsi one.