Hey guys, doing my first brew at the moment. It should be ready to bottle in 2 weeks. I own a growlerworks uKeg that takes the little disposable co2 canisters. I've read that you can bottle directly into them. Is this common? Safe? Any opinions on it? Thanks!
Bottling into a uKeg?
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TwistedGray
El Jefe Brewing Company
I think you meant to ask, "Can you can carbonate your beer in a uKeg?" ...the answer is yes.
kestrelbrewing
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Assuming, as mentioned, you are asking if you can carbonate in a UKeg, the answer is possibly yes:
1. If you have the 64oz UKeg, the answer is yes, if you have the adapter to use the larger CO2 cartridges. Do not (and I say this from experience, very bad experience) try using off brand cartridges. they are frequently pressurized at a much higher level than the UKeg can handle. So, you would have to buy the larger cartridges and the adapter, and then you can carbonate. It takes about 3-4 days for the beer to absorb enough CO2.
2. If you have the 128oz UKeg, the answer is most likely no. It uses the larger cartridges as a default and you would most likely have to let the cartridge run out completely and replace it with another cartridge in order to achieve what you are looking for.
Having tried it a couple of times, it's really only something I'd suggest if you have a beer that you've tried to bottle condition and it's turned out flat. It's more of a last resort thing for me at this point.
1. If you have the 64oz UKeg, the answer is yes, if you have the adapter to use the larger CO2 cartridges. Do not (and I say this from experience, very bad experience) try using off brand cartridges. they are frequently pressurized at a much higher level than the UKeg can handle. So, you would have to buy the larger cartridges and the adapter, and then you can carbonate. It takes about 3-4 days for the beer to absorb enough CO2.
2. If you have the 128oz UKeg, the answer is most likely no. It uses the larger cartridges as a default and you would most likely have to let the cartridge run out completely and replace it with another cartridge in order to achieve what you are looking for.
Having tried it a couple of times, it's really only something I'd suggest if you have a beer that you've tried to bottle condition and it's turned out flat. It's more of a last resort thing for me at this point.
Excellent, thank you for the info
I should have mentioned, I have the 64oz uKeg Go. I don't have the adaptor tho. I was going to use the 8 gram co2 cartridges that I bought from Growlerworks when I purchased the uKeg. But I guess that's not a good idea? Thanks a lot for the insight, I appreciate all the info I can get.
kestrelbrewing
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I'm not familiar with the UKeg Go, I have the older model that looks like a piece of steam punk set dressing.
You can still do it, you are just going to have to open the UKeg after you think it's carbonated and then replace the cartridge.
Again, this should probably be a last resort when you are unsuccessful at bottle conditioning.
kestrelbrewing
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This is true to a point. In my experience, the gaskets seem to leak with higher carbonation beers. I count anything meant to be carbonated to a volume of under 3 as safe for UKeg carbonating.
This doesn't seem to be an issue if the beer being put in is already carbonated so what I've taken to doing is putting a 5 gallon batch of saison in regular 64 oz growlers, letting them force carb in there, then once I've opened the growler and had one (haha) beer, I transfer the unused portion to the UKeg and put it in the fridge. This also allows me to leave the yeast behind in the normal growler so it doesn't end up in the tap of the UKeg.
As always, YMMV.
