can I Keg half and bottle half

[Metsbrew]

Can I keg half of a 5 gal batch and bottle half? If so how. Also I know most stouts are served with nitrogen, can I use just co2? Thanks

 

[TipsyDragon]

yes you can. just bottle half as normal then keg the rest as normal. using CO2 for keging a stout is just fine.

 

[zimman]

you can easily do that. just like normal, purge the keg with co2 to get any excess air out.

 

[Metsbrew]

But isn't there a different amount of priming sugar that you use for bottlng and kegging?

 

[underwaterdan]

You can just simply carb using the C02 you are dispensing with. Unless you want to for some reason use sugar to carb in the keg...

 

[MBasile]

I'd keg the entire batch and then use whatever makeshift beer gun is always suggested around here to bottle what you want from the keg. That way you don't have any sediment in the bottles and you don't have to worry about adjusting the priming sugar for half of a batch.

 

[sakeyfour]

I do the opposite. I never have time to bottle when I want to take my beer somewhere. So, I prime the batch for bottles and just kegs what is left (purge the 02). I don't mind the sediment in the bottles or in the keg.

 

[TipsyDragon]

But isn't there a different amount of priming sugar that you use for bottlng and kegging?

no there is not.

 

[SkiSoloII]

When I first wanted to keg (in '96), I bought 3 kegs that would fit the best in my basement fridge and be portable - 3 gallon kegs. The were MUCH more available and cheaper then. I have 3 of them. I usually do 5.5-6.5 gal batches. Actually, I do 11-12 gallons split between carboys, with a different yeast in each. I keg 3 gals and bottle the rest. Works great. sure wish I could find more 3-gallon carboys cheap (I know, - don't go there).

Plus, I find a difference in bottle-conditioned vs. keg conditioned (force carbed) taste. It's almost like having 4 beers out of one 11 gallon brewday!

I force carb my kegs nowadays, but originally, I was told that you used a bit less priming sugar in the keg than when bottling. Someone please enlighten me.

Regards,

Dave

 

[MBasile]

I force carb my kegs nowadays, but originally, I was told that you used a bit less priming sugar in the keg than when bottling. Someone please enlighten me.

I've heard the same thing over and over again, with the rare comment like TipsyDragon's. Perhaps tipsy would like to explain why his way is correct in relation to using less sugar, rather than just saying "no there is not."

 

[DirtyPolock]

I plan on buying a kegging system with my tax refund to help stimulate the economy. I will likely be doing the same thing that Metsbrew is thinking of with bottling 2-3 six packs for travel/give-aways. My plan is to siphon right into the bottle and add a carbonation tab in the bottle. After making a few bottles I will just keg the rest. I know that this doesn't allow for consistent carbonation in the bottles, but this is going to be my initial plan before I make/buy a beer gun.

 

[andysim]

I plan on buying a kegging system with my tax refund to help stimulate the economy. I will likely be doing the same thing that Metsbrew is thinking of with bottling 2-3 six packs for travel/give-aways. My plan is to siphon right into the bottle and add a carbonation tab in the bottle. After making a few bottles I will just keg the rest. I know that this doesn't allow for consistent carbonation in the bottles, but this is going to be my initial plan before I make/buy a beer gun.

I do the same thing. I add a teaspoon of corn sugar to each bottle. It carbs just fine.

 

[SkiSoloII]

From the homebrewing Wiki: "Once the keg is cleaned, sanitized, and re-assembled, the beer is racked to the keg. Some home brewers prefer to "naturally" carbonate their kegs with priming sugar while other choose to force carbonate. Those brewers who use priming fermentables to carbonate must make a priming solution (just like when bottling) and add it to the keg prior to racking the beer. It should be noted that kegs require less sugar in the solution than bottles."
Doesnt give detials, though.

Dave

 

[Metsbrew]

If I do force carb, can u taste a difference?

 

[SkiSoloII]

If I do force carb, can u taste a difference?

I can taste a difference, but I really don't know why. Maybe its just that I tend to drink the keg sooner when I force carb, and it is greener. I wait longer for my bottles to naturally carb, so the bottled flavors may be more integrated. Then again, I've been known to crack a bottle or two earlier than planned; tends to be cloudier till the carbing activity settles out.



Dave

 

[tmeier45]

should I not cold crash my carboy before kegging/bottling?
My initial plan was to add 3/4 cup of corn sugar to the entire batch after racking from the secondary to a bucket. Then bottle what I want and keg what I want (probably 50/50)

Would this work? I don't want too much sediment in the keg. Not like it would be an issue because; my wife drinks it too fast so there's no chance of sediment settling in the keg.

 

[nakeddog]

should I not cold crash my carboy before kegging/bottling?
My initial plan was to add 3/4 cup of corn sugar to the entire batch after racking from the secondary to a bucket. Then bottle what I want and keg what I want (probably 50/50)

Would this work? I don't want too much sediment in the keg. Not like it would be an issue because; my wife drinks it too fast so there's no chance of sediment settling in the keg.

Personally I would cold crash the carboy, then rack off the beer you want into the keg. You'll get next-to-no sediment as you cold crashed and are pulling from the top/middle of the carboy.

Then rack the remainder into your bottling bucket, add the appropriate amount of sugar for how much is there and then bottle them. The keg I would force carb. This will also allow you to see how differently one beer tastes when force carbing compared to bottle conditioning.

 

[nparcel]

I am planning to bottle 6-12 (for friends and memories), and put the rest into a keg (for instant selfish gratification).

Could you boil up some water and corn sugar and add a teaspoon to each bottle, then rack on top of that? I don't really want sediment in the keg.

This was my plan but I wasn't sure how much to add to each bottle. I would have the bottles ready with priming sugar, rack to the bottles and put the rest in the keg. What is the equivalent of a tab?

 

[erikpete18]

I am planning to bottle 6-12 (for friends and memories), and put the rest into a keg (for instant selfish gratification).

Could you boil up some water and corn sugar and add a teaspoon to each bottle, then rack on top of that? I don't really want sediment in the keg.

This was my plan but I wasn't sure how much to add to each bottle. I would have the bottles ready with priming sugar, rack to the bottles and put the rest in the keg. What is the equivalent of a tab?

Adding separately certainly sounds like it could work, and I've even heard of people on here use an eye-dropper to add measured amounts to each bottle. For 6-12 beers it doesn't seem like it would be worth it to dirty up a bottling bucket to add priming sugar to the whole batch, so single bottle priming may be the way to go for you.

However, there might be an easier way if you are interested. Assuming you force carb in your keg, take a look at the BMBF. If you've already got a picnic tap and don't mind spending another $2-3, you can bottle directly from the keg after the beer is force-carbed. That way you don't have to worry about measuring out priming sugar or under-/over-carbing your beer. I've started doing that with beers that I want to age a few bottles for a while, or maybe want to hand out to a few people, or just want to bottle up something I'd rather save for another time and want to make room. It doesn't take more than chilling a few bottles and turning your keg pressure down. I've also found its a little nicer for giving to people that might not be as familiar with homebrew due to the fact that not priming in the bottle and cold-crashing in the keg gets rid of a lot of the sediment that some people are a little uneasy about until they get what's going on.

 

[IffyG]

no there is not.

Actually there is. I can't explain it, but it has something to do with the size and shape of the vessel. You end up using about half of the sugar to prime a kegs worth of beer compared to bottling. That being said, I'd probably rack half the batch into a bottling bucket, then rack the rest into a keg and use CO2 to carb the kegged batch and add priming sugar to the bottled batch.

 

[IffyG]

Could you boil up some water and corn sugar and add a teaspoon to each bottle, then rack on top of that? I don't really want sediment in the keg.

You could, but I prefer to use carb drops for when I'm bottling just a few beers.

 

[nparcel]

Adding separately certainly sounds like it could work, and I've even heard of people on here use an eye-dropper to add measured amounts to each bottle. For 6-12 beers it doesn't seem like it would be worth it to dirty up a bottling bucket to add priming sugar to the whole batch, so single bottle priming may be the way to go for you.

However, there might be an easier way if you are interested. Assuming you force carb in your keg, take a look at the BMBF. If you've already got a picnic tap and don't mind spending another $2-3, you can bottle directly from the keg after the beer is force-carbed. That way you don't have to worry about measuring out priming sugar or under-/over-carbing your beer. I've started doing that with beers that I want to age a few bottles for a while, or maybe want to hand out to a few people, or just want to bottle up something I'd rather save for another time and want to make room. It doesn't take more than chilling a few bottles and turning your keg pressure down. I've also found its a little nicer for giving to people that might not be as familiar with homebrew due to the fact that not priming in the bottle and cold-crashing in the keg gets rid of a lot of the sediment that some people are a little uneasy about until they get what's going on.

I like the idea of that budget beer gun, that will certainly be a project for the near future. I did on the other hand figure out how much priming sugar per bottle should be used.

All of this is based on 5 gallons of beer and 3/4 cup corn sugar in 1 cup water. This may not be whats recommended by all, but I have never had a problem with these volumes. Its been a long time since those chemistry classes so my conversions may be wrong, and theres some useless info in there as well.

5 gallons - 1 cup h2o/0.75 cup sugar
1 cup = 8 ounces
80 cups = 5 gallons

1.5 cups = 12 ounces
640 ounces = 5 gallons = 80 cups

1.75 cup priming sugar/water = 14 ounces
14 ounces priming sugar to 640 ounces beer
.02188 ounce priming sugar per ounce beer
.02188 ounce sugar = .13128 teaspoon
12 ounces beer = 1.575 teaspoons priming sugar

http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm

Approximately 1.5 teaspoons of priming sugar per 12 ounce bottle, doesn't seem too unreasonable. We will see how it works until I can get the beer gun built.