Chill a Keg on its side?

[mayday1019]

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

A quick question for you. I am bringing a keg of my Pumpkin Ale to the family's house today. I do not have a trash barrel I can fill with ice to keep it cold, but do have a large cooler which will fit a keg on it's side. Is that ok? Can I keep the keg on its side for the next few hours to chill it down, then stand it upright when we plan on endulging??? Thanks Guys!

 

[Jekster]

Other than mixing around any sediment in the keg it shouldn't be a problem at all. Enjoy the brew and your Holiday!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Just use a smaller/shorter tub. Add the ice and water it down. The colder water will chill the keg faster than ice will because of the constant contact with the sides of the keg.

You don't have to chill the entire keg, just the bottom half because the beer is being pulled from the bottom of the keg...

If you were outside in the summer under the hot sun that would be a different story.

 

[david_42]

That would work fine. But, sediment might be a problem just because of transporting it and cooling it upright will give it more time to settle. As 99 says, you are drawing from the bottom.

 

[FSR402]

Just use a smaller/shorter tub. Add the ice and water it down. The colder water will chill the keg faster than ice will because of the constant contact with the sides of the keg.

You don't have to chill the entire keg, just the bottom half because the beer is being pulled from the bottom of the keg...

If you were outside in the summer under the hot sun that would be a different story.

I agree. Just pack it in ice/water standing up and it should be fine. Also it may help to wrap a heavy blanket around the keg and tub/cooler to keep the cold air in contact with the keg longer. Have a great day with the homebrew.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

But, sediment might be a problem just because of transporting it and cooling it upright will give it more time to settle.

That's been my experience. I brought a keg of my crystal clear APA to a party, and poured glasses of murky, cloudy brew for the first several hours...not the impression I wanted to make.

Now I'll only agree to bring a keg if I can take it the night before and ice it down. Or, I'll just bring a hefe and not worry about the cloudiness!

 

[BeerCanuck]

I have tried the speed force carbonation method once (turning up the C02 pressure, rocking the chilled keg and then turning pressure down to serving). Shaking up the sediment in the bottom of a keg is something to be avoided if possible.

cheers
BeerCanuck

 

[Fingers]

Why not just pull a few and then transport it? You should get most of the sediment in the first couple.

 

[OCB tilly]

Well I don't think you should worry too much about sediment and 'cloudiness'... if anything it gives you a chance to explain to regular 'bud' and 'labatts' drinkers that there's a lot to beer they're missing out on....

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Why not just pull a few and then transport it? You should get most of the sediment in the first couple.

It doesn't seem to happen like that. When the sediment has settled into a nice even layer, the first few pulls draw up just the yeast that are immediately around the pickup tube, and create a clean spot. I don't have x-ray vision, but I do see this half-dollar sized clean spot in every emptied keg I open. After that the pours are crystal clear...until you move the keg and stir up the sediment.

It doesn't take much movement to stir everything up. A keg that pours cleanly with a picnic tap in my garage fridge will pour cloudy once it's in the house, just from the slight agitation of carrying it inside to the kegerator. 5 pulls later, it will still be murky and look nothing like what came out of the picnic tap. I've learned not to bother tapping a moved keg until it has settled overnight.