Corny keg as secondary fermenter?

[nedrierson78]

In an attempt to simplify the process, why can't I use my corny keg as my secondary fermenter for dry hopping? In the past I have been transferring to a glass carboy to dry hop, but think it would be just as easy to use the Corny keg...and one less step.

I would use a hop bag to contain the hops.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for the tips.

 

[gregpio85]

Should be fine. You get some little particles that escape the bag so your first glass or so will have some residue.
I would also recommend cold crashing before you transfer. That will bring down some of your yeast out of suspension.

 

[nedrierson78]

Ok, can you explain the cold crash? I have never done that.

 

[fretsforlife]

I've dry hopped in a corny several times. In fact, sometimes I dry hop in the primary. Secondary only creates an extra vessel for you to clean. Unless I was looking to add fruit or something, I don't secondary ever.

 

[fretsforlife]

Cold crashing is when you take your fermented beer and put it in a cold area (fridge or a really cold basement or something) and leave it for a period of time. What happens is, the yeast all drop out of suspension and form a rather hard compact yeast cake on the bottom. It's supposed to leave you with a cleaner, clearer beer. It's cool because you can rack just about every drop off the bottom without taking half the cake with you.

 

[gregpio85]

In primary just drop your temp for a day or two before you transfer. This makes all the yeast want go to sleep

 

[nedrierson78]

Do most people crash just prior to racking out of the primary into the secondary? Or do most CC before racking from secondary to Corny?

I will put it into the fridge. How long do most CC?

Thanks.

 

[fretsforlife]

Honestly man, do a search on Secondary fermentation and read about how many people have moved away from it altogether. Some will debate, but I believe -and many others do too- it to be unnecessary. Cold crashing is great too if you have the fridge space (or any area thats cold) but I've found that even without it, 3-4 weeks primary and then straight to keg, yields clear, clean, great tasting beers every time for me. Not telling you how to run your ship, but just look into it. You might be glad to know that you can eliminate that whole step, and have one less carboy to clean.

as far as the cold crashing thing, run another search on that as well. There are several threads that cover that subject extensively.

 

[nedrierson78]

Ok, I will try using the Corny as my secondary fermenter to dry hop. Also, going to try the cold crash for the first time and see if it really helps the clarity of the beer.

 

[fretsforlife]

Ok, I will try using the Corny as my secondary fermenter to dry hop. Also, going to try the cold crash for the first time and see if it really helps the clarity of the beer.

That's the only way to find out if it really works. Good luck!

 

[Toecutter]

i have been just dry hopping for a week in the primary, and the results work for me. I did try for the first time last sunday, racking my 10 gallons of da yoopers ale into a secondary, after 14 days in the primary, just to try it. i'm going to add geletan and cold crash it today, and rack into 2 cornies on sunday. I think the secondary is an unecessary step, but i thought i would try it just to say i did. i'm not an expert like some on here, but for me, my ale tastes pretty damn good in about 4 weeks from kettle to tap, and gets better every day after that.