corny keg for secondary

[Dr. Fedwell]

I was looking for advice on using my cornys as secondarys. I am wondering if after clarification, do you need to transfer again? Wouldn't you be able to tap the sediment filled glass and discard? If you transfer using a jumper and CO2, wouldn't all the sediment be the first stuff pushed through? Please advise anyone.

 

[Rook]

You may get a better response in the bottling and kegging forum.

 

[FlyGuy]

If you rack carefully, then you don't have to use another vessel after kegging the beer. When it has aged long enough, move it to the fridge to cool and carb up. The first bit of beer will have most of the sediment (I just sacrifice the first couple pints). Then it will be clear. If there is a lot of sediment, you might not get it all in the first couple pints -- so pour off, agitate a bit, let it sit for a day, and you should get the rest.

Some guys also chop off an inch or so from their dip tube to avoid the yeast at the bottom. Works too, but there will still be sediment at the bottom so you don't want to disturb the keg much.

 

[BierMuncher]

I was looking for advice on using my cornys as secondarys. I am wondering if after clarification, do you need to transfer again? Wouldn't you be able to tap the sediment filled glass and discard? If you transfer using a jumper and CO2, wouldn't all the sediment be the first stuff pushed through? Please advise anyone.

I've never seen the need for a jumper system to transfer beer. A racking cane is just as quick and much simpler.

I've used kegs as secondaries, but only in a beer "emergency". I don't ever uses a terciary.

I trim all my dip tubes if they're straight, or simply give them a sharper bend if they're bent. This gives me more clearance at the bottom of the keg.

 

[Dr. Fedwell]

So without using a terciary, should I leave the beer in the primary longer than fermentation?

 

[Jaybird]

I am using one right now for an ALTBIER and just pulled a pint from it. I am thinking of going this way for all my beers. It has only been in the keg for a week now and I had it in primary for almost 4 weeks. I am pleased so far. and how easy is it to pull a sample ANY TIME I WANT TO!!! like now for instance with out fear of contamination
JJ

 

[Bobby_M]

That's the trick. If you go right to keg, you can really benefit from letting the yeast floc out while still in primary. There's no good reason to rack off for at least 3-4 weeks unless you desperately need the primary for another batch. That basically leaves a very thin layer of sediment at the bottom of the keg that is flushed away from the dip tube after the first two pints are pulled. As long as the keg isn't jostled after that, it will keep getting clearer.

 

[david_42]

I keg after 3-4 weeks and if it hasn't settled out after a month, I'll filter. Maybe one in ten batches need that. Most of the time, I just run 2-3 pints into a 2L soda bottle and stick it in the fridge to settle. I have a Carbonator cap for force carbing in the bottle.