Corny Keg Randall Idea - pre-keg

[Xernex]

A little background - I visited the Answer a month or two ago and have become fascinated with Randalls due to the Andall series of beers. I picked up 2 10inch water filter housing randalls and hook those up to my system for parties/events, and I couldn't be happier with the results.

Here's the thing though - I want to Randall an entire keg. I've tried filling one of my randalls, and using it to daisy chain to kegs, one pushing through the randall into the other. Results were Meh (not using hops, I'm using random ingredients).

My thoughts are that 1. there isn't enough contact time, and 2. there just isn't enough ingredients/surface area to carry through an entire keg, without doing it very, very slowly. 3. pre-carb'ed kegs lose a LOT of carbonation in this process.

So in my mind - I need more randall volume, ingredients, more contact time, and to do this pre-carbonation.

So my thought - pick up a 1-1.5 gallon keg and fill the sucker to the brim with my randall ingredients (could get expensive) I can add a filter around the dip tube so that it doesn't clog. Then I'll pressure transfer from my conical, through the randall keg at a low pressure, then allow it to slowly push it's way into the 5 gallon keg then chill and carb as normal.

My question - has anybody done this or does anyone see issues with this process? I'd purge both kegs with CO2 before starting to keep the risk of oxidation down.

I figure worse case scenario, I try it once, it doesn't work, and then I've got an extra small keg to travel with.

 

[Pappers_]

I almost always add specialty ingredients, like spices, at packaging. I know Goose Islands barrel program does that too. I think your approach makes sense, it gives you control.

 

[Xernex]

I almost always add specialty ingredients, like spices, at packaging. I know Goose Islands barrel program does that too. I think your approach makes sense, it gives you control.

That's my thought process - I feel like even if I don't get the results I want, I could move through the randall multiple times to build the flavor profile I want. Could be a huge use of CO2, but I've got a 5lb and a 20lb tank, so it's not like I'm hurting for usable volume.

 

[Indian_villager]

Why have a second keg? Why not do it in the serving keg. Perhaps something like Scott Janish's keg dryhop strainer may help?
http://scottjanish.com/my-favorite-way-to-dry-hop-loose-in-primary-and-kegs/

 

[Xernex]

Why have a second keg? Why not do it in the serving keg. Perhaps something like Scott Janish's keg dryhop strainer may help?
http://scottjanish.com/my-favorite-way-to-dry-hop-loose-in-primary-and-kegs/

I could see that working quite well for dry-hopping, but quite often I won't be working with hops, I'll likely be adding varied random stuff to my stouts, - coconut, coffee, oreos, cherries etc. Things I wouldn't want in the keg long term. Plus there's the dry-hop vs randall debate on actual flavor extraction, I don't know that 1 is better than the other, but I know so far Randalls have worked for me.

 

[Numsquat]

I've had good luck with Blichman's Hop Rocket both as a randall and from late hopping/filtering from kettle to fermenter. A little pricey (got mine used) but easy to use and versatile. Easily can be adapted to go from keg to keg also.

 

[Xernex]

So I ended up buying a 1.5 gallon torpedo keg, and a hop ball to basically use as a filter around the dip tube - we'll see how it goes - like I said, worse case scenario - I've got a pretty nice little travel keg.

 

[aprichman]

Double post