corny keg

[foxywashere]

Hey all,
Ive recently bought a corny keg 4 or so gallons. CO2 is not an option for me as its not readily available. I have a small hand held CO2 charger which im happy with for dispensing my beer. I aim to condition in the keg with some brewing sugar, so the yeast will carb up in the keg. Doing this will obviously result in turb at the bottom of the keg.
My problem is this:
The long line out in the keg almost touches the bottom of the keg in the centre. Obviously i don't want this touching the turb each time I pour a brew. Would I be able to cut some of this off so that the beer comes from say six inches up the keg?

 

[Golddiggie]

From what I've been told about carbonating (with sugar, or without) only the first glass (or two) will have sediment in them. Give those to people you don't like, or don't want to have more of your brew... Sacrifice them to the beer gods or maybe use them in cooking...

I wouldn't cut the tube inside the keg, unless you have a spare one (of the correct/full length) on hand. Keep in mind, if you cut it to only go to 6" from the bottom, that will be how much beer you won't be able to get out of the keg... Do you really want to lose that much of your brew?

Depending on how clear (sediment free) your brew is before you put it into the keg, you could opt to use an in-line filter (between the keg for conditioning/carbonating and the last vessel/keg it was in)... I've seen them listed with 5 micron filters, which should limit what's left in the brew.

I'm thinking about getting some corny kegs to use once primary fermentation is done (until I can afford to get a proper fermenter). I'll rack into those instead of another carboy, and then continue fermenting, and then aging/conditioning until the brew is ready to be carbonated.

 

[ultravista]

foxywashere - the correct term for the detritus at the bottom of your vessel is trub.

 

[lumpher]

foxywashere - the correct term for the detritus at the bottom of your vessel is trub.

yep. very glad this distinction was made. very important. Golddiggie is correct, in any case

 

[foxywashere]

Right. So if i cut it to mayve 1-2" off the bottom. Would this work. The line is almost touching the bottom of the vessel, so each time i pour it'll disturd the trub.

 

[daugenet]

It would work but you May find you are more willing to sacrifice the first pint rather than a couple with no trub. I had a keg that all of the pints poured were good except after i shook the keg to see how much was left. (it seemed like a good idea t the time )

 

[foxywashere]

and was your out line similar to mine? touching the centre of the keg at the bottom?

 

[daugenet]

Yup it goes down straight and then bends to touch the center of the bottom of the keg.

 

[Yooper]

Mine reach the bottom, and only about the first two ounces of beer are filled with trub and discarded. As long as you don't move the keg, only the trub immediately around the diptube will come out in the first pint. Some people do cut their tubes, about 1/4", but I do not.

Yesterday I tapped a new keg, and poured about 1/3 glass. I dumped it out and poured a pint that was completely sediment free.

 

[foxywashere]

Grand. Its coopers draught im making from extract so i plan to give it a week in primary two in secondary then keg with priming sugar. Anyone know how long it would take to carb up in the keg?

 

[RichmonS]

Why is CO2 not readily available? Are their no LHBS or beverage companies in your area?

 

[foxywashere]

with health and safety here its hard to find a supplier willing to fill bottles without a whole investigation into where its going to sit and if the area is ventilated. i live in the uk you see.

 

[skibumdc]

Is the CO2 charger enough to serve all 4+ gallons of homebrew from a corny?
Never tried, so I don't know

 

[foxywashere]

from what ive read it takes two cartridges. they come in 8gm and 16gm so hopefully its two 8gm or one 16gm. as my only option would be to rent a co2 bottle its significantly cheaper to use the charger.

 

[IffyG]

A friend of mine brought over his corny and used the CO2 charger and cartridges for the Super Bowl last. We used at least 1 full cartridge and parts of 2 others, so I'd guess the claim of 2 is pretty much spot on.