Corny mini keg virgin

[sailWickedFast]

The title has nothing to do with bizarre fetishes with mini-kegs I'm still a novice at home brewing having made several five gallon batches and enjoyed each very much. Recently, though, however, I've become quite fond of draft beer. It just seems lighter and smoother, which is more of a personal preference, for me anyway.

I decided to enter the foray by picking up a new 2.5 gal mini corny, pigtails and a 5 lb. CO2 tank. I've seen mention during brief searches of a technique where 3 cups of corn syrup is added to the keg with half a 5 gal recipe and just let it ferment that way. Is there a technique and recipe approach in a thread you can point me to?

Also, is it ok to use the other half of a 5 gal recipe kit in a separate fermentation while the keg is being dispensed in the fridge? I have a 1.5 gal bucket and a 1 gal glass jug which turns out to be perfect Then once the keg is empty, throw the new fermented beer (wort?) in and keep the train rolling. Thanks!

 

[chickypad]

Not sure if you are talking about fermenting in the keg, or just carbing after fermentation. For the latter 3 cups of corn syrup is WAY too much. You would need about 3 oz of corn syrup (.25 cup) to bottle carb a 2.5 gal batch. For kegging you need a little less due to the decreased relative headspace. I've never actually carbed in my 2.5 gal kegs because I usually have plenty of room for them in the keezer, but for 5 gal kegs I use about 2.5-3 oz sugar (about 3.5 oz corn syrup).

I would personally clean the keg between batches. Even if the beer is pretty clear going in there is always some sediment and gunk at the bottom. You'll get even more sediment from naturally carbing in the keg.

 

[sailWickedFast]

Not sure if you are talking about fermenting in the keg, or just carbing after fermentation. For the latter 3 cups of corn syrup is WAY too much. You would need about 3 oz of corn syrup (.25 cup) to bottle carb a 2.5 gal batch. For kegging you need a little less due to the decreased relative headspace. I've never actually carbed in my 2.5 gal kegs because I usually have plenty of room for them in the keezer, but for 5 gal kegs I use about 2.5-3 oz sugar (about 3.5 oz corn syrup).

I would personally clean the keg between batches. Even if the beer is pretty clear going in there is always some sediment and gunk at the bottom. You'll get even more sediment from naturally carbing in the keg.

I think I may initially go with keg fermentation just to save some steps and have my other fermentation containers available. The CO2 will be used for dispensing only, not force-carbing, which I'm still unclear about but I think I get the basic idea behind this approach and I'll continue research as I gain experience. OK, thanks, I'll throw 2.5 oz. of corn syrup in the wort and see how it goes. Yes, I'm almost obsessive about cleanliness with anything so the keg will be clean for sure.

Love the avatar btw. Ripley!!!

 

[chickypad]

The only thing is there will be a lot more sediment doing the actual ferment in the keg. I think most folks who use kegs as fermenters have to cut their dip tubes short, and then jump to another keg for serving to get it off the yeast cake and trub. Up to you but buckets are cheap and easy to come by. If you've only got one or two I'd reserve the kegs for serving.

If you were using it, the keg would be vented during primary fermentation. Then to naturally carb you add your sugar or corn syrup or whatever after fermentation is complete, seal up the keg, and let it carb at room temp. Just checking because a couple of times it sounds like you were intending to add it to the wort as another fermentable during primary fermentation.

 

[sailWickedFast]

The only thing is there will be a lot more sediment doing the actual ferment in the keg. I think most folks who use kegs as fermenters have to cut their dip tubes short, and then jump to another keg for serving to get it off the yeast cake and trub. Up to you but buckets are cheap and easy to come by. If you've only got one or two I'd reserve the kegs for serving.

If you were using it, the keg would be vented during primary fermentation. Then to naturally carb you add your sugar or corn syrup or whatever after fermentation is complete, seal up the keg, and let it carb at room temp. Just checking because a couple of times it sounds like you were intending to add it to the wort as another fermentable during primary fermentation.

OK, yes, now that you mention it, I'll use the mini corny for dispensing only and not fermentation. I'll pick up a fermentation bucket. Not a big fan of the bottom debris. Instead of bottling I'll just throw it in the corny and prime with the corn sugar for carbing. Yes, I'm still forgetting a few basic steps. Sugar for the little yeasties during fermentation and sugar for carbing after fermentation. It's been awhile and I'm relying on memory in some cases.

 

[madscientist451]

OK, thanks, I'll throw 2.5 oz. of corn syrup in the wort and see how it goes. re.

Not sure, but i'm thinking something is wrong with the above. The 2.5 oz corn sugar or syrup would be added to the fermented beer, not the wort.
Wort is not yet beer and has not been fermented.
After the wort has fermented into beer, then you would add the priming sugar and either bottle it or seal it in a keg to carbonate.
Don't guess at how mush priming sugar to use, just consult an online priming sugar calculator:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/priming-sugar-calculator/

 

[sailWickedFast]

Not sure, but i'm thinking something is wrong with the above. The 2.5 oz corn sugar or syrup would be added to the fermented beer, not the wort.
Wort is not yet beer and has not been fermented.
After the wort has fermented into beer, then you would add the priming sugar and either bottle it or seal it in a keg to carbonate.
Don't guess at how mush priming sugar to use, just consult an online priming sugar calculator:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/priming-sugar-calculator/

Oh, nice resource, thank you. I keep thinking sugar is added to the wort but it's not, just after fermentation for carbing. Not sure what the sugars are that the yeast feeds on during fermentation. I probably have things bass ackwards while I'm posting Anyway, I'll just use table sugar for priming. I'm just thinking of yeast breaking down any type of sugar but table sugar is straight sucrose so the yeast doesn't have to break down other sugars that may be present. Interesting stuff!