Depressurize keg

[churchofthebrownbottle]

Sorry, I am new to kegging. Is it possible to depressurize my corny keg while its full so that I can open it and add bourbon soaked oak chips?

 

[Upthewazzu]

Of course. Turn the gas off (or pull the gas line off the barb) and pull the pressure release valve at the top of the keg.

However, the idea of adding wood chips to a serving keg is another story...

 

[Newsman]

If you have a pin-lock, you'll have to push down on the poppet. MAKE SURE you push down on the Gas-In poppet or you'll get a shower of beer!

 

[wolves63]

Of course. Turn the gas off (or pull the gas line off the barb) and pull the pressure release valve at the top of the keg.

However, the idea of adding wood chips to a serving keg is another story...

I would soak wood ships in bourbon and then drain and use what you drained. I would not add the oak chips unless you are planning on removing them later. You will get too many tannins if it lasts too long due to the pressure forcing the beer into the wood chips.

 

[churchofthebrownbottle]

Thank you everyone. The beer didn't turn out how I liked so I thought I would try adding some bourbon to it. I read soaking the wood chips in 16 oz of bourbon for 48 hours. Does that seem like enough?

 

[BeardedBrews]

Thank you everyone. The beer didn't turn out how I liked so I thought I would try adding some bourbon to it. I read soaking the wood chips in 16 oz of bourbon for 48 hours. Does that seem like enough?

Add the bourbon to the keg 2-4 ounces at a time, wait a day or two, then taste it and decide if you want to add the next 2-4 ounces. A little goes a long way.

Also, the wood chips should be toasted (charred) if you want to get the traditional "barrel aged" flavors.

 

[bruhaha]

Just my opinion, but I think you'll make a bad beer even worse by throwing in wood chips to your serving keg. If by chance you do end up trying this, use a muslin type bag to put your chips in so you can retrieve them w/o further ado when they leach tannins into your beer and you are upset even more.

Maybe my reverse barrel method can work for you in some regard: When I make a gallon of white whiskey, I age it by lightly charring chunks of oak, brushing the ashes off, and dropping a chunk or two into each jar of whiskey. Within a few days, the whiskey looks like iced tea as it is reverse barrel aging.

BUT, I'd do this in a secondary, not at serving time. BTW....what kind of beer are we discussing?

 

[churchofthebrownbottle]

Its a maple bacon brown. I won't put in the wood chips. Is it worth soaking the bourbon for a day or just adding the bourbon?

 

[BeardedBrews]

I'd soak toasted oak chips in the bourbon for a day or two to make a concentrated flavor, then pour in a little of the bourbon at a time to see if the beer gets better or worse.

 

[bruhaha]

Its a maple bacon brown. I won't put in the wood chips. Is it worth soaking the bourbon for a day or just adding the bourbon?

That beer is MADE for a shot of bourbon! I'd try soaking the lightly toasted chips overnight in a few oz of bourbon, adding small amounts of bourbon til it suits you. Lay out a bed of chips on a pie plate. Run the flame of a butane torch lightly over the chips, keeping the torch moving until they wisp light smoke. You are done toasting. No torch? Put under your toaster oven broiler and watch like a hawk...no flames. Wife kills husband, no more brewing.

I'd soak toasted oak chips in the bourbon for a day or two to make a concentrated flavor, then pour in a little of the bourbon at a time to see if the beer gets better or worse.

You give solid advice!

If it gets worse pitch the beer and drink the bourbon. Experimentation will lead to failures, but the successes are worth the risk and make you famous.

 

[Newsman]

Experimentation will lead to failures, but the successes are worth the risk and make you famous.

THIS! I oversweetened my cider, so I decided to soak some Star Anise pods. It worked out OK, but I'm not sure I'd do it again. It was an experiment, and as I said, it's "OK" but not great.