Diacetyl in kegged beer, referment with sugar?

[kiwipen]

Unfortunately one of my kegged beers has diacetyl in it.

Can I get the yeast to clean it up if I give it some sugar to ferment?

 

[VikeMan]

Personally, I would keep the keg warm and give the yeast still in suspension more time to clean it up. I'm not sure that adding sugar (without additional yeast, as in krausening) would help. At least I've never heard of someone doing it. Where did you get the idea?

 

[kiwipen]

I thought it would get the yeast to wake up.

 

[dmtaylor]

All you need is to warm it up for about 3 weeks. About 9 times out of 10, if you keep it warm, diacetyl will be gone in about 3 weeks, maybe 4 weeks at most.

 

[kiwipen]

All you need is to warm it up for about 3 weeks. About 9 times out of 10, if you keep it warm, diacetyl will be gone in about 3 weeks, maybe 4 weeks at most.

It has been in the keg for 3 months now, and it has been stored refrigerated for that time. Do you still think the yeast will clean up if I put in in a warm place?

 

[dmtaylor]

It has been in the keg for 3 months now, and it has been stored refrigerated for that time. Do you still think the yeast will clean up if I put in in a warm place?

Oh wow. After 3 months refrigerated, your yeast will be very very tired and should not be expected to perform very well even if you warm it up. You would be better off making a fresh yeast starter and adding it when it reaches high krausen, then keep the beer warm for a couple of weeks. Then taste it and hope for the best.

 

[kiwipen]

That's why I thought about adding sugar.

 

[dmtaylor]

That's why I thought about adding sugar.

I recommend you add yeast as well as sugar, in the form of an actively fermenting yeast starter.