"Early" transfer to serving keg

[sibelman]

Trying to get back to four beers on tap, I've been transferring to serving kegs even though fermentation is still slightly active (determined by daily releasing pressure from my now-sealed steel fermenter). This frees up the fermenter for the next batch. I keep the serving keg at fermentation temperature, so it's effectively my secondary fermenter, though not for the original reasons that have been widely debunked. I've only done this a few times.

I haven't noticed any other ill effects. Still, I'm curious: Does anyone else do this? Does it cause any problems? I ask because, after transfer, fermentation sometimes becomes inevident (i.e., no pressure builds up in the "secondary" keg).

 

[micraftbeer]

I do not do this process, but the last part of your post caught my attention. You said you don't see evidence of continued fermentation when you transfer early to the serving keg. Out of curiosity, have you taken a gravity reading when transferring, and then again a week or two later when you think it's finished fermenting?

 

[sibelman]

"... have you taken a gravity reading...?"

Unfortunately not. Could be informative, eh? I tend to rely more on intuition and experience, less on gravity measurement.

 

[micraftbeer]

It might give you insight if the process really does stop your fermentation and you end up with a higher FG, than if you let it completely finish in your primary before transferring.

 

[Dland]

I do this all the time, on purpose. Beer transferred to keg with .006-.008 left to go for reasons besides freeing up fermentor. It called spunding, and is a great free way to get natural carbonation.

Of course, a gravity reading before is necessary for this also.

 

[sibelman]

Thank you both. It seems I'll need to measure more, whether to investigate my original question or to spund - something I'm trying for the first time with an abbey ale.

 

[Dland]

If gravity reading was not taken, it is still OK. If there is extra carbonation, simply let some pressure off by bleeding out gas post. It does help to

have a gauge attached to gas post fitting to measure carbonation level in keg.

Here are a couple of examples I made, one with automatic spunding valve, one manual. But all you really need is gauge.