Fermentation in Keg pressurized

[safcraft]

Hi all

I intend to try to ferment in keg as I have 2 corny kegs as spares.
To who has experience with this can you ferment say a Belgian strain that is known for high krausen like Wyeast 3463 or 3522 ?
How much air space should i leave in a 5 gallon keg? How much pressure should I use?
What to do if krausen rises and clog the pressure relief valve?

thanks for sharing

 

[hezagenius]

Are you going to use some sort of blowoff tube? When I ferment in a corny keg, I hook up some tubing from the gas ball lock into sanitizer. I transfer to the corny keg after the krausen starts to subside. If you are going to do the full fermentation in the keg, I'd recommend some FermcapS to minimize krausen. You don't want that stuff making it up to the pressure relief valve and clogging it. Not to mention, it can spray everywhere if you vent it.

I don't know if it's a good idea to ferment in a fully sealed keg. I've read that under pressure, the yeast will eventually stop working, plus the beer will be absorbing CO2 and that probably won't help the yeast either.

 

[hezagenius]

If you want to try to maintain a little pressure during the fermentation, then look at using a spunding valve. You can set it to a pressure and the valve will release when the pressure exceeds it.

 

[andrewmaixner]

The westmalle strain (wlp530, wy3787) makes the largest krausen of any yeast I have ever used. In a side-by-side with 8 belgian yeasts, it was still twice as high as the others.
When using it, I would definitely use a blowoff unless I had well over a foot of headspace -- and even then, better safe then messy.

Ardennes (3522) had a very reasonable krausen, and also flocculated/cleared/sedimented the best of the 8.
I have not used 3463 before.

 

[day_trippr]

A spunding valve in the throes of fermentation sounds like a PRV test...

Cheers!

 

[Sailingeric]

I wonder.... cut down the dip tub so it is above the trub layer, get a blow off value to set the PSI blow off and let it both ferment and carb at the same time. When it is done, just pressure transfer to a serving keg, chill and serve.. No waiting for it carb from the CO2 tank.