First time to keg

[Gigemags05]

I've got my keezer functional, now it's time to keg some beer.

How do I do that? I've read to purge the oxygen out of the keg by putting 30 psi through re empty keg. But for how long?

After that do I just syphon the beer into the keg? Do I then purge it again? How long this time? How much pressure?

Then lastly, how much pressure and for how long to force carb it?

Is serving pressure about 10 psi?

 

[shawnbou]

The way I purge is by keeping my regulator at its normal pressure (10 psi) and letting CO2 into the keg until I stop hearing it flow, then pulling the release valve to let out air until it stops hissing, then repeat about 3-4 times. CO2 is heavier than air, so with the release valve at the top, the air theoretically gets let out first and the CO2 fills the bottom. Open the lid after doing this 3-4 times and you'll see what I mean.

I guess there are different ways of doing it, but I always purge after I siphon beer into the keg, not before. But I run StarSan through my beer lines to sanitize them, so the keg gets quite a bit of CO2 in it before I rack anyway.

The correct pressure and time will depend on the temperature and the beer style (i.e., what level of carbonation you are going for). I leave all my kegs at 10 PSI at about 40 degrees and let sit for at least a week. Your mileage may vary.

Northern Brewer has an excellent printable kegging info sheet on their site here: http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/documentation/. I keep this printout next to me each time I keg so I don't forget a step.

 

[Schumed]

Clean and santize the keg. I will fill about halfway with santizer. Seal it up..shake it around real good. let it sit for 10-15. Put some Co2 on it and empty it out with a bucket so everything is santized.

Depressurize...and rack your beer.

Once beer is in seal it up hit it with some Co2....use the relief valve to purge. I don't get too hung up on this part. I just do a few tugs...lately I don't even do it..and haven't had a problem.

At this point you can let your beer age before putting in your keezer if you desire. If not set the co2 at 20psi for a couple of days...then lower it to your serving psi..and enjoy

EDIT: I always rub some vasoline around the o rings to get a tight seal. They do make a "keg lube" but its the same thing as vasoline as a fraction of the cost.

 

[gr8shandini]

. . .
Is serving pressure about 10 psi?

Serving pressure is whatever produces the volumes of CO2 desired in the finished beer at the desired temperature. I use the chart below to figure it out:

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

For example, my kegerator averages about 45 degrees F. Most people like their "normal" beers in the 2.5 volumes range, but I like 'em a little less fizzy, so I looked up 2.25 volumes on the chart and came up with 12 psi as my standard service pressure. However, I also like English bitters which should be lightly carbed, so I've also got lines at 8 psi for about 1.9 volumes of CO2.

Unfortunately, the BJCP guidelines only give descriptors like "high," "moderate," or "low" for carbonation levels, so you kind of have to fool around a bit to figure out where you want to be.

 

[lazarus0530]

Clean and santize the keg. I will fill about halfway with santizer. Seal it up..shake it around real good. let it sit for 10-15. Put some Co2 on it and empty it out with a bucket so everything is santized.

Depressurize...and rack your beer.

Once beer is in seal it up hit it with some Co2....use the relief valve to purge. I don't get too hung up on this part. I just do a few tugs...lately I don't even do it..and haven't had a problem.

At this point you can let your beer age before putting in your keezer if you desire. If not set the co2 at 20psi for a couple of days...then lower it to your serving psi..and enjoy

EDIT: I always rub some vasoline around the o rings to get a tight seal. They do make a "keg lube" but its the same thing as vasoline as a fraction of the cost.

Vasoline works? No crap? What about a&d ointment ? It's dosnt have to be food grade?

 

[Schumed]

Vasoline works? No crap? What about a&d ointment ? It's dosnt have to be food grade?

If it is a water based petroleum jelly I think you would be good.

I got this tip from watching homebrewtv.com

I've never had a problem

 

[lazarus0530]

If it is a water based petroleum jelly I think you would be good.

I got this tip from watching homebrewtv.com

I've never had a problem

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2dLJv6bT0k

Wow this is great news
Wow. He's right t. B

 

[lazarus0530]

Wow this is great news
Wow. He's right t. B

I looked up the food grade lube..it's the same stuff. Just sanitize my hand and I should be ok!

 

[DaveGEsq]

Do you still drop in some sugar?

 

[lazarus0530]

Do you still drop in some sugar?

In the keg? No.

 

[gr8shandini]

Do you still drop in some sugar?

You can, although you use less than individual bottles. The only trouble with that is that you get more sediment in the keg, but it's not a big deal. But I think most folks just end up force carbonating. It's easier and, despite the myths, identical to the naturally conditioned version.

 

[TTB-J]

You can, although you use less than individual bottles. The only trouble with that is that you get more sediment in the keg, but it's not a big deal. But I think most folks just end up force carbonating. It's easier and, despite the myths, identical to the naturally conditioned version.

That's some truth there about force carbing being easier. Last night, I had a decently carbed pint of IPA that I kegged on Friday night - that's 3 days from the fermenter to my glass. It will definitely get better with some additional cold conditioning, but gone are the days of bottling, waiting 3 weeks, and chilling for a week before I could have carbed, clear beer.

 

[DaveGEsq]

Very interesting. 3 days to drinkable? Awesome. I presume it's still a little green, but obviously bearable.

 

[Gigemags05]

well, I kegged my first batch tonight. Its a brown ale that I am really looking forward to drinking so I hope it turns out well.

The process is 1000X easier than bottling, and I am really digging the new keezer I just got through building so hopefully this beer turns out well.

Thanks for all of the advice.

 

[lazarus0530]

well, I kegged my first batch tonight. Its a brown ale that I am really looking forward to drinking so I hope it turns out well.

The process is 1000X easier than bottling, and I am really digging the new keezer I just got through building so hopefully this beer turns out well.

Thanks for all of the advice.

Oooo post a picture. Here's mine because I'm a bragger.

 

[outrunu]

Oooo post a picture. Here's mine because I'm a bragger.

Here's my collarless keezer. I have a bunch of scrap cherry flooring that I plan on covering it with in the future.

 

[lazarus0530]

Here's my collarless keezer. I have a bunch of scrap cherry flooring that I plan on covering it with in the future.

Nice what kind of beer is in there?

 

[Gigemags05]

Just saw this.

Here is my Keezer. I actually am having a hard time keeping it full of beer. My neighbors all loved the brown ale and blonde that I have in it right now. I have an Amber ale about ready to keg and a cream ale, hefe, and Mexican lager in the pipeline.

I fear I have created a monster in my neighborhood.

Here are some pics of my keezer:

First Pint:

Innards:

 

[lazarus0530]

Just saw this.

Here is my Keezer. I actually am having a hard time keeping it full of beer. My neighbors all loved the brown ale and blonde that I have in it right now. I have an Amber ale about ready to keg and a cream ale, hefe, and Mexican lager in the pipeline.

I fear I have created a monster in my neighborhood.

Here are some pics of my keezer:

First Pint:

Innards:

Wow that's f'n sweet!

 

[Conan]

Outrunu, any specs available for that tower? I need to get rid of my butchered single-turned double and install a third faucet, and I really like that octagon!

And, with regards to purging before racking to the keg: I don't do it, never have, never will unless I get a terribly oxidized brew. My method: fill keg with hot water, add sanitizer. Put anything that needs sanitized (autosiphon, tubing, hydrometer, etc.) in the keg. Keg connections (in and out) go in a 1/2 gallon pan with sanitizer in it. Dump the sanitizer from the keg, autosiphon into the fermenter, hose into the keg, let it transfer. Once done and the keg fittings are back on, hit it with 30 psi of CO2 and let it set at the pressure for a couple days. Done, no wasting gas filling the keg with CO2, no purging after the beer's in.

Like everything else in this hobby, there's multiple ways to do things. Like I said, I've never had trouble kegging without all the purging. Just sanitize, drain, transfer, pressurize. Kyle