From primary to keg...

[BlatzBeer]

I brewed a batch a couple of weeks ago. I've been so busy, that I haven't racked it to a carboy.Most of the time I use the 1-2-3 method. Should I rack it now to a secondary or can I move it straight to the keg? Also Should I also wait another week or can I rack it now to the keg?

 

[c.n.budz]

How long do you mean by a couple weeks? Check the gravity to see if it's done fermenting before you rack to either secondary or a keg. If it's been in the primary for 2 weeks you can either leave it there for another week or two then keg, or you can rack to secondary for week or two then keg. Personally I'd probably leave it in the primary longer then rack to a keg but either way will work just fine. The most important thing is to check your gravity to make sure it's done fermenting.

 

[BeerCanuck]

Hi BlatzBeer

I like racking directly to kegs after 3 weeks in primary bucket. I try to let the beer condition in the kegs for 2 weeks before putting them into my kegerator for 1 week of carbing / cold conditioning. Made brewing that much simpler for me removing the secondary and the quality if anything has improved imho.

Cheers
BeerCanuck

 

[Blender]

Hi BlatzBeer

I like racking directly to kegs after 3 weeks in primary bucket. I try to let the beer condition in the kegs for 2 weeks before putting them into my kegerator for 1 week of carbing / cold conditioning. Made brewing that much simpler for me removing the secondary and the quality if anything has improved imho.

Cheers
BeerCanuck

I have been doing the same thing and don't use a secondary any more. It works well.

 

[cdnjan]

But what do you do with the excess .. I can only get 3/4 of my 5 gall into the corny

 

[BendBrewer]

But what do you do with the excess .. I can only get 3/4 of my 5 gall into the corny

huh? What is preventing you from getting it all into the corney? You have 5 gallon cornies right?

 

[Blender]

Are you filling it all the way to just short of the In tube? I can get 5 gallons in my keg so I am confused as is BendBrewer.

 

[cdnjan]

Edited to add ... I just had a closer look at my keg .. and well it is 5 US gallons .. So now I am tending to believe the mark that was on my primary for 5 US gallons is in the wrong place .. I never measured the water when adding I just filled it to the line geesh anyway now about 20 batches later I realize I have been making watered down beer lol anyway its strong and very tasty .. I doubt I will change much but I will start to bottle the excess and I will do more reading about omitting the secondary .. It sure sounds like its a step that can be omitted .. Thanks Everyone

hmmm Perhaps The keg sizes are different much like the Canadian gallon of gas and the american. I really don't know. My primary is marked with 5 gallons (22.7) litres. When I siphon that into the carboy and then into the keg I definately have a good bit leftover. So primary and secondary are US sizing and I have to assume these cdn kegs are smaller .. which truly is a pain as I always have the probably close to a gallon that will not fit. I keep planning to bottle the excess (approx. a dozen) but never happens I just add it to the keg when it empties. Yes I do fill it just short of the tube

 

[BendBrewer]

Not sure how much it helps but 5 gallons is 19 liters. 23 liters is 6 gallons.

Enjoy your efficiency bump.

 

[ksbrain]

My standard is two weeks primary then straight to keg. It can condition in the keg as long as it needs to.

 

[mkorpal]

There is no wrong way to make beer, so this is my personal opinion. I don't see the purpose of a carboy for 99% of the beer you make. All it really does is add yet another risk for oxidation and infection. Dry hopping can be done in primary, aging can be spit between primary and bottle/keg. That there eliminates most everything. I have one 5 gallon carboy, and the only beer that I ever use it for are 2nd fermentation sours, ciders, and meads. But that is just my opinion.

 

[MarcMTL]

Kicking up the dust here, but in Canada we brew 5 Imp Gallon batches, which is 23 liters. That's why the excess. But, on the flip side, we get more beer .

 

[wandering]

Even though I've only started, I stumbled across the sizing issue fairly quickly when trying to buy used carboys. Popular sizes at the stores in Canada are 30 Litre Primary buckets, 23 Litre Carboys and 5 US Gallon corny kegs... but people would quote used equipment in either imperial gallons or US gallons.

23 L = ~5 Imp Gallons = ~6 US Gallons
20 US quarts = 5 US Gallons = ~ 19 Litre Kettle/Pot​

Many recipes are for 5 US Gallons which fit nicely in a corny. I'm lazy so I've been making 6 US Gallon batches -- kegging 5 and bottling 1.

I multiplied the recipes by ~1.22 to resize. I also resized the 3 US Gallon boil to 3.65 US Gallons (13.8 L) to avoid changing the boil density... which meant that I had to be even more cautious of boil overs.