How much priming sugar in keg?

[elproducto]

Bumping this thread.

I have a blue balls batch (blue moon clone) that is just about ready to keg (about 2 weeks in primary). I normally keg, the catch is that this time I would like to split the batch (5+ gals) between a corny and a case of 16 ounce bottles. What I was hoping to do was to save some time by:
1. Preparing corn sugar solution as if I was bottling the whole batch.
2. Rack from the primary to my keg on top of the sugar solution.
3. After filling the keg (most of the batch), seal and hit it with a few psi of gas, enough to serve.
4. Fill my bottles from the keg (and cap the bottles).
5. Use the remaining part of the batch to refill the keg as much as possible.
6. Remove air from the keg via hitting it with CO2 and venting a couple of times.

After this, I would leave the keg and bottles in the basement elevated (about 65 degrees) or in a bathroom (70+ degrees) to carbonate.

There should be extra head space in the keg, hopefully this will prevent over-carbonating the beer? Alternatively, could I vent it once or twice during the carbonation phase?

That's a good idea.. how did it turn out?

 

[copyright1997]

That's a good idea.. how did it turn out?

Not sure yet. I tired one of the bottled ones on August 25th and it was quite nice. It poured with just about the right amount of foam and tasted nice. Here's a picture: (Note that some of the head is gone because I took a couple sips and it was sitting for a while, and the color is darker than an all grain version because I used a liquid wheat kit I had laying around for the base grain.)

The "not sure yet" part is the portion I put to a keg. It seemed to carb just fine (I left it in the basement next to the bottles at about 65 degrees). I decided to try it (warm) and there was quite a bit of pressure in the keg (came out fast and foamy). So, I decided to vent some of the pressure before chilling (probably a mistake). It is now cold, and tastes fine, but I still playing with the pressure trying to get it right. Part of the issue is that I am using a picnic tap for this (regular beer line and tap are tied up with another brew). I thought at first the bottled tasted better (for whatever reason), but your post prompted me to try a glass from the keg and a glass from bottle and they taste the same, and have similar foam and lacing.

 

[yellowthunda]

i didnt realize putting the same amount of priming sugar in a keg as you would in a bottle will over carbonate it

is there any way to fix this?

If i just depessurize the keg everyday will for a week will it get me back to normal carbonation levels?

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Say if you naturally carb a keg.

Do you have to add co2 to pour a pint when its finished conditioning?

 

[copyright1997]

Say if you naturally carb a keg.

Do you have to add co2 to pour a pint when its finished conditioning?

Not for the first n, but eventually yes. As you serve pints, the liquid that is served will result in lowered pressure in the keg (if you don't have co2 on it at your desired pressure). You don't need a lot of co2, just enough to take the place of the displaced liquid as it gets served.

 

[copyright1997]

i didnt realize putting the same amount of priming sugar in a keg as you would in a bottle will over carbonate it

is there any way to fix this?

If i just depessurize the keg everyday will for a week will it get me back to normal carbonation levels?

Yes, vent some and let it sit. Co2 will come out of the liquid and into the headspace until equalized. Repeat over time until you reach the desired level of carbonation.

I sometimes naturally carb so that I can take some of the pre-carbed batch and bottle it. To get the carb level of the keg right, I have a qd with a pressure gauge that I leave on the keg so I can monitor the pressure as it naturally carbs and vent as necessary. I bought it at Williams.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Not for the first n, but eventually yes. As you serve pints, the liquid that is served will result in lowered pressure in the keg (if you don't have co2 on it at your desired pressure). You don't need a lot of co2, just enough to take the place of the displaced liquid as it gets served.

Thanks for the reply. I have a 5gal pressure barrel. With a lid thats suits some kind of co2 dispenser.

What equipment would i need to pressurize the barrel.

 

[paulster2626]

Bumping an old thread.

I have a batch of a IIPA that I want to conduct an experiment with. It's a standard 5-gallon batch, and I'll be using bottles for the most part. BUT - I have a 5L (1.3gallon) keg - it's one of those portable draft thingys with the little CO2 canister in it to push the beer out. I took it all apart, cleaned it, sanitized it, and stuck a new CO2 cartridge in it. Anyway, I know that when kegging a 5 gallon batch we use about 1/2 the amount of priming sugar, but does this same rule apply for a smaller-sized keg?

Lets say I would normally use 5oz of dextrose for carbing the entire batch in bottles. For this small 1.3 gallon keg, should I use 1.3oz or 0.7oz of dextrose to carb it?

Somebody has probably done this before.

 

[Galactik]

Yes, vent some and let it sit. Co2 will come out of the liquid and into the headspace until equalized. Repeat over time until you reach the desired level of carbonation.

I sometimes naturally carb so that I can take some of the pre-carbed batch and bottle it. To get the carb level of the keg right, I have a qd with a pressure gauge that I leave on the keg so I can monitor the pressure as it naturally carbs and vent as necessary. I bought it at Williams.

Bumping this old thread.

What PSI number do you aim for?

 

[HowlingHog]

The OP wanted to know "HOW MUCH SUGAR?"

People got off track saying 1/3 as much, 1/2 as much, that they still need to use CO2...

Nobody responded with "Use _____ oz sugar and ____ water per 5 gals..

 

[doug293cz]

The OP wanted to know "HOW MUCH SUGAR?"

People got off track saying 1/3 as much, 1/2 as much, that they still need to use CO2...

Nobody responded with "Use _____ oz sugar and ____ water per 5 gals..

Why prey tell did you exhume a necro thread, and then berate responders from 4 to 7 years ago?

Brew on

 

[HowlingHog]

Sorry Doug -

40 gallons in the fermenters and ready to keg. Wanted to use sugar, and just was hoping for a simple answer. Did a search and settled on 4 ounces per, and hoping it turns out.

 

[doug293cz]

Sorry Doug -

40 gallons in the fermenters and ready to keg. Wanted to use sugar, and just was hoping for a simple answer. Did a search and settled on 4 ounces per, and hoping it turns out.

Assuming you fermented in the mid 60's F, that should give you about 2.4 volumes of carbonation.

Brew on