How to handle this keg for road trip?

[Crispyvelo]

Hi Fellow Brewers,

Ive got my VERY FIRST keg (BM's Centennial Blonde) carbing up in the mini fridge as we speak. I'd like to bring the brew to an upcoming family reunion starting 6/20. We'll be driving over 3 days from California to Colorado (taking our time because we'll have twin 1 year-olds in the back seat).

Question for you - How should I handle the keg during transportation? Do I need to keep it cold? Can I lay it down horizontally? Think it can make the trip?

Thanks!
Chris

 

[MrFeltimo]

Store it however is easiest,
Just make sure you get it up right and chilled several days before serving.
I do it all the time. not as for of a journey, but i often transport kegs.

 

[Crispyvelo]

Thanks @MrFeltimo!

 

[Spludge]

Here is some advice I got from Yooper years ago regarding transferring between kegs before the trip. This removes all the sediment so upon arrival you are ready to serve.

If your not planning on serving right when you arrive and have some time to let the beer settle, than you can probably skip this and follow MrFeltimo's recommendation.

I agree with this- moving the keg will resuspend all of the sediment and take several hours to resettle. I started just "jumping" to a new keg, and have NO sediment in the keg I'm hauling around.

The key is to have the keg carbed up, and clear. Don't move that keg! Then, get two black QDs (the "out" ones) and about 4 feet of beerline and connect that. Sanitize the receiving keg, and give it a little shot of co2. Purge the first keg, and reset your regulator to 2psi. Pull the pressure relief valve on the receiving keg, and hook up the two black QDs to both kegs. Keep pulling the pressure relief valve on the receiving keg, and the beer will flow. Keep pulling it, so the beer keeps flowing. Just pull off the QDs when done.

It took me longer to explain it than it does to do it!

I had a couple of places last summer to haul the kegs to, and many beer drinkers (including me) do not like cloudy beer or sediment in the beer. Jumping to a new keg works great, especially if the original keg has been sitting in the kegerator for a while and is clear. I don't use finings other than in the kettle, and my beer is always clear.

 

[mdbrewer1]

Hi Fellow Brewers,

Ive got my VERY FIRST keg (BM's Centennial Blonde) carbing up in the mini fridge as we speak. I'd like to bring the brew to an upcoming family reunion starting 6/20. We'll be driving over 3 days from California to Colorado (taking our time because we'll have twin 1 year-olds in the back seat).

Question for you - How should I handle the keg during transportation? Do I need to keep it cold? Can I lay it down horizontally? Think it can make the trip?

Thanks!
Chris

Godspeed, my friend. Godspeed.

 

[bobeer]

sounds like you have some good advice to get your keg there safely.

Now then... do YOU have any advice on traveling with 1 year old's in the car for that long? We have a 1 year old and we're driving down to FL from VA in a few weeks. God help all of us!! haha.

 

[Rockn_M]

sounds like you have some good advice to get your keg there safely.

Now then... do YOU have any advice on traveling with 1 year old's in the car for that long? We have a 1 year old and we're driving down to FL from VA in a few weeks. God help all of us!! haha.

My advice, keep a keg up in the front seat with you. Otherwise good luck my friend.

 

[Psylocide]

sounds like you have some good advice to get your keg there safely.

Now then... do YOU have any advice on traveling with 1 year old's in the car for that long? We have a 1 year old and we're driving down to FL from VA in a few weeks. God help all of us!! haha.

DVD player + Curious George, should be good until he or she falls asleep, then you've probably got ~1-2 hrs and then they'll start getting squirmy. So you'll probably have to stop and change a diaper, hand them a snack and change out the movie for something else.

Coloring books can help out a bit, mine slept a lot more than I ever thought she would.

 

[Crispyvelo]

sounds like you have some good advice to get your keg there safely.

Now then... do YOU have any advice on traveling with 1 year old's in the car for that long? We have a 1 year old and we're driving down to FL from VA in a few weeks. God help all of us!! haha.

My only advice is to plan extra travel time. You're going to have to stop several times to give him/her a break from the car seat. Find some nice parks along the way and plan to let them out and get some fresh air. Also, bring plenty of snacks that you can use when they start getting fussy and you're out of options. Pro tip - make sure those snacks are easy to get to and not buried 'somewhere in the back'. Good luck!

 

[mdbrewer1]

My only advice is to plan extra travel time. You're going to have to stop several times to give him/her a break from the car seat. Find some nice parks along the way and plan to let them out and get some fresh air. Also, bring plenty of snacks that you can use when they start getting fussy and you're out of options. Pro tip - make sure those snacks are easy to get to and not buried 'somewhere in the back'. Good luck!

To follow up a little on the parks idea, map out what route you're going to take and start identifying potential spots along the way. There are travel blogs for some of the major highways that list places that aren't too far off the interstate that are kid-friendly. The same goes for rest stops. Some of them are little gems, others.... not so much.

 

[bobeer]

Didn't mean to hijack your thread, Crispyvelo

but thanks for the info guys!!