Keg size for fermenting

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Coookies58

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Hey all. I’d like to switch to fermenting in cornies. I like the ability to spund, transfer is simple, and cornies are cheaper than fancy stainless fermenters. I usually do 2.75 gallon batches and transfer to 2.5 gallon kegs. Would I be best served using 5 gallon kegs and not worrying about crazy Krausen and trub? Or go with 3 gallon kegs and use fermcap? Thanks all.
 
My first thought was that you could get a used 5-gallon keg much cheaper than a 3-gallon keg, but I see AIH has some used 3-gallon kegs for a decent price: Home Brew Kegs - New and Used Kegs for Kegging Homebrew

5-gallon sounds about ideal though. You should be able to push up your wort volume a bit if you can to get a full 2.5 gals into your keg.
 
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This was my initial thought. Only real benefit to the 3 gallon seems to be the need for a smaller fermentation fridge.
 
No matter what size keg you go with I would recommend using a floating dip tube with filter. I fermenter in 1/4 barrel sanke kegs and started out using a shortened dip tube. Had nothing but problems with clogged posts when transferring Beer to serving keg. Switched to floating dip tube and last two beers have transferred with no problems.
 
No matter what size keg you go with I would recommend using a floating dip tube with filter. I fermenter in 1/4 barrel sanke kegs and started out using a shortened dip tube. Had nothing but problems with clogged posts when transferring Beer to serving keg. Switched to floating dip tube and last two beers have transferred with no problems.
Thanks

I believe that is likely in the cards. I planned to use them for serving beer anyway. What’s one more.
 
I vote 15.5.

If you are seriously committed to your batch size though and have been using it some time, then I'd get the 3 assuming they are the same price. If not, get whatever is cheapest.
 
No matter what size keg you go with I would recommend using a floating dip tube with filter. I fermenter in 1/4 barrel sanke kegs and started out using a shortened dip tube. Had nothing but problems with clogged posts when transferring Beer to serving keg. Switched to floating dip tube and last two beers have transferred with no problems.
I've used 1/6, 1/4, 1/2bbl and 50L kegs with dip tubes cut to length and never had one clog on me. I simply trimmed them to stop above the yeast cake size. Not difficult to do and no need to have a 'floating' dip tube in the mix. The last few batches in the sanke kegs even had the liquid out tubes fitted from before yeast pitch. Zero issues there too.

I'm more trusting of stainless steel tubes than silicone tubes for extraction of my finished beer (from within fermenter). I've been using kegs with their original (2" TC compatible) openings in them. Well, except for the 50L since that was a keg with a different coupler style, requiring me to get a 4" TC ferrule welded into it instead.
 
I am also looking to do this, have 5.5 corny kegs and spunding valve. Also got a floating dip tube to ensure transferring from the top to bottom.

My question is when transferring to the keg, how do you know when you have reached the 'trub' and need to stop? Just watch the line for it to cloudy?
 
I second @greywolf and @NTexBrewer all the way, with the exception that I ferm n serve in same keg with diy floating dip tube, FTW, on the hoppy things. And some others. Limited by how many DIY FDTubes I have. Reminder to self: need to make more...

3rd! Motion carried lol

Its amazing how well a good, hard cold crash can clear beer. Fining makes it even better.

I've been fermenting in kegs with the floating dip tubes, then transferring to a serving keg that has a regular dip tube and it worked very well.

I have found that with a floating dip tube, transfer really isn't necessary for me, which made me consider converting most of my kegs to single serve fermenters with floating dip tubes.
 
I ferment 2.75 gallon batches in 3 gallon cornies. Fermcap is a must and I've never had any issues. They fit so much better in my fridge and I don't have to worry about suck-back when I cold crash. I usually use a floating dip tube with a filter basket and then transfer into a sanitized empty corny with a normal dip tube for serving.
 
Hey all. I’d like to switch to fermenting in cornies. I like the ability to spund, transfer is simple, and cornies are cheaper than fancy stainless fermenters. I usually do 2.75 gallon batches and transfer to 2.5 gallon kegs. Would I be best served using 5 gallon kegs and not worrying about crazy Krausen and trub? Or go with 3 gallon kegs and use fermcap? Thanks all.
I'm doing full 5 gal batches in 5 gal cornies without "fermcap" and no issues. I served from the same keg and only have about a pint of trub/yeast using a full length dip tube. But I do finely strain all my wort.

I think you can pull it off in your regular 2.5 kegs.
 
It's not worth fermenting that volume in a 3 gallon keg. A 5 gallon keg is perfect, you don't have to worry about blow off and you can do a closed transfer. It's what I do for my 2.5 gallon batches and it's such an easy and stress-free process.
 
How is everyone controlling temperature when fermenting in kegs? I don’t have a separate fermentation fridge and have been using a cooling coil, ice water, and heat pad with my other fermenters.
 
I use the same mini fridge I used to have my carboys in but now it's a five gallon keg. I don't get it when people don't have a ferm chamber or fridge if they brew regularly it's one of the easiest and most important parts of your brew equipment
 
I use the same mini fridge I used to have my carboys in but now it's a five gallon keg. I don't get it when people don't have a ferm chamber or fridge if they brew regularly it's one of the easiest and most important parts of your brew equipment
To clarify, I do have a mini fridge that I use as a Kegerator, I just don’t have an extra one to ferment in so it would be one or the other. Limiting me to one beer at a time. I planned to start pressure fermenting in my 5 gal keg but I’m now chasing down a slow leak I believe to be coming from the bottom of the liquid out post. Currently waiting for new poppets, o-rings to arrive.

edit: spelling
 
I got a mini fridge that will hold 2 cornies. I use a digital controller.
 
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