Keg without CO2 temporarily?

[tek210]

I have 2 batches that have been fermenting for a while now, Irish Red was 1 week in the initial carboy, three weeks in same Carboy after trub cleanout. I also have a wheat that I just left in the primary since day one. It has been their 3 weeks now. I was planning on moving them to the kegs this weekend.

I ordered my main kit on Monday, but it was held up waiting for one item. So this means that I will not have my CO2 tank to pressurize the kegs.

Can I transfer them to the kegs then pressurize them with CO2 next week when my kegging kit arrives? Or should I just leave them fermenting for one more week?

 

[Spunkmeyer]

Leaving them an extra week will not hurt either one a bit. You'll want the CO2 to purge O2 / seal the kegs right after you transfer.

 

[bmckee56]

My choice would be to leave them alone until you get all your equipment to keg. Aerating your beer during transfer then leaving headspace in the keg, would not be good in my opinion.

Salute!

 

[BierMuncher]

They'll do fine in a keg without pressure.

Once you transfer, seal up the lids and give them about 3-4 hours and then burp the pressure relief valve. You should have enough residual CO2 built up after the transfer to push out any O2.

 

[david_42]

If they are clear or you need the fermenters, I'd transfer and prime. You might have some trouble with the lids not sealing, but if they don't, you can force carbonate.

Or leave them. It really won't make any difference either way.

 

[tek210]

Looking to do up a Summer Ale this weekend so maybe I will just move one over the keg and leave the wheat.

One question, you mention priming, I thought priming does not apply in the case of kegging? Unless you are talking about something else in this case. Do you mean with the sugar?

 

[McSwiggin']

You can prime a keg with sugar if you want. The biggest thing to consider is if your cornies will seal without a blast of CO2 to seat the o-rings in place. If it doesn't seal, the worst thing that will happen is you will lose all the pressure from priming and will have to force carb later.

Either way, you shouldn't have any problems as long as everything is sanitized well.