Kegging a 5 Gallon Batch into a Full Commercial Keg

[czar_roland]

Ok everyone I have looked but can't find an answer to my specific question. I'm brewing my first batch (a true brew all extract hefe) Friday. I plan on kegging that boy into the kegerator that I'm getting Monday. The only thing is that the dude is throwing in a full size commercial keg (sanke?) for 20 bones extra. Since there aren't any cornys local, plus they're like 50$ now, I want to keg into the sanke.

My question, can you keg a 5 gallon batch into a full size keg? I know it'll be mostly empty and may waste some c02, but can I do it until I find an affordable corny?


Thanks!

 

[freisste]

Aside from the fact that sanke kegs are apparently a PITA to clean (IDK, never tried), I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just purge with CO2 first to avoid oxidation.

I hope he isn't selling you a commercial brewery's keg.

 

[benco]

Of course you can! Make sure the keg will fit. You will have to buy a sanke connection if you don't already have one. Clean and sanitize keg. The last sanke set up I looked at for going to tap was about 60.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Try to trade the half keg for a five gallon sable sixtel keg, they work great.

You could also use the half keg and just purge the heck out of it with co2.

Search around on how to remove the spear, search clutchdude for a post on installing the spiral ring


Wilserbrewer
Http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[czar_roland]

I don't think it's a commercial breweries keg, however it is a college town.

Dumb question, how to I purge that boy with c02? I feel stupid when it comes to kegging because I didn't think I was getting a kegerator until last Wednesday, so I hadn't done much research.

 

[freisste]

CO2 is heavier than air, especially since it will be extremely cold coming out of a pressurized tank due to adiabatic cooling.

Basically, you use a CO2 tank to fill your empty keg (unpressurized, although it works if it's pressurized). Just turn your valve to open it a LITTLE but. As you watch, you should see it kind of fill up with "fog". That fog will roll over the sides (overflow) when displaced by the beer you add.

 

[czar_roland]

Can I not just rack my beer into the empty keg and then pressurize it with Co2? Since the Co2 is heavier, as mentioned earlier, will it not just blanket the beer and force the o2 to the top of the keg?

If not. Let me see if I understand the process.

1. Clean keg by filling it with starsan/water solution.
2. Shake that boy and let it soak.
3. Run the solution out of the keg and through the tap system.
4. Syphon the beer from bucket to keg with spear out.
5. Put the spear in and seal it with metal split ring.
6. Connect coupler to the keg.
7. Pressurize with Co2
8. ....

This is where it gets hazy for me. Can someone walk me through the end process here. I'm a really visual learner so seeing a detailed list or video usually helps me the best.

Thanks guys for being awesome. I love this place.

 

[freisste]

You could. Depending on how much beer you put in, it may or may not have a large effect. If you fill it nearly to the top with beer, there will be little headspace and it will have little room for O2. If you only fill it half way, there will be a lot of room for O2.

If you do purge before filling, your 7 steps listed above are all you have to do (aside from waiting for the beer to carbonate and then drinking).

If you do not purge before filling, you will either not purge at all (your 7 steps are all you do aside from waiting and drinking) or purge after filling. If you purge after filling, do as I mentioned above in a previous post (just transposing the filling and purging steps).

 

[zoonose]

full size commercial keg (sanke?)

1/6 barrel or 1/2 barrel?

 

[czar_roland]

A little more info guys. Its a 1/2 barrel keg that I'm putting 5 gallons of homebrew into. So there will be a lot of headspace in the keg.

Hopefully I'll acquire a 1/6th soon and there will be much less headspace.

Figured I'll stick with Sankes since they seem to have less to go wrong, plus thats what my kegerator is setup for.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

The best way to pre-purge is to remove the gas hose from the Sanke tap, drop it into the keg and open the valve a little. This will let the CO2 fill the keg from the bottom up. I typically do about 30seconds of CO2. Then when you rack the beer in it will be under the CO2 blanket and protected from air. As you fill you will push the air out first. Then when you're done, simply reconnect the gas hose to the Sanke tap.
(this goes after step 3 in your earlier post. Also after step 3 (and before purging) you would want to turn the keg over to drain out whatever you can, it will not be completely empty when it blows CO2 instead of Starsan)

 

[beerpete]

I must point out that you can't clean with starsan. Starsan is only a sanitizer. Use PBW or other cleaner to clean then after you rinse cleaner out you can sanitize with starsan.
Hope this helps


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