Kegging-how long do you wait to drink it?

[shelly_belly]

...

Cheers! (Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Badly Carbed Green Beer )

It has to be done. It's part of the learning curve!

 

[DougK]

Good grief why have I never thought about doing this?!?!

I typically remove the lid and just rack to the bottom of the keg with the lid off like I was shown when I started. I think I just changed the way I rack to my kegs.

I have that a try this weekend. I was able to siphon starsan into the keg no problem. When I tried to siphon beer, it wouldn't go. Ultimately I ended up dropping the tube through the open cover. I tried keeping the exhaust valve open and then cracking the cover open. I'm not sure what was going on. Oh well, I have a few more beers to perfect the process on.

 

[thadius856]

I have that a try this weekend. I was able to siphon starsan into the keg no problem. When I tried to siphon beer, it wouldn't go. Ultimately I ended up dropping the tube through the open cover. I tried keeping the exhaust valve open and then cracking the cover open. I'm not sure what was going on. Oh well, I have a few more beers to perfect the process on.

Did you get resistance when trying to pump the autosiphon? That would indicate that either the disconnect wasn't fully seated, or that you have the wrong poppet (too long or too stiff) installed in the liquid post.

 

[Kealia]

I will try with some StarSan first as well, good thinking. I'll post my results in a week or so.

For those that do this, is there anything special to be aware of here?

 

[DougK]

Did you get resistance when trying to pump the autosiphon? That would indicate that either the disconnect wasn't fully seated, or that you have the wrong poppet (too long or too stiff) installed in the liquid post.

No, it pumped just fine, it just wouldn't hold a siphon.

 

[thadius856]

I will try with some StarSan first as well, good thinking. I'll post my results in a week or so.

For those that do this, is there anything special to be aware of here?

Yes. Be sure that the keg isn't pressurized when you connect it.

Ask me how I know...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-destroy-auto-siphon-get-black-eye-386252/

 

[thadius856]

No, it pumped just fine, it just wouldn't hold a siphon.

Odd. You have a leak somewhere then. As long as you have no leaks and vertical height difference, there's no reason for the siphon to stop (other than the occasional re-prime to account for line friction, of course).

 

[Kealia]

Yes. Be sure that the keg isn't pressurized when you connect it.

Ask me how I know...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-destroy-auto-siphon-get-black-eye-386252/

Ooofff! Thanks for the warning/horror story.

 

[WroxBrew]

Probably a dumb question, but how do you know when its full with the top on? Just let it squirt out the relief valve? I have a 15 gal fermenter.

 

[tre9er]

Probably a dumb question, but how do you know when its full with the top on? Just let it squirt out the relief valve? I have a 15 gal fermenter.

the siphon will stop when there's no more room in the keg.

 

[thadius856]

the siphon will stop when there's no more room in the keg.

Which means you're past full.

Easiest way to know you're going to be full is to look at the volume marked on the outside of the bucket.

 

[WroxBrew]

Which means you're past full.

Easiest way to know you're going to be full is to look at the volume marked on the outside of the bucket.

Unfortunately I'm not using a bucket. I'm coming straight out of a 20 gallon SS conical.

 

[danielbt]

OF COURSE BLEED THE 30psi out of keg after the 2-1/2 days.

You only forget to do this once.

 

[thadius856]

Unfortunately I'm not using a bucket. I'm coming straight out of a 20 gallon SS conical.

Crack the lid and look down in then. You'll lose some of the CO2 blanket, but most people siphon into bottling buckets and other vessels that don't get that benefit anyway.

If you must keep the bucket (edit: blanket), then your only real choice to to use a scale. Fill it up with 5 gallons of water, weigh it with the fittings attached, and have the scale turned on while filling. You'll come out with just shy of 5 gallons of beer.