Lagering in keg process questions.

[Knoah]

After primary fermentation and d-rest. I would like to lager in a keg.
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I have questions about the process.

1. Do you ramp down the temp to lagering tamp or cold crash?
2. Does the secondary lagering fermenter need a airlock?
3. Do you lager carbonated/while carbonating or do leave it flat during lagering duration?

I have read mixed answers for most of these questions, and maybe it is specific to each brew.

If anyone has any incite that would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[jdauria]

Unless you have multiple kegs, I would suggest cold crashing in fermenter first before transferring to keg. Otherwise, you would want to either cut an inch or two off the dip tube due to all the trub in bottom of keg, or get a floating dip tube that pours from the keg top to bottom. What some people do is cut the dip tube, cold crash and lager in keg, then transfer to another keg to carb and serve.

No, if the beer is fully fermented you dd not need a airlock if lagering in a keg.

#3 is basically your choice. If you have space to carb and lager at the same time, then do it. Otherwise you can just lager and then put on to carb when something else kicks.

 

[Jag75]

My process on lagers is as follows.

Raise temp a few degrees a day once fermentation is about 75% complete.

Once the temp is roughly 66-68 , D-rest for 2-3 days .

Then I drop temp about 5 degrees a day until it's in the low 30's . After a few days in the 30's I transfer to a keg . I'll lager on co2 sometimes. If I don't leave on co2 I'll pressure up to 5 psi to make sure the seal is good .

 

[Sammy86]

1. Do you ramp down the temp to lagering tamp or cold crash?
2. Does the secondary lagering fermenter need a airlock?
3. Do you lager carbonated/while carbonating or do leave it flat during lagering duration?

1. I've done both both, ramp down 3° a day until 33° and just straight up cold crashed in primary...both produce clear beer. First few pints are going to be crud/trub so I would rather do this in the primary.

2. No

3. If you're in the keg you might as well carbonate, why wait?

 

[crazyjake19]

To each their own, but when my lagers are done they go into a keg and into the keezer at 38F-ish hooked up to CO2 to carbonate while they lager. Anything that settles out from the cold crash will get blown out in the first pint. I don't use any filters or finings/clarifiers of any kind.

 

[Malticulous]

It might pick up some oxygen cold crashing in a non-pressurized fermenting vessel. It wont in a pressurized keg.

I made a couple of cold fermented lagers in buckets this winter. A week at 55 and a week at 65 then the cakes were solid enough to rack to kegs. Lager yeast tends to be powdery.

Most my lagers are pressure fermented in a all rounder now. It's too big to move to a fridge so I still have to keg to lager. Sixty is as cold as the AC will get my brew shed unless it's cold out.

 

[Knoah]

I cold crashed in the fermenter last night. It went from 60f to 39f in 8hrs. Target goal is 34f. Also added gelatin right before crash. Plan to move to keg tomorrow night.
Will update on oxidation status.

 

[Jag75]

I cold crashed in the fermenter last night. It went from 60f to 39f in 8hrs. Target goal is 34f. Also added gelatin right before crash. Plan to move to keg tomorrow night.
Will update on oxidation status.

Did you get the beer warmer then 60?

 

[Knoah]

Did you get the beer warmer then 60?

No I didn't

 

[Jag75]

No I didn't

Hopefully it will be fine. Diacetyl rest are done at mid to high 60's