Long term aging in sanke keg

[FoCobrewguy]

Hello Everybody

I have found a few posts mentioning how others seal there fermentors for long term storage but not many talking about sanke kegs in particular. I am looking to turn a half barrel sanke keg into a solera project. I have the brewer's hardware sanke fermentor kit for the main fermentation but don't want to tie them up for years since they are not cheap. How is everyone sealing their sanke for the long term?

My thoughts are:
1. Get a tri-clover hose barb that a airlock can fit in
2. Find a bung that fits the opening and is sealed like wine bung for oak barrel.
3. Cheap plastic cap stretched over the opening
4. Just use the sanke kit I have.

I appreciate any one with experience hear giving their process and pros and cons if possible.

Thanks
Kyle

 

[masonsjax]

I have the exact same plan that I will put in motion as soon as I can track down a keg. I know of several people that have had success just using an orange carboy cap on the opening after removing the spear. That's what I plan to do. I might buy one of those Brewhardware kits since I plan to order other stuff from him soon anyway, but I would definitely use that if I already had one.

 

[chefchris]

plastic orange cap worked fine for me. When you're ready to rack put a racking cane where the airlock goes and hook up some CO2 to the other arm to push the beer out. Super simple.

 

[Helms]

For what it's worth, I have two on the go right now (one lambic one Flanders Red) and used #11 stoppers with airlocks. It seems to work fine though I'm only a couple of month in right now.

 

[MileHighBrewer]

Im going to try those red rubber caps on some sixtels. Basd on what i saw with the orange caps on a few beers, they let in a good amount of oxygen in. Beers that had no pellicle in better bottles with the red rubber caps, grew pellcles in sankes with almost no headspace at all, and orange caps. The smaller ones fit inside nicely, the larger size goes totally over the top

 

[FoCobrewguy]

Thanks milehigh those are like the wine barrel bungs I looked at just have the air lock. I think I will try stopper and airlock first since I have the parts already. Will just have to keep an eye on it for drying out. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[Coff]

I use(d) the orange carboy cap for my sanke solrea for over a year, I recently broke it down into 3 carboys so it was a little easier to manage. The keg itself lets in zero o2, the cap will however allow some in which is beneficial in the end. Just try not to remove the cap very often. If you plan to add dregs over time just collect them in a starter jar then add them all at once so you dont open it up constantly.

You can read more about my project here.

http://www.alesoftheriverwards.com/p/solers-project.html

 

[FoCobrewguy]

Thanks coff got something to do at work tomorrow.

 

[bracehelton]

I also bought the sanke fermenter kit from Brewers Hardware, along with that purchase, I bought:
-(1) 2" tri clamp replacement gasket for the fermenter kit
-(1) 2" tri clamp ferrule
-(1) 2" tri clamp...uh, clamp.

Using the gasket that they made for there sanke fermenter kit, which has one flat side and one seated side, you can use the 2" ferrule for an airtight seal and a number 10 stopper fits perfectly into the inside diameter of the ferrule.

 

[microbusbrewery]

For what it's worth, I have two on the go right now (one lambic one Flanders Red) and used #11 stoppers with airlocks. It seems to work fine though I'm only a couple of month in right now.

+1 on the #11 stopper. I should be filling my solera an a couple weeks, once primaries are done.

 

[bracehelton]

The reason I didn't go with a simple stopper on my keg solera is because mine had a key way cut into the inside face of the opening where the spear twist-locks into place before the retaining ring is installed. This key way wouldn't be sealed properly with just a stopper. I don't know if your kegs may be different though.

 

[FoCobrewguy]

I will check I am pulling out the spear tonight. Thanks for the tips everyone I will let you know what works best.

 

[microbusbrewery]

The reason I didn't go with a simple stopper on my keg solera is because mine had a key way cut into the inside face of the opening where the spear twist-locks into place before the retaining ring is installed. This key way wouldn't be sealed properly with just a stopper. I don't know if your kegs may be different though.

I think they all have the same keyway + groove for the snap ring. I had the same concern that the stopper wouldn't seal tightly, until I picked one up and tried it. It seals against the surface just below the snap ring groove.

 

[jnacey]

+1 on the #11 stopper. I should be filling my solera an a couple weeks, once primaries are done. View attachment 251147

Nice stand -- where'd you pick that up? I'm starting one of these in a few weeks and was thinking something like that would be nice for siphoning (I don't keg, can't push with CO2).

 

[microbusbrewery]

Nice stand -- where'd you pick that up? I'm starting one of these in a few weeks and was thinking something like that would be nice for siphoning (I don't keg, can't push with CO2).

I made it out of some scrap tubing left over from another project. The basement utility room where it will live is pretty small, so I figured if I needed to move it around, it'd be nice if it was on casters. The legs and upper crossbars are 1.5" square tubing and the bottom crossbars are 1" square tubing. Height-wise I made it so I can rack into a keg or a bottling bucket.