Oxidizing beer

[skinnyterror]

Ok, just finished racking beer from my fermenter to my corny keg for the first time. I ran the beer through a strainer at the top of the keg and let it fill the keg up. There was lots of splashing/foam. I didn't realize my mistake until I was done filling the keg. Did I just ruin this batch of beer? I'm gonna rack the next batch into a bottling bucket first and then from there to the keg...

 

[Yooper]

Yes, you probably did oxidize it.

Drink it fast, as oxidation may not show up right away and it gets worse with age.

Next time, just rack to the keg.

 

[ja09]

Yes. As Yooper said, drink it fast, as fast as you possibly can. I've noticed oxidized off-flavors doing much less, but they usually don't show up in the first week or two.

 

[InLimbo]

Don't fear, for it's not "ruined" as you stated in your question. Definitely oxidized though. My recommendation, brew again ASAP, and taste the difference between the two beers. Consider this is an invaluable tutorial for your palate.

Just re-read your last sentence. There is no reason to go from the carboy/fermenter ---> bottling bucket ---> keg. Just go straight from the fermentation vessel into your keg (that should be purged with CO2 if possible.)

 

[Cathedral]

Why rack to a bottling bucket?

Purge the air from the Corny with CO2 before transfer, and then go straight from fermenter to corny. Works for me, and I get maybe an 1/8" of trub in the very first glass. Clear, unoxidized sailing from there out .

Edit: TheBeerist beat me to it.

 

[ja09]

Don't fear, for it's not "ruined" as you stated in your question. Definitely oxidized though. My recommendation, brew again ASAP, and taste the difference between the two beers. Consider this is an invaluable tutorial for your palate.

And this. There will be lots of "learning experiences", aka f-ups, along the way to making great beer. Take advantage of your mistakes by learning as much as you can about them

 

[Pie_Man]

Why rack to a bottling bucket?

Purge the air from the Corny with CO2 before transfer, and then go straight from fermenter to corny. Works for me, and I get maybe an 1/8" of trub in the very first glass. Clear, unoxidized sailing from there out .

Edit: TheBeerist beat me to it.

+1

I don't use a bottling bucket when I rack to a keg. I purge the corny, transfer from my cold crashed carboy to the keg using an autosiphon and enough tubing to reach the bottom of the keg which avoid splashing. Be sure to sanitize the inside and outside of the tubing. Once the transfer is complete, I seal the lid on the keg, hook up the gas line, and purge a few times to clear any oxygen on top of the beer.

Edit: +1 to the Beerist's comments too

 

[Trox]

Do not ever use a strainer after you have moved your wort from the pot to the fermentor; you are guaranteed to oxidize your beer doing that. From now on just use an auto-siphon with a hose long enough to lay on the bottom of the keg.

 

[brick]

From now on just use an auto-siphon with a hose long enough to lay on the bottom of the keg.

I go as far as to use my bottling wand without the spring and plunger when I rack. My hoses seem to curl up and cause splashing, and this solves it.

 

[Trox]

I go as far as to use my bottling wand without the spring and plunger when I rack. My hoses seem to curl up and cause splashing, and this solves it.

When I siphon to my bottling bucket (I bottle not keg) I will curl my hose along the bottom outside edge of the bucket so that the beer will flow out of the hose and just follow the edge around. You will get a small swirl (ideal for bottling to help mix the priming sugar in), but not enough to cause oxidation. Would think you could do the same with a keg.

 

[fartinmartin]

Yes to all the above, my favourite though is, drink it real quick, maybe with some mates, all of it !