Questions on: Lagering my Alt

[PKisNJ]

Hello everybody! I hope everyone is having an awesome time gearing up for fall. I am currently working on an altbier which has already gone through primary for two weeks at 62-65, then has been moved to a secondary for a little over a week now at 50 degrees.

I have read lagering an altbier really smooths it out and I was wondering if I can rack it into my keg, throw 10 psi on top, and then disconnect the c02 and let it sit in my fridge at 40 for a few weeks? This is a new style to me so any tips from anyone that has done it in the past would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[rkbarnes82]

Why not just leave the Co2 line attached and carbonate while it lagers in the fridge? Then tap it when you feel it's lagered enough.

I've made a couple ALTs and have not lagered longer than it took to carbonate (2 weeks) and they turned out real good.

 

[kombat]

I'd agree with leaving the pressure connected, and here's why.

If the beer is cold and completely uncarbonated, then it will absorb the 10 psi of CO2 pressure you apply. Not all of it, but a good portion of it, such that the pressure in the keg will not STAY at 10 psi. It will settle somewhat lower. My concern would be that it would fall below the threshold pressure required to maintain the seals on the keg, and that the lid would un-seal, resulting in potential oxidation or even contamination.

 

[pjj2ba]

I don't worry about the pressure drop once the shot of CO2 has been absorbed. The burst of pressure helps to set the seal, but isn't required to maintain the seal after that - for most kegs. If your keg(s) are beat up a bit around the seal, then you can have some problems. I have one keg (out of ~25) that doesn't stay sealed well. To deal with this I just put a thin shim on the keg where the lid feet land when closed. This provides and extra little bit of force to keep the seal. I've also seen some lid feet that get splayed out a bit over time [ / \ ], and the lid can be made to hold tighter by bending them in a bit [ | | ]

I like to let my beers lager for a week before hitting them with CO2, Yeast aren't real happy at higher CO2 levels so I like to give them a little bit of time before I start to carbonate. I like to lager beers for 3-4 weeks. I've done 2, but like it better at 3-4.

 

[PKisNJ]

Thanks for the info guys. I have decided to put the proper psi on it and carbonate while it lagers. Seems like the best way to maximize space and free up a spot in my fermenter fridge!