Storing 10 gallon kegged batches.

[msa8967]

I have been thinking of moving to brewing some 10 gallon batches of our more favorite brews and I have a few questions.

1. If I split this into two separate 5 gallon kegs what is a realistic amount of time that the beer in the second keg will stay good for? I know it depends on the style of beer and storage location so let's say it is a pale ale or ipa and is stored in the basement for 6 months. I know any dry hopping aroma will have faded some but I can also dry hop in the keg once it is in my keezer.

2. What in terms of pressure is the best way to store the second keg? There are two options I can think of but I would like to know which of these is better and if there are better options than the ones I have thought of.

Option A would be to fill the keg with CO2 before racking and then after the beer has been transferred seal the keg at 30+ psi. I wonder if any of this sealing CO2 will be absorbed by the beer and thus the seal on the keg lid won't hold up over a 3-6 month period.

Option B would be to fill the keg with CO2 before racking and try to carbonate the beer with corn sugar in the keg while it is being stored in our basement at around 67 F. I would still seal the keg lid with 30+ psi prior to moving the keg downstairs for storage.

 

[Hammy71]

I keep my 'extra kegs' in the basement on CO2 pressure. I have a spare 20# tank with a spider web of C02 lines to create a charging station. I hook up and walk away. Some of the brews sit down there for months before getting their chance to move up to the big leagues (keggerator). Of course since the kegs are at room temp, the CO2 pressure is higher.

 

[biochemedic]

Your question 2A got me thinking about a mead I have bulk aging in a keg....I checked and indeed there was essentially no pressure left in the keg so I shot it up and shook in a new dose of CO2. I think I will check it periodically to see how long the pressure lasts.

I'm not sure if the pressure was absorbed or if I could perhaps have a slow leak in one of the seals of the keg...

 

[msa8967]

I keep my 'extra kegs' in the basement on CO2 pressure. I have a spare 20# tank with a spider web of C02 lines to create a charging station. I hook up and walk away. Some of the brews sit down there for months before getting their chance to move up to the big leagues (keggerator). Of course since the kegs are at room temp, the CO2 pressure is higher.

I currently don't have a spare CO2 tank or setup for an extra carbonating connection outside of my keezer. It might be something I could find via craig's list.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I currently don't have a spare CO2 tank or setup for an extra carbonating connection outside of my keezer. It might be something I could find via craig's list.

Prime with 1/2 thew bottling priming sugar, blast with CO2 just to seal the lid. Unless you have a yeast that just refuses to floc out, you will only pull on pint of yeasty beer. With S-04 you will pull like a thimble-full.

Stores indefinitely BUT as you hinted, certain beers age better than others. Those with lots of hop aroma tend to mellow it out. Those with lots of roasted malts mellow out in a more desirable way.

 

[pvpeacock]

I primed a coffee stout with corn sugar when I kegged it, hooked it up to CO2 just to pressurize/seal and purge the keg. I then disconnected it from the CO2 and let it sit and age a year in my garage. It stayed carbonated the whole time without ever hooking it back up to the CO2 tank. When the time came, I just put it in the kegerator to cool and hooked back up to the CO2 tank and it was good to go. Based on my experience, I would go with your Option B since you don't have a spare CO2 tank lying around.

 

[msa8967]

I primed a coffee stout with corn sugar when I kegged it, hooked it up to CO2 just to pressurize/seal and purge the keg. I then disconnected it from the CO2 and let it sit and age a year in my garage. It stayed carbonated the whole time without ever hooking it back up to the CO2 tank. When the time came, I just put it in the kegerator to cool and hooked back up to the CO2 tank and it was good to go. Based on my experience, I would go with your Option B since you don't have a spare CO2 tank lying around.

Could I use a keg as a secondary vessel (instead of a carboy) for conditioning beer for a lengthy time like 6-9 months? The wife would like a Russian imperial stout to drink next winter and she would like it on the stout tap instead of bottled. If this is possible should I add the priming sugar when I transfer to the secondary keg or much later in the process?

 

[Thedutchtouch]

As long as you are sure your keg will hold pressure, you don't *have* to keep them hooked up to the CO2 the entire time, and they don't even have to be carbonated. Simply fill the keg, purge headspace, and store. You already know how to handle the decrease in hop aroma/dry hopping. These kegs can be hooked up to CO2 and carbed whenever you want. Works perfect for the secondary vessel/bulk aging as well.