When do I add extract flavoring?

[passmycup]

Hey everyone, I am a 1st time brewer and I am seeking advice for my next step. I purchased a Blueberry Honey Ale extract kit from Brewer's Best. As of now my wort has been fermenting for 9days ( i plan to take gravity readings tomorrow). I want to force carbonate the beer but i am open to the set and forget keg method. When would be the best time to add the blueberry extract flavor for both kegging methods?

Thanks

 

[day_trippr]

Either way, I would add the extract to the fermentor just before racking to a liquid-purged keg...

Cheers! (and welcome to HBT, @passmycup )

 

[davidabcd]

In addition, sometimes the entire amount of extract that comes with a kit is too much. To avoid overdoing it, add and taste in increments. You can draw a sample and work with that small amount to get the ratio of extract to beer to your liking.

 

[passmycup]

Ok thanks, thats what i was thinking. Its my 1st batch so Im just trying to be as careful as i can lol

 

[passmycup]

Thanks for the tip, ill def try that before i rack into the keg

In addition, sometimes the entire amount of extract that comes with a kit is too much. To avoid overdoing it, add and taste in increments. You can draw a sample and work with that small amount to get the ratio of extract to beer to your liking.

 

[odie]

I add extracts to the keg then rack beer on top.

 

[day_trippr]

Do you liquid purge your keg first? If yes, how do you get the extract in the keg afterwards?

Cheers!

 

[odie]

I don’t. Clean keg. Pour extract in if I’m using. Rack beer. Seal and purge a few times with high pressure.

 

[day_trippr]

Um...ok.

 

[Robert65]

Do you liquid purge your keg first? If yes, how do you get the extract in the keg afterwards?

Cheers!

I have, in a pinch, got stuff into a (properly) purged keg by putting very minimal CO2 on the liquid side, opening the PRV, and briefly removing the gas post and injecting with a syringe. It's a PITA and surely not 100% O2 free, but I haven't heard of a better trick. I've heard of people attaching a syringe by way of a tube to a gas QD and doing similar, but I can't see how to purge the QD/ tube assembly adequately; simple positive pressure and minimal apparatus seems preferable to my mind.

 

[brewbama]

1) Fill a 2L bottle with your solution. Squeeze the bottle to get as much air out as possible. Using a carbonator cap, pressurize the two liter with your CO2 system.

2) Then make a jumper by attaching two gas quick disconnects together via a hose.

3) Attach one quick disconnect to the bottle.

4) Invert the bottle.

5) pull the PRV and attach the other quick disconnect to the keg. Make sure you pull the PRV first.

6) allow the pressure in the bottle to push in the solution. Disconnect the QD before it completely empties so you don’t introduce air.

 

[Robert65]

1) Fill a 2L bottle with your solution. Squeeze the bottle to get as much air out as possible. Using a carbonator cap, pressurize the two liter with your CO2 system.

2) Then make a jumper by attaching two gas quick disconnects together via a hose.

3) Attach one quick disconnect to the bottle.

4) Invert the bottle.

5) pull the PRV and attach the other quick disconnect to the keg. Make sure you pull the PRV first.

6) allow the pressure in the bottle to push in the solution. Disconnect the QD before it completely empties so you don’t introduce air.

My method doesn't seem like such a PITA now I've read that! [emoji16]

 

[ba-brewer]

1) Fill a 2L bottle with your solution. Squeeze the bottle to get as much air out as possible. Using a carbonator cap, pressurize the two liter with your CO2 system.

2) Then make a jumper by attaching two gas quick disconnects together via a hose.

3) Attach one quick disconnect to the bottle.

4) Invert the bottle.

5) pull the PRV and attach the other quick disconnect to the keg. Make sure you pull the PRV first.

6) allow the pressure in the bottle to push in the solution. Disconnect the QD before it completely empties so you don’t introduce air.

I did this with a smaller 12oz PET bottle to add gelatin. If you pressurize higher than the keg it mostly all shoots into the keg with less pressure needing to be bleed off with the PRV.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I've been snapping a naked gas QD on the filled keg and using a syringe to quickly inject the extract, then I use a gas drop to flush whatever snuck in out the PRV.

It's quick and easy enough though I could use a much larger syringe than the 20ml ones I've been using...

Cheers!

 

[Robert65]

I could use a much larger syringe than the 20ml ones I've been using...

Cheers!

5 Pack 150ml Syringes, Large... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0773GML2M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[day_trippr]

The .24" OD of the plastic tip is too large to fit inside the QD threaded end.
If they came with a large bore needle they'd work great...

Cheers!

 

[ba-brewer]

they have 1 and 2 oz stainless meat injectors, but not sure it the tip would fit.
https://www.amazon.com/Grill-BEAST-...keywords=meat+injector&qid=1578453629&sr=8-16

 

[Robert65]

The .24" OD of the plastic tip is too large to fit inside the QD threaded end.
If they came with a large bore needle they'd work great...

Cheers!

Yeah, I use those in the method I described, briefly removing the gas post. They fit snugly in the riser. Not aware of anything higher volume with the OD you're after. Bet you could track down a large syringe with a needle that would work for you: think meat marinating and curing... Cheers back!

 

[day_trippr]

The meat injector idea was a good one - I totally forgot I had one! Dug it out of the kitchen drawer and with the needle mounted it totally fits inside the QD tip. But it's only 30ml, so not much gain on the play.

I don't want the hassle of removing posts, so I'll see what I can find on Amazon that comes with a blunt needle in the 100ml or larger range...

Cheers!

[edit] Gonna go with these...https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Syringes-Applicator-Dispensing-Multiple/dp/B0768FKX9Q
Between the three of them I could put a pretty decent charge in the keg
Uses the Luer lock system so no launching of needles...

 

[Robert65]

The meat injector idea was a good one - I totally forgot I had one! Dug it out of the kitchen drawer and with the needle mounted it totally fits inside the QD tip. But it's only 30ml, so not much gain on the play.

I don't want the hassle of removing posts, so I'll see what I can find on Amazon that comes with a blunt needle in the 100ml or larger range...

Cheers!

[edit] Gonna go with these...https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Syringes-Applicator-Dispensing-Multiple/dp/B0768FKX9Q
Between the three of them I could put a pretty decent charge in the keg

I love it when a plan comes together...

 

[ba-brewer]

If you have a screw in PRV they come out easy and don't need to mess with poppets. Could also feed low pressure C02 into gas post once removed.

 

[day_trippr]

I wouldn't routinely remove prvs, the plastic is so soft I don't think they'd stand up to that for long.
It takes a split second to plug on a QD and even less to remove. In the battle against O2 I think it's a sounder strategy

Might even see if I can make an injection port to attach to the QD that'd self seal when the needle is removed.
Then I could CO2-purge the QD!

Cheers! (no, I'm just kidding on that one )

 

[odie]

Didn’t think the prv was that fragile. I remove them between every beer as part of my keg cleaning. Posts and tubes also. I strip the entire keg except the outter oring on the ball lock posts since they really can’t be removed without destroying them

 

[brewbama]

My method doesn't seem like such a PITA now I've read that! [emoji16]

It’s actually quite simple: add solution to bottle, squeeze, cap, pressurize bottle, depressurize keg, connect, drain, disconnect. Basta.

 

[Robert65]

It’s actually quite simple: add solution to bottle, squeeze, cap, pressurize bottle, depressurize keg, connect, drain, disconnect. Basta.

Yeah, I get that it's simple enough, just (from my perspective) it uses a couple extra bits and bobs -- carb cap, jumper -- that's all. It is a clever idea! I like threads like this where we see the different solutions to a problem different brewers come up with. This kind of "engineering" is one of the really fun things about the hobby.

 

[day_trippr]

Et voila! [how did we ever survive without Amazon Prime?? ]

Over 3 ounces per, and with the Luer lock caps one could prefill all three if needed.

So the process is: put a slight positive CO2 pressure on the keg, snap on the gas QD (which will be automagically flushed by the CO2), screw on a needle and get to pushing the juice as rapidly as possible, then snap off the QD, and maybe do a head-space flush out the PRV just for OC grins...

Cheers!