When is the time for pouring the beer to the keg?

[chazam]

The beer that I'm doing has been fermenting for 4 weeks now. Can I pour it to a corny keg to start the carbonation?
The airlock did bubble last night. I now sanitized it, took it off, checked from the little hole for foam (krausen it's called?) on top of the wort. I saw tiny bubbles but no foam.

 

[chazam]

And also, the corny keg that I bought had pressure in it. I didn't know what I was doing when I took some of it off. Should I depressure it, sanitize it with PBW and StarSan, when I start the carbonation?

 

[Knightshade]

4 weeks, you’re probably good. You could try and take a hydrometer sample if you’re unsure though.

Kegs will usually ship pressurized to reduce the likelihood of damage as well show the buyer that they’re good.

Yes, clean with PBW, don’t forget the posts, dip tube and sanitize with StarSan.

 

[wsmith1625]

With a healthy fermentation, 4 weeks is more than enough time and it would definitely be ready to keg. "Typically" fermentation completes in under a week, but the additional conditioning time in the fermenter allows the yeast to clean up any off flavors in your beer. I usually keg after 3 weeks. To be sure, you should be taking hydrometer readings to see if you're at your final gravity.

Also, you should release the pressure in your corny key and open it up for cleaning. Warm water and PBW will remove any crud if you bought a used key, and will remove any oils on the metal if you bought a new keg. Soak it for 30 minutes upside down, then flip it upright and drop the lid and poppets into the PBW and let it soak an additional 30 minutes. Rinse well, and then fill with sanitizer. If you're not doing a pressure transfer, then only fill the keg with a gallon of sanitizer solution. Close it up and shake it around so all the internals come in contact with the solution. Then open it back up and pour out the liquid and most of the foam. It's okay if some foam remains in the keg.

Finally ready to keg your beer. If you can, please don't pour the beer into your keg. This will introduce a lot of oxygen into your beer and it will go stale very quickly. A better method is to use a siphon tube and fill the keg from the bottom up. There are tools called racking canes and auto siphons that will make the transfer much easier. I would consider purchasing one if you don't already have one.

There are advanced methods for doing pressure transfers to the keg, but that involves additional equipment and techniques. I'm assuming you'll explore those methods when you're ready,

 

[marc1]

And also, the corny keg that I bought had pressure in it. I didn't know what I was doing when I took some of it off. Should I depressure it, sanitize it with PBW and StarSan, when I start the carbonation?

Is it a new keg or used? If used, in addition to cleaning you should also consider replacing all the O rings.

 

[marc1]

The beer that I'm doing has been fermenting for 4 weeks now. Can I pour it to a corny keg to start the carbonation?
The airlock did bubble last night. I now sanitized it, took it off, checked from the little hole for foam (krausen it's called?) on top of the wort. I saw tiny bubbles but no foam.

Also, don't pour it, rack it gently.

 

[chazam]

Is it a new keg or used? If used, in addition to cleaning you should also consider replacing all the O rings.

It's used. I'll replace the oring for the next batch. This one's a bit failed one anyways. I did a few things that made the process a little contaminated like opened the lid halfway fermenting and letting a droplet drop from airlock to the wort.

 

[chazam]

With a healthy fermentation, 4 weeks is more than enough time and it would definitely be ready to keg. "Typically" fermentation completes in under a week, but the additional conditioning time in the fermenter allows the yeast to clean up any off flavors in your beer. I usually keg after 3 weeks. To be sure, you should be taking hydrometer readings to see if you're at your final gravity.

Also, you should release the pressure in your corny key and open it up for cleaning. Warm water and PBW will remove any crud if you bought a used key, and will remove any oils on the metal if you bought a new keg. Soak it for 30 minutes upside down, then flip it upright and drop the lid and poppets into the PBW and let it soak an additional 30 minutes. Rinse well, and then fill with sanitizer. If you're not doing a pressure transfer, then only fill the keg with a gallon of sanitizer solution. Close it up and shake it around so all the internals come in contact with the solution. Then open it back up and pour out the liquid and most of the foam. It's okay if some foam remains in the keg.

Finally ready to keg your beer. If you can, please don't pour the beer into your keg. This will introduce a lot of oxygen into your beer and it will go stale very quickly. A better method is to use a siphon tube and fill the keg from the bottom up. There are tools called racking canes and auto siphons that will make the transfer much easier. I would consider purchasing one if you don't already have one.

There are advanced methods for doing pressure transfers to the keg, but that involves additional equipment and techniques. I'm assuming you'll explore those methods when you're ready,

Auto-siphon I do have. I have also the add-on which stops the flow of wort when I'm not pushing the add-on to the bottom of a keg anymore.

 

[wsmith1625]

I have also the add-on which stops the flow of wort when I'm not pushing the add-on to the bottom of a keg anymore.

I think the add-on is a bottling wand. If it is, you may run into issues pushing it on the bottom of the keg as it fills up with beer. You may be able to push it on the keg wall, but I wouldn't bother with it.

 

[marc1]

It's used. I'll replace the oring for the next batch. This one's a bit failed one anyways. I did a few things that made the process a little contaminated like opened the lid halfway fermenting and letting a droplet drop from airlock to the wort.

What was in the airlock? Sanitizer, water, or vodka/ethanol? I don't think either of those would be likely to ruin your batch.

 

[chazam]

Now I'm having a problem with my CO2-bottle. It leaks between the regulator and the CO2-bottle. I'll need to get the right tool tomorrow to fasten it.

I think the add-on is a bottling wand. If it is, you may run into issues pushing it on the bottom of the keg as it fills up with beer. You may be able to push it on the keg wall, but I wouldn't bother with it.

Bottling wand, yes.

What was in the airlock? Sanitizer, water, or vodka/ethanol? I don't think either of those would be likely to ruin your batch.

Water that had been boiled and cooled down.

 

[NTBeer]

You probably need a nylon washer / gasket for the interface between your co2 bottle and the regulator.

https://www.amazon.com/Nylon-Washer...ds=co2+regulator+gasket&qid=1637090253&sr=8-4

 

[marc1]

Now I'm having a problem with my CO2-bottle. It leaks between the regulator and the CO2-bottle. I'll need to get the right tool tomorrow to fasten it.

The may be a washer that goes between the regulator and bottle that you need.

Bottling wand, yes.



Water that had been boiled and cooled down.

I don't think this is likely to ruin your beer.

 

[wsmith1625]

Leak Stopper - Permanent O-Ring for CO2 Gas Cylinders: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[chazam]

Now I got the major leak fixed. If the angle of my plastic parts is wrong then it's almost like there is a decent sized hole for gas to leak, but in the right position everything seems fine and there is only tiny hissing sound. I set the pressure at 0.8 bar for my witbier.

I was thinking about carbonating outside at my terrace. I don't have another option. For a few days my temperatures are ok outside even at nights. But from Saturday onwards the temperature goes below 0 celcius. Is this a problem? Maybe it'll froze just a bit during night but go liquid again at daytime? Maybe I should cover the keg with a sleeping bag, even CO2-container?

 

[superiorsat]

Water that had been boiled and cooled down.

Boiled water has the chance of not staying sanitized, like a gnat gets into the bubbler. Which is why I always use a blow off tube. Starsan or vodka or some other strong alcohol would be a better choice in the future.

Now I got the major leak fixed. If the angle of my plastic parts is wrong then it's almost like there is a decent sized hole for gas to leak, but in the right position everything seems fine and there is only tiny hissing sound. I set the pressure at 0.8 bar for my witbier.

I was thinking about carbonating outside at my terrace. I don't have another option. For a few days my temperatures are ok outside even at nights. But from Saturday onwards the temperature goes below 0 celcius. Is this a problem? Maybe it'll froze just a bit during night but go liquid again at daytime? Maybe I should cover the keg with a sleeping bag, even CO2-container?

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A tiny hissing sound means an empty CO2 bottle coming soon. I guess I'm wondering why you are not carbonating in the fridge or kegerator you will be serving the beer from. It will have to remain hooked up to CO2 during the whole process.

 

[chazam]

Boiled water has the chance of not staying sanitized, like a gnat gets into the bubbler. Which is why I always use a blow off tube. Starsan or vodka or some other strong alcohol would be a better choice in the future.

I was thinking about something like this. I heard someone using starsan.

A tiny hissing sound means an empty CO2 bottle coming soon. I guess I'm wondering why you are not carbonating in the fridge or kegerator you will be serving the beer from. It will have to remain hooked up to CO2 during the whole process.

I just yesterday opened the bottle a little bit for the first time and closed it. Today I opened it again. It's 2kg. For what I know it shouldn't be running empty just yet.

 

[superiorsat]

I was just saying if you hear a tiny hissing and leave the gas on and connected you would wake up tomorrow with an empty CO2 bottle. Has happened to a lot of us. Even if you can't hear it leaking it is advisable to do a leak check by spraying connections with starsan as any leak should bubble. What is the scenario why you want to carbonate out side?

 

[homebeerbrewer]

If you're hearing a hissing sound, you have a leak. It'll empty out quicker than you think.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Also, the cooler the temp (to a point), the easier it is to carbonate. There are carbonation charts online to set your pressure according to desired carb level and temp. If it does get down to 0C, the beer won't freeze right away, so you should be fine there, but that may allow you to over carbonate.

And finally, you should stand the CO2 tank up.

 

[chazam]

I was just saying if you hear a tiny hissing and leave the gas on and connected you would wake up tomorrow with an empty CO2 bottle. Has happened to a lot of us. Even if you can't hear it leaking it is advisable to do a leak check by spraying connections with starsan as any leak should bubble. What is the scenario why you want to carbonate out side?

It's all good advice. It takes less CO2 to carbonate outside, right?

And finally, you should stand the CO2 tank up.

Then the hissing starts. I got it in the right position where there is no hissing.

E: I noticed I had not pushed the tube inside enough. Embarrasing. However when I had not done it, I sprayed starsan, didn't see bubbles coming out. Good tip, thanks.

 

[superiorsat]

I force carb my beer at serving temperature, about 36 degrees. What are you planning on putting the keg in for the period where you will be drinking beers out of it? I would think the CO2 bottle and the keg would fit in any fridge you have, and put a picnic tap on it or keezer or kegerator. The fridge/keezer/kegerator would have a constant temperature which works good for carbonating the beer with consistency.

It takes less CO2 to carbonate outside, right?

CO2 doesn't know if it is inside or outside. CO2 goes into solution easier at cold temperatures. As @homebeerbrewer said there are charts online to reference for carbonation levels.

 

[camonick]

Now I got the major leak fixed. If the angle of my plastic parts is wrong then it's almost like there is a decent sized hole for gas to leak, but in the right position everything seems fine and there is only tiny hissing sound. I set the pressure at 0.8 bar for my witbier.

I was thinking about carbonating outside at my terrace. I don't have another option. For a few days my temperatures are ok outside even at nights. But from Saturday onwards the temperature goes below 0 celcius. Is this a problem? Maybe it'll froze just a bit during night but go liquid again at daytime? Maybe I should cover the keg with a sleeping bag, even CO2-container?

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View attachment 749239

Your CO2 tank MUST be upright when it’s in service for it to work properly and eliminate the dangerous situation of liquid CO2 from getting into your regulator and then your keg where it will expand as vapor and over pressure.

 

[chazam]

CO2 doesn't know if it is inside or outside. CO2 goes into solution easier at cold temperatures. As @homebeerbrewer said there are charts online to reference for carbonation levels.

I can see from the charts that higher the temperatures, the more bars are required. But that doesn't have nothing to do with required quantity of CO2, huh.

I force carb my beer at serving temperature, about 36 degrees. What are you planning on putting the keg in for the period where you will be drinking beers out of it?

I have picnic tap that came with a starter package. I'm thinking about bottling my beer. I should have everything I need for it.

Your CO2 tank MUST be upright when it’s in service for it to work properly and eliminate the dangerous situation of liquid CO2 from getting into your regulator and then your keg where it will expand as vapor and over pressure.

It's upright now.