When to connect the out tap line?

[PotreroHill]

So I just racked a new beer to a keg yesterday, and I connected the out tap line to the keg. I ran some beer through it to remove the oxgen from the line (and ultimately the keg).

I'm wondering when you guys connect your out tap lines?

The reason I did it upon racking/force carbing was because I wanted to keep the tap line cleaned and sanitized, rather than connecting it later and risking contamination. Guess I could have cleaned and sanitized it later, but why bother?

Also, having it connected now allowed me to take a final gravity reading without dipping a wine thief into the beer (and again risking contamination).

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I really don't think it matters much when you connect it, provided that you don't have a leak

M_C

 

[IrregularPulse]

I wait until 1 week after I rack to the keg. This is when I start drinking it.

 

[Huisache]

I wait until 1 week after I rack to the keg. This is when I start drinking it.

New to kegging, if you do this do you need to sanitize the out line or you do you hook on as is?

 

[Yooper]

New to kegging, if you do this do you need to sanitize the out line or you do you hook on as is?

My lines are all hooked up in the kegerator- when I clean and/or sanitize a keg, I often run some sanitizer through the lines and faucet. Come to think of it, I guess it's not really that often.

I just kegged a beer today, and set it right in the kegerator. It's all hooked up. But I know I don't have any leaks and it'll just stay like that until the keg is empty. I'm not one who wants to be rearranging and unhooking lines all the time.

 

[Huisache]

Thanks Yooper, that is what I was looking for.

 

[AnOldUR]

Thanks Yooper, that is what I was looking for.

There's also the chance that the poppet valve will fail and fill you kegerator with beer, so it's not a bad idea to have the disconnect on there.


. . . don't ask me how I know this.

 

[Yooper]

There's also the chance that the poppet valve will fail and fill you kegerator with beer, so it's not a bad idea to have the disconnect on there.


. . . don't ask me how I know this.

No way?!? I didn't know that happened to you. That sucks.

But something else to keep in mind, if you're using picnic (also called "cobra") taps.

If you set the keg back in the kegerator and the plastic faucet is smashed up against the side/back/front/bottom of the kegerator or another keg, your kegerator will fill up with beer.

Don't ask ME how I know this!

But.................if you ARE using a picnic tap, you can curl up the beer line on top and use a zip tie or twisty tie to secure the line to the handles of the keg so it's harder to do something that stupid. It's not impossible, just more difficult!