Why not use priming sugar in keg?

[PurdyGood]

I have some priming sugar left over from my bottling days, and was wondering why more people don't carb in kegs with priming sugar; it seems like it would save some CO2 since you're not using alot of CO2 to force-carb.
Is it because the excess trub causes dip-tube clogging, or is it just a clarity issue? I can wait 2 weeks for my beer to carb, which I do anyway with set-it-and-forget-it force-carbing.

 

[HOP-HEAD]

Personally, I'm just too new to the keggin thing to have had time to try yet... I'll do it soon just to see.

But the "saving C02" argument is pretty moot. Sugar is probably even more expensive than the tiny amount of Co2 you're going to save. I don't mean to imply that sugar is expensive, but the cost saving's just isn't worth considering either way.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Sure you can prime a keg if you are so inclined, some people do it so the beer is carbed and ready after sitting a few weeks. I believe most of us don't bother as it is just one more step to the process. Easier, and perhaps more consistent to just hook it up to gas. The CO2 is likely cheaper than corn sugar.

 

[masonsjax]

I have primed my last few kegs. Since I have a full pipeline and the kegs are sitting anyway, why not. I just measure out 3 oz corn sugar in a plastic cup and dump it in the keg. For $3 worth of corn sugar (at my LHBS inflated prices) I can prime 12 kegs. You don't need to add extra yeast, unless you do something drastic to your beer before kegging. This has been working great for me anyway.

 

[david_42]

If I've made a kit that came with priming sugar, I use it. My own recipe, I force carbonate. Never noticed any difference in clogging or clarity. Yeast doesn't grow much in the anaerobic phase, anyway.

 

[OzFactor]

@masonjax how long do you let them sit to prime and then once they are in the kegerator? i'm definitely noticing a yeasty flavor plus pretty cloudy beers the first few from my primed keg, its not making me very psyched to try it again! but pipeline wise this makes the most sense to me since i dont have extra lines from my gas bottle and/or room in the keezer for the extra kegs....

 

[PseudoChef]

Since I have built my pipeline up, I have started priming my kegs. This allows me to keep two on tap at all times, and once one kicks, I can throw another on there without waiting for it to carb up. This is only due to me only having fridge/tap space for two at a time, so YMMV.

 

[masonsjax]

I ferment for 4 weeks, then prime. Then I llet them sit for about 2-4 weeks before they end up in the keezer, depending on how soon I have a free tap. I haven't noticed them being any more "yeasty" or cloudy than usual. I always have some crud in the first pint or so, with or without priming. The only difference is that primed kegs are carbed up and ready to drink as soon as they're chilled.

 

[marzsit]

co2 is cheaper than sugar, and you end up with clear beer.

 

[masonsjax]

For me, co2 means a trip out of the way and $20 + tax for 5lbs. I want to conserve as much as possible. Sugar is much easier to come by, and cheap enough for me to not even consider it an expense. The fact that I can drink a fully carbed beer the day after hooking it up, instead of waiting 2 weeks is a good bonus.

 

[Hammy71]

co2 is cheaper than sugar, and you end up with clear beer.

Have to go with Mason on this one. CO2 isn't cheaper for me by far. I natural carb about half my kegs. Clarity has never been an issue with either. In my experience cloudy beer comes from kegging/bottling to soon. If clear beer goes in....you usually get clear beer out (with the exception of chill haze which I correct in my kegs with gelatin.) My pipe line is far enough ahead of consumption that natural carb just seems the way to go.