Need advice on transporting a keg

[NurseJackie]

I'm an experienced brewer but for over 120 5 gallon batches I have bottled every one. Now a friend (and fan of my beer) from out of state has moved into a new apartment with a kegerator and has asked me to fill a corny with 5 gallons for him. The brew is finished, cold crashed and sitting full to the brim in a 5 gallon better bottle. A used ball-lock corny has arrived on my doorstep. I have figured out how to clean and sanitize the keg and plan to visit this friend in about two weeks.

Here is my question: since I have no mechanism for force carbonating the keg, should I transfer the beer to the keg and transport it uncarbonated or should I use priming sugar to start carbonation now before transporting?

It seems like the full 5 gallon carboy will fill the corny almost to the top, but I'm still concerned about oxidation during the 200 mile car trip and thought perhaps naturally priming would 1) reduce the oxygen in the keg and 2) assure the beer was ready to drink sooner once it arrives at its destination. (I am assuming that my friend will only need to chill the carbonated beer for a few days after arrival if it is naturally carbonated but would have to wait about 2 weeks for the beer to absorb CO2 from his tank if force carbonated after arrival - is this correct?

I also understand that natural carbonation will result in more yeast at the bottom. Since I don't intend to bend the dip tube, the first pint or so will likely have to be discarded - correct?

Your thoughts, suggestions and advice are appreciated.

 

[Cottonmouth]

Since you have 2 weeks and no other way to carbonate the keg except priming sugar, that's what I would do. Since your friend likes your beer that is carbonated that way anyway it shouldn't be a problem. Besides most of the yeast should drop out when the keg is chilled and be dispensed along with the first few pints.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Yes, I would definitely carb it with sugar at room temperature. You don't want the beer sitting there for two weeks without any CO2 sitting in there. And you definitely wouldn't want to transport it without the CO2 being in there either.

Yes, the first few pints will be yeasty / filled with trub.

Once it gets there, it should be pretty close to ready to drink. Put it on the gas and chill it and try some the next day.

 

[NurseJackie]

Thank you both for quick responses! I'm transferring to the keg and adding priming sugar today.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

BTW- use half the amount you would use if you were bottling it.

 

[NurseJackie]

Yes - thanks. Fortunately I came across that detail in another thread. And for the benefit of anyone coming across this thread in the future I will add that I needed to know how full to fill the keg and found that it's important to fill to below the gas in tube. Without CO2 to initially pressurize the headspace and put a tight seal in the lid it was important to seat the lid extra carefully. A little squirt of starsan on the outside of the lid confirmed the seal (it would bubble when the lid was even slightly askew.) now a few days later I gave the poppet a little push and can tell the pressure is building nicely. Thank you all for your help!


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