Fill keg and leave aside

[xben]

Hi there,

I purchased everything I need to keg, except for the fridge. I will build my kegerator next summer so I won't (technically) be able to keg before.

However, I am wondering this:

is it possible to brew few batches in advance by filling my kegs (4) and leave them pressurized at X psi at room temp until my kegerator is ready?

thanks!

 

[iijakii]

Sure, why not? Just make sure you pressurize. You can carbonate at room temp at around 30 PSI (refer to a chart) or just seal them up and carbonate later if you want. Probably shouldnt do anything too hoppy if they'll be at room temp for a length of time.

 

[bleme]

I would add priming sugar, rack onto that, seal it and purge with CO2. That will carbonate your keg, save some CO2, and scavenge the oxygen left over from purging so it will keep better.

 

[pvpeacock]

I agree with Bleme. It's a nice way to build up a "pipeline" of kegs so you never run out.

 

[PADave]

I would add priming sugar, rack onto that, seal it and purge with CO2. That will carbonate your keg, save some CO2, and scavenge the oxygen left over from purging so it will keep better.

I only have a single keg fridge for the time being, but this is my procedure. Work well.

 

[skraeling]

I agree with Bleme. It's a nice way to build up a "pipeline" of kegs so you never run out.

I don’t have enough kegs

 

[bleme]

I don’t have enough kegs

You will NEVER have enough kegs.

 

[IslandLizard]

You can "store" those kegs in a spare fridge or freezer with a temp controller. Even in an idle fermentation fridge. Then tap with picnic taps ==> Good beer on tap!

 

[pvpeacock]

I have too many kegs.....empty kegs!

 

[xben]

Hi!

I did my first keeging yesterday but I still have a question. I added priming sugar, pressurized to 30PSI and purge 2-3 times, pressurized again to 30 and disconnected the gaz line. I verified for leaks and left the kef aside. This morning, the keg is no longer pressurized. Is it because the gaz was absorbed by the beer?

This morning, I repressurized ans double checked for leaks.. everything looks fine

thanks!

 

[mongoose33]

Hi!

I did my first keeging yesterday but I still have a question. I added priming sugar, pressurized to 30PSI and purge 2-3 times, pressurized again to 30 and disconnected the gaz line. I verified for leaks and left the kef aside. This morning, the keg is no longer pressurized. Is it because the gaz was absorbed by the beer?

This morning, I repressurized ans double checked for leaks.. everything looks fine

thanks!

First, if you add priming sugar you don't need to pressurize it any more than to make sure the lid is sealed. I assume that's what you're doing?

The 30psi gas will be absorbed by the beer; typically you'll carbonate to 2.5 or so volumes of gas, but if you think about how much headspace you have in that keg (maybe an inch or so?), there's not much gas there. So it was absorbed overnight.

Assuming there are no prior issues w/ the keg (o-rings, other sealing issues), that's what's going on.

Wait about 3 days and then release the PRV for a bit to see if you're building pressure. The yeast will do this. If you get any "psssstttt" at all, you're building pressure and then just leave it until the conditioning is finished.

 

[IslandLizard]

What @mongoose33 says ^.

But you'll need to make 100% sure that lid is sealed or the keg won't carbonate. The biggest problem you'll encounter with "naturally carbonating" is that it is slow, and won't build up enough pressure fast enough to seal the lid. Depending on the quality of that seal, many keg lids don't seal at low pressures (say <6 psi). Even the smallest leak will prevent the keg from carbonating, the sugar will just ferment out slowly or worse, it gets stuck leaving a sweeter beer behind.

I'd keep that keg connected to CO2 at 10-12 psi for at least a week, at room temps, to make sure it carbonates naturally.

 

[IslandLizard]

Hi!

I did my first keeging yesterday but I still have a question. I added priming sugar, pressurized to 30PSI and purge 2-3 times, pressurized again to 30 and disconnected the gaz line. I verified for leaks and left the kef aside. This morning, the keg is no longer pressurized. Is it because the gaz was absorbed by the beer?

This morning, I repressurized ans double checked for leaks.. everything looks fine

thanks!

Congrats!

How large is that headspace, roughly? Don't open the keg, just estimate from memory from when you put the lid on. As @mongoose33 said, if it's only an inch or so there's just not enough gas.

After filling, you should purge at least 5 times at 25-30psi unless you do a 100% liquid pre-purge and fill the closed keg (lid remains on) through the liquid QD.

 

[mongoose33]

Congrats!

How large is that headspace, roughly? Don't open the keg, just estimate from memory from when you put the lid on. As @mongoose33 said, if it's only an inch or so there's just not enough gas.

After filling, you should purge at least 5 times at 25-30psi unless you do a 100% liquid pre-purge and fill the closed keg (lid remains on) through the liquid QD.

Since he's conditioning in the keg, that yeast will consume whatever oxygen is left. What he's doing is actually part of the LODO routine--though mostly the LODO people will keg the beer from the fermenter with about 5 gravity points left to full attenuation.

 

[homebrewer_99]

At the moment, I have 5 kegs in the keezer, 1 in the garage, 2 on tap and 13 empties. I guess that adds up to 21.

Two of the empties should be filled today.



UPDATE: I forgot to mention that I also have 8 batches in primaries and carboys.

 

[xben]

The headspace was close to 1 in like guessed.. I ended purging 5 times and connected to 12 psi... I'll wait 1 week and disconnect to see.

thanks everyone!

 

[mongoose33]

The headspace was close to 1 in like guessed.. I ended purging 5 times and connected to 12 psi... I'll wait 1 week and disconnect to see.

thanks everyone!

Well, at the end of one week you're going to have a partially-carbed beer due to having it on 12 psi.

 

[IslandLizard]

Well, at the end of one week you're going to have a partially-carbed beer due to having it on 12 psi.

I do realize that, but how else can you guarantee the lid remains sealed under 0 psi? Pressurize keg at 25-30 psi to "seat" it, latch the bale, then release all or most pressure to say 6 psi, and disconnect the gas? Keep keg at room temps for 3-4 weeks to make sure yeast will remain active to ferment the priming sugar and pressurize the keg?

The OP had pressurized at 30 psi, and found the keg without residual pressure the next day. Since the dissolved gas and gas in headspace would be in equilibrium, shouldn't there be at least some pressure left? Now in that scenario, a mere 1" headspace may not be enough, headspace volume comes into the equation to help keeping the lid sealed for the first few days. Would leaving a quart of headspace at 30 psi work better?

 

[mongoose33]

I do realize that, but how else can you guarantee the lid remains sealed under 0 psi? Pressurize keg at 25-30 psi to "seat" it, latch the bail, then release all or most pressure to say 6 psi, and disconnect the gas? Keep keg at room temps for 3-4 weeks to make sure yeast will remain active to ferment the priming sugar and pressurize the keg?

The OP had pressurized at 30 psi, and found the keg without residual pressure the next day. Since the dissolved gas and gas in headspace would be in equilibrium, shouldn't there be at least some pressure left? Now in that scenario, a mere 1" headspace may not be enough, headspace volume comes into the equation to help keeping the lid sealed for the first few days. Would leaving a quart of headspace at 30 psi work better?

Once everything is seated correctly the springs/bale should hold them in place. If you're worried about the bale holding the lid tightly against the opening, you can put a dime or nickel under each foot of the bale to increase the pressure it is applying to the lid and o-ring.

And, of course, use keg lube to ensure the seals slide into place.

 

[IslandLizard]

Once everything is seated correctly the springs/bale should hold them in place. If you're worried about the bale holding the lid tightly against the opening, you can put a dime or nickel under each foot of the bale to increase the pressure it is applying to the lid and o-ring.

And, of course, use keg lube to ensure the seals slide into place.

Sure, that's the method.
But no guarantee there's not a small leak somewhere at 0 psi. I guess after 2-3 weeks he'd find out if it worked or not.

 

[mongoose33]

Sure, that's the method.
But no guarantee there's not a small leak somewhere at 0 psi. I guess after 2-3 weeks he'd find out if it worked or not.

There are no guarantees for anything. For example, we're all at risk of a meteor hitting our place and ruining whatever beer is fermenting.

You can hit it with gas to make sure everything is seated, then back off.

 

[xben]

I carefully listen for "hssssssss", sprayed the lid and posts for leaks and did not notice any leak. I let the pressure to 12psi and plan to disconnect it in 1 week to see if the pressure is kept.