Is it possible to re-secondary a beer that has been kegged?

[LaurieGator]

I am wondering if it is possible to put a beer back into secondary that has already been kegged?

We were at an event recently and one of our most experienced brewers had made up 2 kegs of his famous Scottish Ale... When we poured the first beer, we discovered the batches were infected with Lacto...

Would you be able to put the infected beer onto some fruit and possibly save this batch? It was such a pity to watch all of this beer get poured out because of Lacto...

 

[shanecb]

I don't see any reason why not, but someone else may. Seems to me like as long as you de-gas it and purge the headspace with CO2 after you transfer it there shouldn't be any issue, especially if you aren't planning to continue fermenting in any way.

 

[kanzimonson]

I've heard a lot of people say that unintentionally infected beers don't usually turn out very well. For example, you make an amber ale, only to find at drinking time that it's infected. So you let the bugs run their course and then say it's a Flanders Red. Doesn't work that well.

I know it sucks to be faced with the "dump or salvage" question but there aren't a lot of success stories with this. At best you might end up with a mediocre fruit beer.

But to actually answer your question, you'd probably be fine transferring to secondary. I wouldn't even degas it, just run it through a picnic tap with a racking cane attached to it, down to the bottom of the receiving fermenter. As the carbonated beer goes flat, it will help with pushing some of the air out the secondary.

 

[shanecb]

As the carbonated beer goes flat, it will help with pushing some of the air out the secondary.

Good point, I didn't really think of that.