Lagering in Keg, then Bottle?

[Beerbeard]

Hello,

I searched and searched, and couldn't find if anyone asked or answered the specific question I have.

I'm considering buying a chest freezer, temperature controller, and a few kegs. But before I invest in CO2 equipment, I was wondering if it would be possible to just use the kegs as lagering vessels, and then bottle as normal by transfering the finished beer to a bottling bucket + priming sugar + a sprinkle of yeast?

The beer won't be carbed in the keg, so I won't need a beer gun or workaround, right?

Cheers.

 

[wailingguitar]

Right, that would work fine

 

[Beerbeard]

I feel like I've never heard of anyone doing this though, although it sounds pretty basic to me.

Is it because of the additional oxidation that the transfer from primary to keg to bottling bucket that would occur?

 

[Math0]

CO2 in the keg will mix in the beer but mostly at the bottom and a bit on the side. Everybody uses glass for a reason, that material have no taste and smell. When you open a beer, most of the CO2 comes from the bottom of the beer (same thing here). Lagering in a keg might give something different because there is no CO2. It might take some of that metal taste.

Never heard of it. I might be wrong! Someone has to try though

 

[Beerbeard]

CO2 in the keg will mix in the beer but mostly at the bottom and a bit on the side. Everybody uses glass for a reason, that material have no taste and smell. When you open a beer, most of the CO2 comes from the bottom of the beer (same thing here). Lagering in a keg might give something different because there is no CO2. It might take some of that metal taste.

Never heard of it. I might be wrong! Someone has to try though

I'm confused about what you said. Why would the 'metal taste' occur in a keg without CO2, but not with CO2?

 

[Math0]

Hard for me to say because I learned that in French. What I am trying to say is that the CO2 separates the beer from the sides and bottom of the keg. Less contact with CO2

 

[Beerbeard]

So do you personally do all of your lagering in glass carboys?

 

[Math0]

Always do! And I think it would be a pain to clean the keg before and after every time. Carboys are easier to clean.

 

[Yooper]

Hard for me to say because I learned that in French. What I am trying to say is that the CO2 separates the beer from the sides and bottom of the keg. Less contact with CO2

No, that's not going to happen. It doesn't matter if you lager in stainless or in glass, the result will be the same. There isn't any scientific reason for the co2 to matter either way.

 

[Math0]

Really? I went to get info about kegging process in a microbrewery and that's what I was told. Good to know then! Thanks Yooper

 

[BigFloyd]

Folks lager in stainless corny kegs all the time. I've got a Maibock that's been 2 months in the keg at 35*F just waiting for a spot in the keezer. I've done other lagers this way before with no problems at all.

The one thing to pay close attention to when long-term lagering, whether it be in a corny keg, glass carboy or better bottle is minimizing headspace. If you can't purge it with CO2, what's in the headspace is going to be 21% oxygen. That can lead to oxidation problems if you have too much headspace.

Even if you're not ready to drop the coin to do a full dispensing setup yet, try to get a tank, reg and gas line w/ coupling so you can purge the keg a few times before giving it the long, cold sleep.

 

[Yooper]

Really? I went to get info about kegging process in a microbrewery and that's what I was told. Good to know then! Thanks Yooper

It would be really wild to picture a brewery lagering in carboys! I can't even imagine that. How did they explain how they didn't lager or store beer in stainless? Where they using plastic?

Breweries store beer (and lager it) all the time in stainless fermenters. I've never seen glass fermenters in a brewery before.