Keg storage

[muise]

I've been brewing a lot more beer than usual so I'll need to start storing kegs for 3-6 weeks before they're tapped. I'm curious what methods others use for storing/transferring beer in kegs before they hit the tap.

I just dumped a cream ale after it sat in a keg for 4 weeks at 68f-70f. I didn't so anything specific when this was kegged, just racked and sat aside. After some reading I definitely should have put some pressure in the head space to create a strong seal. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong but this was a 10 Gallon batch and this 5 tasted awful while the other 5 was great.

Would this process be adequate moving forward:

- Clean and sanitize
- Fill keg with c02 while purging oxygen
- Rack beer to keg
- Purge oxygen and pressurize lid

Can I store at room temperature for this long?

Or..... Should I look at investing in some hardware so I can keg from the carboy under pressure, is this overkill?

Cheers!

[jtmwhyte]

That sounds good. I have stored kegs of bigger beers for up to a year like that.

[jason.loxton]

As long as your process is reasonably clean, they'll be fine stored like that. In fact, you might get some additional benefits from yeast scavenging up precursors, etc.

If you store it cold, you'll get a brighter beer, probably, but it'll clear up nicely just hanging out.

Definitely make sure you pressurize and check your seal!

[CorneliusAlphonse]

yeah if your beer was clean to begin with, that process will work great! for sealing the lid, I always hit it with 30psi to give it a good tight seal (some of that will dissolve into the beer, so after a day or two the pressure in the keg will drop down a lot, but seal will still be tight)

[LeafMan66_67]

Definitely no issue with storage for that long, as long as you purge and pressurize. Why not go one step further and and some priming sugar to the keg? If it is sitting for a few weeks anyway, may as well carb it up so it is ready to go when you want it.

[mackay85]

Hey folks, just wanted to say thanks to everyone posting here. I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but had the same questions.

[jeffsmith]

yeah if your beer was clean to begin with, that process will work great! for sealing the lid, I always hit it with 30psi to give it a good tight seal (some of that will dissolve into the beer, so after a day or two the pressure in the keg will drop down a lot, but seal will still be tight)

I do the same. Always brew 10 or 15 gallon batches and have never run into an issue with the stored kegs.

[muise]

yeah if your beer was clean to begin with, that process will work great! for sealing the lid, I always hit it with 30psi to give it a good tight seal (some of that will dissolve into the beer, so after a day or two the pressure in the keg will drop down a lot, but seal will still be tight)

Awesome!

I guess I'll find out if my beer is clean or not.

[ackes]

Hey everyone, had this same question - so I thought I’d post it here - rather than start a new thread.

I guess my only other questions are:

- When pressuring with CO2 - is the goal simply to purge the O2 and seal the lid?

- Or are people leaving it on CO2 for a few days to get it adequately carbonated and then storing?

-What do breweries around here do? Seems like this is something they’d run into on a regular basis when shipping kegs to be tapped at a later date.

Cheers


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[RossBee]

I generally do 25 gallon batches. Before racking to kegs, I fill open keg with CO2, rack into it, put lid on, add 30 psi of CO2, bleed off and repeat 3 times. Put 30 psi on keg while rocking for about 10 minutes, apply soap to lid and ports to check for leaks. Have been storing at room temperature in excess of 6 months without any issues.

[ackes]

I generally do 25 gallon batches. Before racking to kegs, I fill open keg with CO2, rack into it, put lid on, add 30 psi of CO2, bleed off and repeat 3 times. Put 30 psi on keg while rocking for about 10 minutes, apply soap to lid and ports to check for leaks. Have been storing at room temperature in excess of 6 months without any issues.

That’s great - thanks. I’ll see if I can borrow a beer gun to purge with CO2 before I fill it. Cheers.


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[elreplica]

Hey everyone, had this same question - so I thought I’d post it here - rather than start a new thread.

I guess my only other questions are:

- When pressuring with CO2 - is the goal simply to purge the O2 and seal the lid?

- Or are people leaving it on CO2 for a few days to get it adequately carbonated and then storing?

-What do breweries around here do? Seems like this is something they’d run into on a regular basis when shipping kegs to be tapped at a later date.

Cheers


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Hmmm...storing beer...I would say yes...purge and carb...de oxidize the beer...I have some kegged beer half year in that’s still ok...and...breweries often fill from their brite tanks with carbed beer...but...unless air is purged the keg is nothing more than a carbed growler...I think...

[elreplica]

I generally do 25 gallon batches. Before racking to kegs, I fill open keg with CO2, rack into it, put lid on, add 30 psi of CO2, bleed off and repeat 3 times. Put 30 psi on keg while rocking for about 10 minutes, apply soap to lid and ports to check for leaks. Have been storing at room temperature in excess of 6 months without any issues.

Do you have a CO2 generator? I’m always amazed at all the CO2 stories given the cost of filling a small 5 lb bottle...sorry...not totally directed at you Ross but...$25 on an exchange at Noble Grape...

[CorneliusAlphonse]

That’s great - thanks. I’ll see if I can borrow a beer gun to purge with CO2 before I fill it. Cheers.

Hook your gas line onto the liquid out port if it fits, that way it'll fill the keg from the bottom.

Do you have a CO2 generator? I’m always amazed at all the CO2 stories given the cost of filling a small 5 lb bottle...sorry...not totally directed at you Ross but...$25 on an exchange at Noble Grape...

Filling a keg with 0 psig gaseous co2 doesn't use much at all. But if it still bothers you, there are other options to reduce costs - pay for the fill at a gas supplier rather than exchange, get a larger tank, naturally carb your keg ...

[ackes]

That’s great - thanks. I’ll see if I can borrow a beer gun to purge with CO2 before I fill it. Cheers.

Hook your gas line onto the liquid out port if it fits, that way it'll fill the keg from the bottom.

Probably could do some rearranging to make that work. I'm using pin lock kegs, so I guess I could swap a liquid quick disconnect with a gas on one of the spots on the manifold and give er a go that way.

I think I'll try the beer gun this time, but will definitely keep that in mind for next time.

Thanks!