Storing Kegs
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LiverDance
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Storing Kegs
What is the best way to store kegs at room temp before serving? Do you carb them first or just top them up with 30psi?
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.
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mr x
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Re: Storing Kegs
Do mean you just racked into them? If so, I hit them with 30-60 psi (depending on how long I have to wait) and leave them for a few days. Usually gets me into the ballpark.
At Alexander Keith's we follow the recipes first developed by the great brewmaster to the absolute letter. 
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LiverDance
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Re: Storing Kegs
I'm making beer for a party so It's not going into my frige right away, I've racked it and purged the oxygen and topped up the keg with 30 psi then disconnected it. My plan is to wait and cool it and carb it in a couple of weeks. I was wondering if it would be better to cool and carb it now then take it out and store it at room temp till i have space in the fridge.
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.
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mr x
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Re: Storing Kegs
I always leave my warm kegs on some gas until I'm confident I've got a couple volumes in there. Pure guesswork, but I've been getting better as estimating the more I do it. My preferred method is natural carbing though, especially if I've got a couple weeks. Never fails.
At Alexander Keith's we follow the recipes first developed by the great brewmaster to the absolute letter.
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LiverDance
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Re: Storing Kegs
ah yessss, natural carbing! That's what I'll do, I almost forgot about that method 
You must have to pour off the first pint to get rid of sediment?
You must have to pour off the first pint to get rid of sediment?"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.
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mr x
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Re: Storing Kegs
Yeah. No matter which method I use, my first pint has sediment. But you don't have to carry any trub/yeastcake over to get carbonation, I've always had enough suspended yeast to do the job, even in beers that look relatively clear. But I would be wary about trying it with a beer that's been in a carboy for 2 months or more.
Last edited by mr x on Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
At Alexander Keith's we follow the recipes first developed by the great brewmaster to the absolute letter.
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akr71
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Re: Storing Kegs
And lose all that vitamin B?LiverDance wrote:ah yessss, natural carbing! That's what I'll do, I almost forgot about that method
Andy
"Now son, you don't want to drink beer. That's for Daddies, and kids with fake IDs." - Homer J. Simpson
"Now son, you don't want to drink beer. That's for Daddies, and kids with fake IDs." - Homer J. Simpson
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derek
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Re: Storing Kegs
LOL.akr71 wrote:And lose all that vitamin B?LiverDance wrote:ah yessss, natural carbing! That's what I'll do, I almost forgot about that method
Cracked a keg for my corn boil last weekend, and since it wasn't me drinking it, I suggested he should just throw out the first glass, but I always drink it.
Like Robert, I can't say I see much difference in the first pint between the kegs I've allowed to finish their secondary in the keg and the ones I've fermented completely before kegging.
Currently on tap: Nothing!
In keg: Still nothing.
In Primary: Doggone American Rye Pale Ale
In keg: Still nothing.
In Primary: Doggone American Rye Pale Ale
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LiverDance
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Re: Storing Kegs
How much corn sugar do you guys use in a keg? Are the Beersmith numbers good to follow?
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.
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derek
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Re: Storing Kegs
I've used LME about 100 - 125g per keg, or held back some of my wort (tricky and not worth it).LiverDance wrote:How much corn sugar do you guys use in a keg? Are the Beersmith numbers good to follow?
Currently on tap: Nothing!
In keg: Still nothing.
In Primary: Doggone American Rye Pale Ale
In keg: Still nothing.
In Primary: Doggone American Rye Pale Ale
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mr x
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Re: Storing Kegs
I use the table at the back of Brewing Classic Styles. I always use corn sugar, and IIRC, it's in the 3-5 oz range for medium carbonation.
At Alexander Keith's we follow the recipes first developed by the great brewmaster to the absolute letter.
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LiverDance
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Re: Storing Kegs
I added my corn sugar to the kegs last night, ended up using 120g as per the BCS book like x suggested. I checked the numbers in beersmith and it said to use about 1/2 of that amount, not sure why the big difference but I trust BCS over Beersmith on this one.
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.
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RobD
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Re: Storing Kegs
Charlie Papazian says 1/3 cup of corn sugar. I'm not sure how that translates to weight. I've always had success with that.
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mr x
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Re: Storing Kegs
I think the discrepancy between BCS and Beersmith is that BS is accounting for less headspace in the kegs than a bunch of bottles, where BCS assumes priming=bottling, and requires more sugar? Just a guess....
At Alexander Keith's we follow the recipes first developed by the great brewmaster to the absolute letter.
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