Venting Mini Kegs

MyQul · Nov 25, 2016

I've always found the beer from a mini keg tastes better on the second day after opening the the keg. Perhaps becuase when you open a keg, I think, the yeast sediment gets disturbed then by the following day it settles back down again.

I was reading about how pubs vent their cask/kegs the other day. So I thought I'd have a go with a mini keg. Yesterday I opened the bung/vent of a recently filled MK, let the C02 out then closed it again before putting it in the fridge. I'll see if it's made any sort of difference later this eve when I tap a pint.

The instructions for mini kegs on the adnams site actually say to do the above;

http://adnams.co.uk/about/news/beer-news/all-about-adnams-mini-casks/
2. Ventilate the mini cask by lifting the top tab and turn from 0 to 1. Allow the beer inside the mini cask to settle for 24 hours.
.
Anyone else vent their mini kegs?

Leon103 · Nov 25, 2016

Never done this might give it a try

DoctorMick · Nov 25, 2016

I'd also be interested in trying it. Does it mean you have a day less to drink it tho?

machin05 · Nov 25, 2016

MyQul said:
I've always found the beer from a mini keg tastes better on the second day after opening the the keg. Perhaps becuase when you open a keg, I think, the yeast sediment gets disturbed then by the following day it settles back down again.

I was reading about how pubs vent their cask/kegs the other day. So I thought I'd have a go with a mini keg. Yesterday I opened the bung/vent of a recently filled MK, let the C02 out then closed it again before putting it in the fridge. I'll see if it's made any sort of difference later this eve when I tap a pint.

The instructions for mini kegs on the adnams site actually say to do the above;

http://adnams.co.uk/about/news/beer-news/all-about-adnams-mini-casks/
2. Ventilate the mini cask by lifting the top tab and turn from 0 to 1. Allow the beer inside the mini cask to settle for 24 hours.
.
Anyone else vent their mini kegs?

Looks like Adnams are suggesting leaving the vent open for that first 24 hours. Not sure if that would make a difference?

MyQul · Nov 25, 2016

machin05 said:
Looks like Adnams are suggesting leaving the vent open for that first 24 hours. Not sure if that would make a difference?

It might do. When you first open a MK the release of C02 seems to effectively rouse the yeast. This might get it fermenting again so any further C02 produced will be able to escape instead of building up in the MK again. But tbh I'm not sure. As you say it may make no difference at all

MyQul · Dec 19, 2016

I've been doing some more experimenting with venting, and if you want a perfect English style beer; bitter,porter, mild, stout ( but not nitroed to within an inch of it's life), carbed at the correct (low) rate this works really well. Just like it's been poured in a pub that keeps it's beer well.

I opened a keg yesterday to vent but had to close the bung vent again shortly after because the beer was coming out of the bung vent. I've found, the trick is to open the vent to let the C02 out and close it again, leave it for about 20 mins or so and open the vent again to the let the C02 build up out. Then do this about 2-3 times then leave the MK with the vent open for 24hours

MyQul · Dec 19, 2016

More tips.

To get a good amount of head on the pint. Hold your pint glass so it's parallel to the MK with the rim of the pint glass touching the extended tap and let the beer just pour/splash in the the bottom of the pint glass. With a more carbonated beer you'd get masses of foam/head but as the beer is now vented and at a low carbonation you just end up with about a cm of or two of head.
I'd say this is more of a 'southern' head as it's not thick and doesnt last that long but you get some lacing that lasts most of the way down the pint

Venting Mini Kegs

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