Keg, Sugar, Gas and Real Ale

[Brewbie]

Hi folks.

Question. If I’m brewing a real ale do I need to add sugar to my keg and then pressurise the keg. This is what I’ve been doing all along, with all my kits but if I’m not careful it flies out the tape and I end up with half a pint of froth. I’m a little worried if I don’t pressurise by the time I get half way down the keg everything else is going to be flat. Then again real ales in kegs aren’t pressurised.
I’m confused! :wha:
Thanks
Glynn.

 

[pjbiker]

Adding sugar to the keg pressurises it for you. The 'priming' sugar is fermented to carbon dioxide by the yeast, hence pressurising the keg. You may need to add additional gas later, depending on how quickly you drink it. This method allows you to keep the beer fresh. Commercial real ales (as you get from a handpull in a pub) allows air to enter the cask, spoiling the beer after 3 days or so. :geek:

 

[StrangeBrew]

Just prime the plastic keg with sugar and put the cap on... No need to pressurise the keg at this stage it will pressurise itself once the priming sugar sugar gets to work. Depending on how fast you drink your way through the keg you may not have to add any Co2 till most of the keg is drunk ! Once the beer flow slows and is taking a while to pour then add Co2 to aid flow.

Cheers...

 

[StrangeBrew]

Adding sugar to the keg pressurises it for you...

Beat me to it by 4 seconds, you must type faster than me :-)

 

[Brewbie]

Stone the crows that was quick 4 mins. :thumb:

Thanks folks I’m defiantly going to try that on the next real (or not) ale.

Which reminds me if you have an Ale that’s a bit sticky ie not a real solid fermentation do you think I can still get away with NOT adding gas? You see I thought that adding sugar gave the carbonation and that injecting the Co2 just kept the Carbonation in suspension. So if I don’t add Co2 do I need to add more sugar (85g per keg at the moment) to replace the Co2 injected.

Ta.
G.

 

[jinxy72]

85g is fine .. you dont want too much gas in your ale :thumb: