5L mini kegs - can I fill and keep them like bottles?

[IanBrew]

Hi all,

New member - first question! Been brewing a mix of kits, mini mash and AG for a few years now and have always bottled which is becoming a pain in the proverbial.

I'm looking at the S/S mini kegs like the Dark Farm ones with the CO2 charger / tap outlet - not the retail outlet type with the rubber bungs. I have a couple of questions which I've answered many times myself but still not convinced I'm on the right path....

1. If I syphon beer straight from the fermenter into the keg, screw on the ball lock cap and force carb with CO2 at the right temp / pressure / timescale in the force carb tables am I good to go?
2. I'd like to get a couple of spare kegs (only one will be in use at the same time) so don't want to buy more taps / chargers etc. Can I do one of the following on my spare kegs:
a) Drop in some beer from the fermenter and seal with an ordinary cap and replace the cap with the ball lock assembly and force carb when I'm ready to use it? I'm a bit concerned about oxidisation.
b) Drop in some beer from the fermenter and add a bit of priming sugar to give me a CO2 cushion in the headspace, seal and fit the ball lock and tap when I'm ready to use it?
c) Drop in some beer from the fermenter, buy an extra ball lock cap for each keg, force carb, then use the tap on any one of them? Will the beer leak from the ball lock cap?
3. As another option, could. I put some beer into a glass demijohn and leave uncarbonated until use it in the keg? How long will this last, or would I need some priming sugar as 2a above?

As you can see, I've probably overthought this massively, but I'm sure someone else has had this scenario!

Many thanks for any help / opinions. I understand completely if you're rolling around laughing at my thought process..... :tinhat:

 

[Galena]

Hi all,

New member - first question! Been brewing a mix of kits, mini mash and AG for a few years now and have always bottled which is becoming a pain in the proverbial.

I'm looking at the S/S mini kegs like the Dark Farm ones with the CO2 charger / tap outlet - not the retail outlet type with the rubber bungs. I have a couple of questions which I've answered many times myself but still not convinced I'm on the right path....

1. If I syphon beer straight from the fermenter into the keg, screw on the ball lock cap and force carb with CO2 at the right temp / pressure / timescale in the force carb tables am I good to go?
2. I'd like to get a couple of spare kegs (only one will be in use at the same time) so don't want to buy more taps / chargers etc. Can I do one of the following on my spare kegs:
a) Drop in some beer from the fermenter and seal with an ordinary cap and replace the cap with the ball lock assembly and force carb when I'm ready to use it? I'm a bit concerned about oxidisation.
b) Drop in some beer from the fermenter and add a bit of priming sugar to give me a CO2 cushion in the headspace, seal and fit the ball lock and tap when I'm ready to use it?
c) Drop in some beer from the fermenter, buy an extra ball lock cap for each keg, force carb, then use the tap on any one of them? Will the beer leak from the ball lock cap?
3. As another option, could. I put some beer into a glass demijohn and leave uncarbonated until use it in the keg? How long will this last, or would I need some priming sugar as 2a above?

As you can see, I've probably overthought this massively, but I'm sure someone else has had this scenario!

Many thanks for any help / opinions. I understand completely if you're rolling around laughing at my thought process..... :tinhat:

Hi, I asked very similar questions recently on THIS THREAD take a read and there are links to some videos on the subject on that thread, but from what I gleaned :

1) Yes, pretty much, you can either pressurise and leave for a week or so, or if in a hurry you can force carb it.
2)
a) You possibly could if you fill it to the brim but I'm pretty sure you would be better off getting a ball lock cap with each vessel, CO2 and set and forget, then it is good to go, you only need one tap, regulator and disconnects for as many kegs as you want.
b)Yes you can naturally carbonate, fill the vessel as you would a bottle and fit the ball lock, you could purge with CO2 to remove oxygen as an option.
C) I think you should get a ball lock cap for everyone whatever method you use and as I described above, yes you can use the tap on any of them.
3) I wouldn't do that myself

 

[IanBrew]

Hi, I asked very similar questions recently on THIS THREAD take a read and there are links to some videos on the subject on that thread, but from what I gleaned :

1) Yes, pretty much, you can either pressurise and leave for a week or so, or if in a hurry you can force carb it.
2)
a) You possibly could if you fill it to the brim but I'm pretty sure you would be better off getting a ball lock cap with each vessel, CO2 and set and forget, then it is good to go, you only need one tap, regulator and disconnects for as many kegs as you want.
b)Yes you can naturally carbonate, fill the vessel as you would a bottle and fit the ball lock, you could purge with CO2 to remove oxygen as an option.
C) I think you should get a ball lock cap for everyone whatever method you use and as I described above, yes you can use the tap on any of them.
3) I wouldn't do that myself

Thanks Galena,

That's helpful and kind of what I thought but wasn't sure if I could rely on the ball lock posts making a permanent seal.
Option 3 - I'm not sure I'd do that either unless anyone has succeeded in the past. I recall reading it somewhere as a suggestion and I have a couple lurking in the shed that I need to make use of.

Thanks again....

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Hi, I asked very similar questions recently on THIS THREAD take a read and there are links to some videos on the subject on that thread, but from what I gleaned :

1) Yes, pretty much, you can either pressurise and leave for a week or so, or if in a hurry you can force carb it.
2)
a) You possibly could if you fill it to the brim but I'm pretty sure you would be better off getting a ball lock cap with each vessel, CO2 and set and forget, then it is good to go, you only need one tap, regulator and disconnects for as many kegs as you want.
b)Yes you can naturally carbonate, fill the vessel as you would a bottle and fit the ball lock, you could purge with CO2 to remove oxygen as an option.
C) I think you should get a ball lock cap for everyone whatever method you use and as I described above, yes you can use the tap on any of them.
3) I wouldn't do that myself

I agree

 

[stubrewworx]

Thanks, you're asking questions i had.

Just to clarify...

3) do you mean naturally carb with the ordinary cap and then switch to ball lock with tap when ready to drink?

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Thanks, you're asking questions i had.

Just to clarify...

3) do you mean naturally carb with the ordinary cap and then switch to ball lock with tap when ready to drink?

No. I would get a spear for each of your kegs and naturally Carbonate. Then when you are ready to go, just attach your tap and regulator and enjoy.
You will lose all of the built up co2 in the head space if you unscrew the cap and swap it out for the spear.

 

[Galena]

No. I would get a spear for each of your kegs and naturally Carbonate. Then when you are ready to go, just attach your tap and regulator and enjoy.
You will lose all of the built up co2 in the head space if you unscrew the cap and swap it out for the spear.

Do you think it is worthwhile purging with CO2 prior to natural carbonation, just to remove the oxygen? I have 2 mini kegs now and my next brew should be ready on Sunday, I think I will naturally carbonate one and set and forget the other.

 

[IanBrew]

Thanks, you're asking questions i had.

Just to clarify...

3) do you mean naturally carb with the ordinary cap and then switch to ball lock with tap when ready to drink?

Hi, Option 3 was with a glass demijohn so maybe just a stopper / ferm lock then decant into a mini keg.

If you mean 2a) then yes. And possibly top up with CO2 to make it flow.

 

[IanBrew]

No. I would get a spear for each of your kegs and naturally Carbonate. Then when you are ready to go, just attach your tap and regulator and enjoy.
You will lose all of the built up co2 in the head space if you unscrew the cap and swap it out for the spear.

Thanks, good point. However, would that matter if I force carb'd again? Or doesn't it work like that?

 

[IanBrew]

Do you think it is worthwhile purging with CO2 prior to natural carbonation, just to remove the oxygen? I have 2 mini kegs now and my next brew should be ready on Sunday, I think I will naturally carbonate one and set and forget the other.

I'd guess that the headspace on a natural carbonation builds up a cushion of CO2? Just like boating would be my line of thought. Happy to be corrected though!

 

[Galena]

I'd guess that the headspace on a natural carbonation builds up a cushion of CO2? Just like boating would be my line of thought. Happy to be corrected though!

Well carbonation in bottling can lead to oxygenisation if you leave too much headroom

 

[stubrewworx]

Sorry, meant b. But fireside answered my query. As you can buy a set of 2 kegs with 1 ball lock cap and normal cap. I thought i would force carb one keg whilst the other naturally carbs with normal cap on. Then just swap caps and serve the naturally carbed one with pressure.

But it seems a 2nd ball lock cap would be best, for reasons fireside stated.

Cheers

 

[IanBrew]

Well carbonation in bottling can lead to oxygenisation if you leave too much headroom

Another good point! A lot to consider....:small

 

[IanBrew]

Sorry, meant b. But fireside answered my query. As you can buy a set of 2 kegs with 1 ball lock cap and normal cap. I thought i would force carb one keg whilst the other naturally carbs with normal cap on. Then just swap caps and serve the naturally carbed one with pressure.

But it seems a 2nd ball lock cap would be best, for reasons fireside stated.

Cheers

Agreed, I think that's the way to go. I can picture the rabbit hole already as two kegs surely won't be enough...... !

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Do you think it is worthwhile purging with CO2 prior to natural carbonation, just to remove the oxygen? I have 2 mini kegs now and my next brew should be ready on Sunday, I think I will naturally carbonate one and set and forget the other.

I fill and then purge. Even if my intention is to naturally Carbonate. I want to replace the air in the head space with less damaging co2 as quickly as possible.
Glad you managed to get some kegs though. Let me know how you go with them

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Thanks, good point. However, would that matter if I force carb'd again? Or doesn't it work like that?

Technically it wouldn’t matter. The beer itself should remain carbonated whilst you swap out the tops. I would just argue that you would be doing a process twice that you could do once. Saving time and co2. Personally I like to just put the spear on and leave to naturally carb.

 

[IanBrew]

Thanks everyone for the tips. Two 5l kegs and the spear tops, tap etc on order from brew2bottle now.......can't wait!

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Here is a brew that I have just tapped. Naturally Carbonated in the keg for 3 weeks with 40 grams o plain old sugar.
It’s a 6%abv Belgian Beer. Served, as you can see, from my dark farms 10litre keg.
Co2 at 15psi.
Beautiful thick stable head.

 

[Galena]

Here is a brew that I have just tapped. Naturally Carbonated in the keg for 3 weeks with 40 grams o plain old sugar.
It’s a 6%abv Belgian Beer. Served, as you can see, from my dark farms 10litre keg.
Co2 at 15psi.
Beautiful thick stable head.

Looks very nice too, I can't wait to get mine filled now. I also just bought 2 cornies and a gas bottle so looking forward to joining the world of kegging.

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Looks very nice too, I can't wait to get mine filled now. I also just bought 2 cornies and a gas bottle so looking forward to joining the world of kegging.

Oh, fantastic. You won’t look back.
Please, send me some picks of your first pour. I can’t wait. I am excited for you