It's Kegging Time 2019

[Norris!]

19 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Clarity wasn't fantastic although a reasonable amount of that would be yeast, which should largely settle out before I try it properly. Only used isinglass in this batch. The next one going in I'll make sure I use polyclar as well. Sure it's mainly a visual thing but I do get a bit of a kick out of making clear beer at home. 

I am with you, it doesnt matter but as been widely said on here, we partly drink with our eyes. If I intend for a beer to be clear, I am a little disappointed when it isn't. I get over it quickly if it tastes nice.

I did try to clear a batch recently that will not clear. I fined it with gelatin but I think the hop haze is too much for it, all late additions with a big dry hop. Nice beer, close to the coopers XPA but I wanted it clear.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Gelatine probably won't do much for hop haze anyway. It targets yeast and protein more so. I've had varying degrees of success with clarifying hoppy ales. Some come out crystal and others still have a bit of haze. Nothing like the amount they'd have untreated though. 

Interestingly my pilsners contain more hops than any other beer I brew, by weight, and they almost always come out clear as anything. 

[Pezzza]

59 minutes ago, Norris! said:

I get over it quickly if it tastes nice.

Ha ha luvyerwork Norris! 

[Shamus O'Sean]

AG Brewday Saturday still took ages.  But in between I cleaned and sanitised two secondhand kegs ready for my California Riptide Pale Ale and my Abbey Dubbel.

To get these ready for 'closed transfer' filling (although only half full, due to the craft batches going into them) I also

• filled one keg with 19L of water that I pushed into the other keg with CO2 gas
• pushed the 19L out of the second keg with CO2 gas (into a cube for cleaning)
• pushed 5L of sanitiser into the first keg from a converted garden pump sprayer
• shook up the keg to coat the inside with sanitiser
• pushed the sanitiser from keg 1 into keg 2 with CO2 gas
• repeat shaking the second keg
• pushed out the sanitiser from keg 2

Is something like this, that leaves the kegs sanitised and full of CO2, good practice/necessary?

[RDT2]

On 4/19/2020 at 12:34 PM, Otto Von Blotto said:

 

Interestingly my pilsners contain more hops than any other beer I brew, by weight, and they almost always come out clear as anything. 

Would that be because pretty much only Pilsner malt is used in Pilsners and the more complex grain bill in pale ales eg wheat etc could cause a bit of haze although you said before you don’t use much if any wheat in a previous thread?

Edited April 20, 2020 by RDT2

[Otto Von Blotto]

3 hours ago, RDT2 said:

Would that be because pretty much only Pilsner malt is used in Pilsners and the more complex grain bill in pale ales eg wheat etc could cause a bit of haze although you said before you don’t use much if any wheat in a previous thread?

Yeah I'm not sure what it is. Could be that the majority of the hops in the pilsners are early boil additions rather than late, and no dry hop. Could be the extremely soft water I use in them. Maybe Saaz doesn't contain as much of whatever it is that causes hop haze. The only other difference is that they get 2 weeks cold in the fermenter before kegging, and usually longer in the keg before I drink them. They're usually a lot clearer at kegging time than ales though. 

Correct, I don't use wheat at all. I did use it when I first started AG, then stopped when it ran out. I didn't think leaving it out made the beers worse so I never bothered buying it again. 

[MitchellScott]

10 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Is something like this, that leaves the kegs sanitised and full of CO2, good practice/necessary?

By all means I am sure this is probably the best way to fill kegs - no oxygen exposure and sanitised well. However, since I have started kegging I simply clean the keg with hot water/sodium perc, rinse out, then fill with some Starsan/Stellasan, tip out, put a tube from fermenter to the bottom of the keg and fill, ensuring that as soon as the keg is full I pop the lid on and purge with C02.
So far I have not had any issues that I can tell.

Filling kegs with C02 just seems like an excessive waste of C02 to me. The only style I would possibly think about doing it with would be a NEIPA.

[Journeyman]

(IM)patiently waiting the arrival of my keg gear. Auspost said it was due yesterday. Now they say it got to Adelaide 8:45 last night. Bastards!

[Geoff S]

19 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

(IM)patiently waiting the arrival of my keg gear. Auspost said it was due yesterday. Now they say it got to Adelaide 8:45 last night. Bastards!

The Post Office handlers are on drugs, my Coopers order from QLD went to Melb., then Syd out past me to Dubbo, then back to Mudgee, a well traveled package!

[Journeyman]

1 minute ago, Geoff S said:

The Post Office handlers are on drugs, my Coopers order from QLD went to Melb., then Syd out past me to Dubbo, then back to Mudgee, a well traveled package!

At present (& maybe in the past) everything seems to go to Melb first. It's like they think all planes only go to Melb and then they have to trans-ship to other places. Apparently there are no direct flights or even trucks from Sydney to Adelaide.  

[Otto Von Blotto]

Yeah I do that too Mitch, although when I clean them they often sit around for a while before being filled again so I usually let the CO2 fill them once the rinse water is all pushed out. Then just store them like that until filling. On that day I'll obviously relieve the pressure to get the lid off, starsan in the keg then tip out and fill it. 

[MitchellScott]

2 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Yeah I do that too Mitch, although when I clean them they often sit around for a while before being filled again so I usually let the CO2 fill them once the rinse water is all pushed out. Then just store them like that until filling. On that day I'll obviously relieve the pressure to get the lid off, starsan in the keg then tip out and fill it. 

Yep, very similar to me. I think a lot of people over complicate things sometimes. I dont even clean my kegs until I am ready to use them. Once my keg runs out, I take it out of the fridge and leave (dirty and filled with C02 under pressure). Then once I am ready to fill it I will rinse, sodium perc, starsan and fill.

Nothing is gonna grow in it when its completely full of C02.

Cheers

[Otto Von Blotto]

I only clean them soon after emptying as I find the yeast gets stuck if I leave them too long. A half hour or hour soak in perc will remove it but I prefer not to wait around. 

[Geoff S]

5 hours ago, Journeyman said:

At present (& maybe in the past) everything seems to go to Melb first. It's like they think all planes only go to Melb and then they have to trans-ship to other places. Apparently there are no direct flights or even trucks from Sydney to Adelaide.  

All Aust Post packages go by road, it depends on the loadmaster how they are all placed on the truck, eg whats closest to the rear doors gets dropped of 1st, effiency will not come into it. From Melb to Adelaide they will wait for a truck load to accumulate then send it.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Geoff S
More info

[Titan]

I do appreciate auspost are swamped right now with orders. But it still sucks that a product i ordered 9th is still sitting at kegland.

[Marty_G]

27 minutes ago, Titan said:

I do appreciate auspost are swamped right now with orders. But it still sucks that a product i ordered 9th is still sitting at kegland.

That is not good. I have ordered a few fittings on-line over the last month and while processing at the distributors has been a bit slower the delivery etc has not been too bad.  So overall delays have been reasonable from my experiences.  I got some fittings yesterday that took 3 days longer for the provider to process but the express postage turned up on time. 

Edited April 21, 2020 by MartyG1525230263

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

5 hours ago, MitchellScott said:

Yep, very similar to me. I think a lot of people over complicate things sometimes. I dont even clean my kegs until I am ready to use them. Once my keg runs out, I take it out of the fridge and leave (dirty and filled with C02 under pressure). Then once I am ready to fill it I will rinse, sodium perc, starsan and fill.

Nothing is gonna grow in it when its completely full of C02.

Cheers

Exactly what I do. In the garage uncleaned but under the CO2. They get cleaned when they get used again.

[Journeyman]

14 hours ago, Titan said:

I do appreciate auspost are swamped right now with orders. But it still sucks that a product i ordered 9th is still sitting at kegland.

Have you contacted KL to make sure things are OK with your order?

Auspost tracking has been reading my posts. Ordered 13th, got "on its way" text 14th, then tracking said in Melb - expect it Monday 21st, then Tuesday said it's in Adelaide - expect Tuesday, and this AM it's in Murray Bridge.

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'll be removing the keg hops from that keg today when I get home for my break. It will then be purged again and put in the kegerator to chill down and carbonate on serving pressure. Will probably try one or two next Friday night to see how it's going. Planning to pitch the next batch tomorrow after harvesting the yeast also today. 

[Journeyman]

16 hours ago, Titan said:

I do appreciate auspost are swamped right now with orders. But it still sucks that a product i ordered 9th is still sitting at kegland.

I just this minute got a response from Kegland to an order query email I sent 2 weeks ago! You definitely should give them a ring - since I sent that email I have investigated, decided what I want, ordered it and just received it from CPB.  

Unfortunately they missed sending 3 x beer disconnects. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.... STILL waiting to do kegging!

[Otto Von Blotto]

Took the hops out just before, the beer smells really nice. It's been purged and now in the kegerator beginning its chill down and carbonation process. Looking forward to trying it once carbonated next week. 

[ben 10]

16 hours ago, Greeny1525229549 said:

Exactly what I do. In the garage uncleaned but under the CO2. They get cleaned when they get used again.

I clean and usually fill the next day.Otherwise clean and ready to go.

[Shamus O'Sean]

12 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

Yeah that does suck but I usually just refill and high pressure overnight has it ready again the next day. 

Switching this query to the more appropriate topic thread.

What do you do with the other kegs in the kegerator while high pressure carbing the water keg?  Disconnect the gas?  Switch of the gas via a manifold? Something else? 

[Pezzza]

55 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Switching this query to the more appropriate topic thread.

What do you do with the other kegs in the kegerator while high pressure carbing the water keg?  Disconnect the gas?  Switch of the gas via a manifold? Something else? 

Am only a Keg Newbie Shamus - but on the manifold - would turn the other kegs off - and just carb up the Water Keg.

But I am new at this game....    @Red devil 44 might have some advice for us... you there Red?

[Shamus O'Sean]

13 minutes ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Am only a Keg Newbie Shamus - but on the manifold - would turn the other kegs off - and just carb up the Water Keg.

But I am new at this game....    @Red devil 44 might have some advice for us... you there Red?

Yes.  It makes sense that the other kegs should not be exposed to a further 30psi of fast carbing.  I just wanted to know how other folks managed this.