What are you doing with homebrew today?

[GFHomebrew]

super interesting layout. if you felt froggy you could always build in a quick connect and do an additional purge with a co2 bottle.

Is your setup staggered height wise? I wonder if that would make a difference as far as purging the keg with fermentation gasses?

Adding a ball valve at the end of the vent in the keg out would help ensure that you dont accidentally grab some O2 as you move hoses around. Super simple solution would be to use Quick connects with check valves built into the female qd. Not cheap but would be easy.

A butterfly valve / spunding valve will do the same on the outlet on transfer it only goes one way and you can back it off to build up pressure if needed.

 

[Herm brews]

Today I am still monitoring 3 fermentations, patiently waiting for my bottles of Best IPA+ to carbonate, and …..
Buying some new equipment!

 

[Donoroto]

I will need to get a fridge first. We have a fridge in the kitchen, but it won’t be holding any kegs. Yesterday I checked the ambient temperature in the garage; it was 45F. For the Winter season, a keg would probably be fine just sitting out there, but a fridge would be necessary for warmer seasons. There is still plenty for me to wrap my head around.

Keep your eyes out for a used one, maybe a chest freezer. Temperature control is inexpensive. No rush, but looking is free.

 

[Box of Rocks]

Watching as fermentation ramps up on my Smooth Stout, and thinking about taking a small gravity sample of Vienna Garage Lager.
My supportive wife has said yes to kegging! I know there are deals available online, but I would rather support the lhbs, and pay no sales tax. The lhbs offers refurbished 5 gallon Corny kegs for $75, or new (imported from China) for $120. They sell brand new Torpedo kegs, too, $110/2.5 gallons, $130/5gallons. A 5 pound filled aluminum CO2 tank goes for $102, and an exchange costs $25. And then there are all of the other things required.
I am not looking to increase my batch size, since I like my current setup and recipes. So I wonder if it would make sense to get a used 5 gallon Corny for fermenting, lagering and/or brite tank, and a 2.5 gallon for serving?
So much to consider!

You have lots of questions, so you can ignore my thoughts, or take my advice at your own peril!
Kegs still make sense even when doing small batch sizes and bottling. You can condition in kegs if you want, and CO2 can be cheap if you source it right.
I've picked up used 5 gallon corny kegs ranging from free (two) to $40. I also purchased a smaller 3 gallon - smaller kegs are convenient and are harder to find. Fermenting in a keg is great in many ways, but it is tougher to harvest yeast, you can't see what's going on, and the capacity of a 5 gallon corny fermenter will not fill a 5 gallon corny serving keg. I am tempted by a 7 gallon all rounder, with ability to to pressure transfer, but am sticking with corny fermenting for now.

 

[Box of Rocks]

I am not sold (yet) on fermenting in a keg, I have 2 perfectly functional fermenters for that purpose. It is fun and interesting to be able to observe the process of fermentation in action. Maybe after active fermentation has subsided, the still unfinished wort could be transferred to keg with spunding to carbonate?
I want to support my lhbs, too, so am not looking to purchase online. I am patient, but when I pull the trigger on this, I want to have the items in my possession, like now!
One thing I am seeing in reviews is that many people report the actual volumes that kegs hold is less than the advertised amount. How do yours measure up? Do you perform closed transfers from fermenter to keg?
So many questions - help me friends!

Don't be My corny kegs hold about 5.2 or so. Fermenting in them requires more headspace, and there is much loss in volume to trub. Corny kegs make great lagering and write tanks. Your fermenters should be fine.

 

[Box of Rocks]

I looked into the process, and it is as @Megary describes. Many are in favor of doing everything possible to protect the beer from any exposure to air, many others just don’t care. The first thing is to get a keg, tank, regulator, ball lock connectors, hoses and a picnic tap. Then with the help of you fine folks, and practice, I can figure it out.
I would imagine in small batch size (2.5 gallons), the beer will be consumed relatively quickly, so it would not have a lot of time to go stale. If I will not be increasing my batch size, is there any need to go bigger than a 2.5 gallon keg? Pros and cons of bigger vs smaller kegs?

I agree that oxidation is less of a concern if you are consuming the beer relatively quickly. Or if your main thing is NEIPAs like Craigerrr (g*d help you). Those require dedication and commitment. Those are still a work in progress for me.

 

[Herm brews]

Well this is what happened. Today I bought from lhbs a used, refurbished and pressure tested 5 gallon ball lock Corny keg, a 5 pound (filled) CO2 tank, a dual guage regulator, a gas line assembly and a picnic tap assembly. Picked up from lhbs this afternoon. The guy at the shop picked out what he felt was the best looking keg in the house. I am excited to put it to use!

 

[Box of Rocks]

I will need to get a fridge first. We have a fridge in the kitchen, but it won’t be holding any kegs. Yesterday I checked the ambient temperature in the garage; it was 45F. For the Winter season, a keg would probably be fine just sitting out there, but a fridge would be necessary for warmer seasons. There is still plenty for me to wrap my head around.

Old fridges are cheap, even free, but might not last long. New ones aren't that expensive if you wait for deals. If you are going to cold crash in volume, it might stress fridge or freezer given the lower btus, but you can always replace it after a few years of solid service. Or just do what I did, and build an over-insulated box, and attach an air conditioner, lol.

 

[Box of Rocks]

Well this is what happened. Today I bought from lhbs a used, refurbished and pressure tested 5 gallon ball lock Corny keg, a 5 pound (filled) CO2 tank, a dual guage regulator, a gas line assembly and a picnic tap assembly. Picked up from lhbs this afternoon. The guy at the shop picked out what he felt was the best looking keg in the house. I am excited to put it to use!

You are on your way! Enjoy the journey.

 

[Zambi]

Have fun @Herm brews
You were about the last person on this forum I expected to go keg!

 

[Herm brews]

Have fun @Herm brews
You were about the last person on this forum I expected to go keg!

Thank you Zambezi! I am just broadening my horizons, trying something different and new. It has taken almost 5 years to reach this point in my brewing journey. There will still be bottles - I have only 1 keg (at this moment), with 2 beers and a cider fermenting.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Well this is what happened. Today I bought from lhbs a used, refurbished and pressure tested 5 gallon ball lock Corny keg, a 5 pound (filled) CO2 tank, a dual guage regulator, a gas line assembly and a picnic tap assembly. Picked up from lhbs this afternoon. The guy at the shop picked out what he felt was the best looking keg in the house. I am excited to put it to use!

Enjoy the new rabbit hole of kegging Herm.
Man the first time you fill one you'll wonder what to do with all that extra spare time.

I've been fermenting then serving from the same keg of late now that really takes the work outta it.

 

[Craigerrr]

Or if your main thing is NEIPAs like Craigerrr (g*d help you). Those require dedication and commitment.

I do have a passion for NEIPA, but also for so many other Ale styles, this guy has not painted himself into a corner
Every brew deserves dedication and commitment!!!

 

[RoadRoach]

I will need to get a fridge first. We have a fridge in the kitchen, but it won’t be holding any kegs. Yesterday I checked the ambient temperature in the garage; it was 45F. For the Winter season, a keg would probably be fine just sitting out there, but a fridge would be necessary for warmer seasons. There is still plenty for me to wrap my head around.

You can probably find something at a local used appliance dealer, but what I'm seeing down here is that they're wanting nearly new prices for some pretty old stuff, especially if it's a recognizable name brand. I found a Frigidaire 7 cu. ft refrigerator (no freezer) at our local guy's place, and he wanted $450 for it. Almost pulled the trigger, but then decided to have another look at new. I found a Vizzini combo (at Lowe's) that can be run as a combo or all fridge, or all freezer for $350. I took all the shelve out except the one on the crisper and it holds my FastFerment 7.9 easily. That was a no-brainer for me to buy new. The little dorm fridges just aren't quite big enough. There's no guessing whether a freezer will cost you more than a fridge or vice versa. Especially for used stuff. Prices are all over the map. The dealer I'm talking about, however, sells new appliances as well. Why wouldn't he mark up the old stuff to give incentive to 'go ahead and buy new'?

 

[Zambi]

I managed to fit my keg that's naturally carbonating into another cooler box, freeing up my standard mash & fermentation cooler.
Threw the duvet that I use as a liner into the washing machine as I know I spilled wort on it.
So, (soon to be) clean duvet, empty cooler...
It's all just screaming for another brew day

 

[Bigbre04]

Thank you Zambezi! I am just broadening my horizons, trying something different and new. It has taken almost 5 years to reach this point in my brewing journey. There will still be bottles - I have only 1 keg (at this moment), with 2 beers and a cider fermenting.

just wait! he will skip kegging and head straight into canning next! whats next?!?!? Serving vessels?

 

[Bigbre04]

You can probably find something at a local used appliance dealer, but what I'm seeing down here is that they're wanting nearly new prices for some pretty old stuff, especially if it's a recognizable name brand. I found a Frigidaire 7 cu. ft refrigerator (no freezer) at our local guy's place, and he wanted $450 for it. Almost pulled the trigger, but then decided to have another look at new. I found a Vizzini combo (at Lowe's) that can be run as a combo or all fridge, or all freezer for $350. I took all the shelve out except the one on the crisper and it holds my FastFerment 7.9 easily. That was a no-brainer for me to buy new. The little dorm fridges just aren't quite big enough. There's no guessing whether a freezer will cost you more than a fridge or vice versa. Especially for used stuff. Prices are all over the map. The dealer I'm talking about, however, sells new appliances as well. Why wouldn't he mark up the old stuff to give incentive to 'go ahead and buy new'?

the other consideration is that some off the old gear will be less energy efficient/at end of life.

 

[RoadRoach]

Good points. Honestly, every time I think about trying that transfer, something gives me pause, makes me feel like I'm just wasting my time. And I always end up gravity filling into the open keg. Easy always wins for me.

This is the same thought process that I probably would settle with until I can actually taste a difference. Everything said is exactly the way I was thinking. One thing I'd add to it, though is that I'm not a huge fan of IPA's and rarely make anything that exceeds 40 IBU, ergo, I don't have as much hop content to worry about affecting it with oxidation. I'm simply not sure I can taste the difference in what I make. I tend to not let it sit around long enough to worry about oxidation either because if I have some brewed/bottled, I drink it rather than buying something else. That's why I made it, right? Oxidation is not instantaneous, and to me, would only be a concern if I were making something that I was going to hold for several months for an aging experiment. Easy enough to divert a couple bottles for that purpose.

Now, what to do with the 10 cases of bottles that I've accumulated .......

 

[Bigbre04]

This is the same thought process that I probably would settle with until I can actually taste a difference. Everything said is exactly the way I was thinking. One thing I'd add to it, though is that I'm not a huge fan of IPA's and rarely make anything that exceeds 40 IBU, ergo, I don't have as much hop content to worry about affecting it with oxidation. I'm simply not sure I can taste the difference in what I make. I tend to not let it sit around long enough to worry about oxidation either because if I have some brewed/bottled, I drink it rather than buying something else. That's why I made it, right? Oxidation is not instantaneous, and to me, would only be a concern if I were making something that I was going to hold for several months for an aging experiment. Easy enough to divert a couple bottles for that purpose.

Now, what to do with the 10 cases of bottles that I've accumulated .......

Some people have a VERY low tolerance to Oxidation flavors. One of my brewer friends locally is OBSESSED with super low DO because he can taste the cardboard at a very low point. I cant taste the Cardboard until its damn near a warm morning after beer. So i get totally get it. That being said pro/commercial gear and practices really make low DO very simple. I have had lab tests on previous batches(at my old job) come back with basically 0 DO on big 90bbl batches. Cans are more difficult, but kegs should have little to no DO if done properly.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I'd definitely be wary of any oxidation when it comes to any beer I brew if not but for insurance against dull lifeless flabby muted hop flavoured beer.

We're all trying to brew the best beer we can why let oxygen ruin it .