sankey kegging my brew

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beesley121

sankey kegging my brew

Post by beesley121 » Tue May 20, 2008 11:19 pm

hi guys,

just got my legit sankey keg from a friend who works for a brewery. ive made 2 5 gallon batches of coopers lager. its been fermenting now for 4 days and has now stopped.can you please answer the following

1. can I add the two batches (both made the same) to the same keg??

2. How long can i leavee the fermented wort in the primary container to help it clear as best as possibel??

3. How can i reduce the amount of sediment in the final keg

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Aleman
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Re: sankey kegging my brew

Post by Aleman » Wed May 21, 2008 8:54 am

beesley121 wrote:1. can I add the two batches (both made the same) to the same keg??
Yes
beesley121 wrote:2. How long can i leavee the fermented wort in the primary container to help it clear as best as possibel??
10-14 days . . . if you have it in a cold location you can go longer
beesley121 wrote:3. How can i reduce the amount of sediment in the final keg
You could rack it into another container in a cold place and leave it for another couple of weeks before racking into the keg . . . You could, very gently, stir some finings into the primary, and allow it to clear for the next 10 days . .. you could add finings to the secondary. If I absolutely had to get it clear quickly then I would add finings to the primary and crash cool it . . . . depending on the yeast sometimes crash cooling is all it takes . . . I have had an all grain beer go from mash to drinking in 7 days . . . but that involved overpitching with yeast (Massively) Fining after 3 days, crash cooling with finings, then the was racked into a corny and force carbonated to serve. . . . . It got better with age though

beesley121

Post by beesley121 » Wed May 21, 2008 2:35 pm

you say i leave it in the primary for 7-10 days,longer if in a cooler place. Thing i that i dont realy have a cold location now the summer is not to far away.It is sitting now at approx 24 degrees. will the time allowed decrease now, say 5-7 days??

i tried to leave a brew sitting for 7 days to clear once and this was the first time i ever mucked up the brew!! just dont want it happening again

onee other question, the brew is in a youngs fermentation bucket with thee lid on and an air lock in the middle. The lid has condensaion on it prob duee to the temperature, could this cause a contaminated brew??

beesley121

Post by beesley121 » Thu May 22, 2008 12:08 pm

anyone

beesley121

Post by beesley121 » Fri May 23, 2008 1:06 pm

please please someone answer!!

MMBrewing

Post by MMBrewing » Fri May 23, 2008 1:14 pm

Unlikely. I have the same brew bucket as you and as long as you cleaned and sanitised with care before you started the brew off and don't open the lid and sneeze all over the brew daily theres little chance for an infection to take hold - I don't heat my brew bucket as its in the house and it often takes 10 days to ferment out ( my THC took two weeks...) and I've never had an infection yet - no airlock either.

Reducing the sediment is a matter of moving and lifting slowly, letting things settle and transferring the brew by syphon to an intermediate barell for another week to let what sediment you transferred drop out. I have used finings in the FV and will probably do so again - my Double whammy ale was done without them and theres more seediment in the bottles than I'm completely happy with. The ciders I have done haven't had that much sediment.

From what I understand (and I'm still a noob here) the cooling will save you time but won't necessarily give a better final result.

What I DO think is worth spending time over is the initial clean and sanitise followed by a rinse of boiling water (unless you have a no rinse sanitiser) . Remembering to clean and sanitise equipment as soon as its finished with will pay dividends as well.

SiHoltye

Post by SiHoltye » Fri May 23, 2008 1:31 pm

Hello,

This is just my experience.

Last question first, as long as the FV (including lid & airlock/bung) were sanitized at first you should be OK. Also use pre-boiled water in your airlock.

First question last, 24 deg sounds a little high as a fermenting temperature for any lager. More usually around 12 though I don't do 'em so am unsure exactly. I can only suggest from what I know and would suggest a routine of 10 days ferment (ale yeast at ~19degC or lager yeast take advice) if left for 10-14 days and assuming you're using a high floccing yeast your brew should be good to go into your kegs, and allowing a minimum 1 week conditioning for every 10 points of OG you can expect minimal sediment in the keg. Allow 1.5 weeks to be more certain of clearer and matured beer. I have used IG in the FV after 10 days in preparation for kegging and force carbing on day 14 and have found this works. You can always fine in the keg. I really hate the wait but the most important wait for my money is the first one in the fermentor. :( It means one with less sediment and the risk of clouding up again it you knock it. Also after FG is reached the yeast clears up some of the by-products it make during ferment that can impart undesirable flavours.

Good luck, I've not used Sankey kegs though.

buzzrtbi

Post by buzzrtbi » Fri May 23, 2008 2:51 pm

Another option is to rack it into the sankey keg together with some finings and then leave it. dont get sloshing it about once it has settled. I am not that familiar with the pick-up from a Sankey but if it is like a Cornie (i.e. with a bottom pipe) then the sediment will collect at the bottom.

Once this has settled out then the first couple of pints run cloudy (chuck them away) and then you have clear beer. Then you can move the keg about if you need to.

you may not need finings at all (personal choice) but some kit beers do respond much better to the encouragement to coagulate the yeast and proteins and dump them to the bottom.

good luck

beesley121

Post by beesley121 » Fri May 23, 2008 7:55 pm

cheers guys!!

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