# Bulk Priming In A 19 Litre Keg



## Benbrewer (18/3/09)

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I want to try to bulk prime a 19 litre keg. I 'm happy with the amount of sugar, however how long should I keep it out of the fridge? I have bulk primed bottles before and would generally leave them for about 2 months before sampling, but with the keg not so sure. I would think about 2 weeks. Also I was intending burping the keg to get rid of the air and replace with C02, which of course isn't done with bottles. Have seen guys say they bulk prime to save gas so any info would be good. Basically don't want to waste time and end up with a flat beer because I good gas this one up if I want to, just want to test it out.
Thanks in advance


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## Kleiny (18/3/09)

Around 2 weeks with warmer weather is fine i do this regularly and always push the O2 out with CO2 everytime i keg. I use my CO2 line to push the O2 out.

Priming the keg also leaves you with the first few glasses being cloudy but it will clear up.

Kleiny


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## buttersd70 (19/3/09)

AS kleiny said, about 2 weeks, having purged the headspace with co2 first. 

Just remember the prime rate is half that you would use for bottles. Then after you have chilled it fully, put on the gas, and what you _should _find is that it has the right pressure straight away without taking up any gas.


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## reviled (19/3/09)

buttersd70 said:


> Just remember the prime rate is half that you would use for bottles.



Why is this?? :unsure: Doesnt make sense to me...


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## Benbrewer (19/3/09)

reviled said:


> Why is this?? :unsure: Doesnt make sense to me...


Yep, me too? Why half? :huh:


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## buttersd70 (19/3/09)

There is a lot of information around that indicates a half rate for kegs, but very little explaination as to why. Coopers FAQ, for example, advises 8g/L for bottles or 4g/L for kegs (yes I know, thats a hell of a lot. Just illustrating the example, not advocating that rate). Beersmith, also, in its priming information in the recipe view has the option of priming or keg priming; keg priming gives half the rate of bottle priming. I know from experience of doing it, that it is correct....but I don't have a definitive answer for you as to why. 

What I do know is, that when I have primed at 1/2 the amount that I would for bottles, I end up with the same pressure in the keg, once carbonated and cold, as I would have had I gas carbonated it to the same volume of CO2. If someone can give me the technical reason as to why this is so, that would be great.


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## Benbrewer (19/3/09)

buttersd70 said:


> There is a lot of information around that indicates a half rate for kegs, but very little explaination as to why. Coopers FAQ, for example, advises 8g/L for bottles or 4g/L for kegs (yes I know, thats a hell of a lot. Just illustrating the example, not advocating that rate). Beersmith, also, in its priming information in the recipe view has the option of priming or keg priming; keg priming gives half the rate of bottle priming. I know from experience of doing it, that it is correct....but I don't have a definitive answer for you as to why.
> 
> What I do know is, that when I have primed at 1/2 the amount that I would for bottles, I end up with the same pressure in the keg, once carbonated and cold, as I would have had I gas carbonated it to the same volume of CO2. If someone can give me the technical reason as to why this is so, that would be great.




Thanks,

I guess that if half works out for your keg, then I should be safe. I would expect if it doesn't work, then I can always use C02 to carbonate. Did you use 4g per litre?


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## buttersd70 (19/3/09)

Benbrewer said:


> Thanks,
> 
> I guess that if half works out for your keg, then I should be safe. I would expect if it doesn't work, then I can always use C02 to carbonate. Did you use 4g per litre?



Better undercarbed than overcarbed....a couple of days on the gas will fix undercarbing issues. Overcarbing is a pita. (although, I've never had one come in under on a sugar prime).

And no, I don't use 4g/L. Nowhere near it....I use a priming calculator (such as the one in the article in my sig) and then halve it....I think my last one I did was about 2.5g/L for 2.1vol CO2. 4g/L in a keg would give you around 2.9vol CO2, which is way too much for me. Thats similar kind of level to using carb drops. Uuugh. The actual carb level depends on the beer you're making.


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## Adamt (19/3/09)

I'd say it's due to:

-Better under-carbed than over-carbed.
-Incomplete priming fermentation due to leaving it for minimal conditioning time.
-Use of tank CO2 for maintaining/topping up pressure.


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## Frank (19/3/09)

You would also end up with less yeast sediment in your keg (therefore wastage). All points combined makes sense though.


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## QldKev (19/3/09)

Also the total head space of 30 x bottles vs the smaller overall volume of the keg head space.


QldKev


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## buttersd70 (19/3/09)

QldKev said:


> Also the total head space of 30 x bottles vs the smaller overall volume of the keg head space.
> 
> 
> QldKev



I'd considered that this may well play a role...


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## sav (26/3/09)

From butters,(And no, I don't use 4g/L. Nowhere near it....I use a *priming* calculator (such as the one in the article in my sig) and then halve it....I think my last one I did was about 2.5g/L for 2.1vol CO2.

Just wondering is it 19lts at the welded line on our corny kegs as I have never measured.


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## jeddog (8/12/09)

I have a legal 60lt keg that will hold a Robust Porter which is in the fermenter at the moment.
Any ideas on how much dextrose to add for priming the 60lts?
and 
how long should i leave the keg before trying the beer?


jeddog


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## Cocko (8/12/09)

jeddog said:


> I have a legal 60lt keg that will hold a Robust Porter which is in the fermenter at the moment.
> Any ideas on how much dextrose to add for priming the 60lts?
> and
> how long should i leave the keg before trying the beer?
> ...



Could you not slow card it with the C02 bottle hooked up at serving pressure for a week or so?


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## jeddog (8/12/09)

Cocko said:


> Could you not slow card it with the C02 bottle hooked up at serving pressure for a week or so?



I have been a kegger for some three year now and have just recently started bottling. I have 
noticed the bottles seem to have a more complex flavour. Maybe to the longest conditioning? And also no room for the 60lt in my beer fridge.

I'm looking at the carbination calulating tool in Beersmith. Does anyone know if the beers temperature is the serving temp or storage temp

cheers


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## Cocko (8/12/09)

jeddog said:


> I have been a kegger for some three year now and have just recently started bottling. I have
> noticed the bottles seem to have a more complex flavour. Maybe to the longest conditioning? And also no room for the 60lt in my beer fridge.
> 
> I'm looking at the carbination calulating tool in Beersmith. Does anyone know if the beers temperature is the serving temp or storage temp
> ...



You can carb at room temp with c02, just takes a little more - time and gas...

But agreed - sugar primed does have a different/better character to the flavour! IMO 2.

Don't use BS so can't help there, I hope you get it worked it out!

:icon_cheers:


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## Rodolphe01 (8/12/09)

I don't use beersmith, but I think that temperature would be the maximum it hit during fermentation, i.e. the hotter it got the less CO2 would be in solution from the actual ferment.


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## np1962 (8/12/09)

As Rudi said, the max temp during active fermentation is the temp you should use.
Cheers
Nige


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## kook (8/12/09)

Cocko said:


> You can carb at room temp with c02, just takes a little more - time and gas...



I can understand temperature or pressure, but why does it take more gas? :huh:


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## Cocko (8/12/09)

kook said:


> I can understand temperature or pressure, but why does it take more gas? :huh:



Just coz!


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## Screwtop (8/12/09)

Cocko said:


> Just coz!




I always find it difficult to understand such Scientific Jargon :lol:

Screwy


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## Cocko (8/12/09)

Screwtop said:


> I always find it difficult to understand such Scientific Jargon :lol:
> 
> Screwy



LMAO Screwy!!


I did try to keep simple but thought it needed the detail! :lol:


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## Online Brewing Supplies (8/12/09)

kook said:


> I can understand temperature or pressure, but why does it take more gas? :huh:


Because you keep pouring glass's of beer to see if its carbed up yet. It not all science.
GB


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## under (8/12/09)

G'day all,

Im glad this was brought up because im currently in the same predicament. 4 kegs should be arriving this week. I've got 2 brews finished in the fermenter. Now I want to transfer to my new kegs, but I dont have the reg, gas setup in my fridge yet. 

Im awaiting parts for this. And im planning on using them both Christmas day for the family. I have a fridge and would like to bulk prime the keg. How would one go about this.


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## Cocko (8/12/09)

under said:


> G'day all,
> 
> Im glad this was brought up because im currently in the same predicament. 4 kegs should be arriving this week. I've got 2 brews finished in the fermenter. Now I want to transfer to my new kegs, but I dont have the reg, gas setup in my fridge yet.
> 
> Im awaiting parts for this. And im planning on using them both Christmas day for the family. I have a fridge and would like to bulk prime the keg. How would one go about this.



Have a read through this thread, may help.... :icon_cheers:


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## under (8/12/09)

LOL. 

Smartarse.


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## Cocko (8/12/09)

under said:


> LOL.
> 
> Smartarse.



Sorry, had to do it!

All in good fun! :icon_cheers:


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## under (8/12/09)

So its around 55g of dex to prime a 19L keg at 20c. Condition for 2 weeks, then crash chill. Plug the charger in give it a quick crank and drink away??


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## Cocko (9/12/09)

You would assume you will not get a full 19L into the keg so work on 18 or 18.5...

Equating to 45-50g depending on desired carbonation level.

Purge headspace after filling.

Yes, condition for 2 weeks at room [20 deg.] and chill, then pour a pint or 2 should clear the sediment on the bottom from conditioning [secondary] fermentation...

Then charge and serve.

Thats how I understand it anyway, sorry not practised in the dark art but seems right to me!!

Others may have better advice.


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## rude (9/12/09)

Head space I recon that has a lot to do with carbing up jeez Im pissed shouldnt be poisting

Just noticed the difference though when the last bott is filled only half way the carb level is different.


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## under (9/12/09)

Ok so my steps are -

1. Mix 50g (Fermentation temp - 18c, Volume 18L at 2.3 Volumes Co2)Dextrose with 100ml of water, bring to boil - cool and tip into keg
2. Syphon wort from fermenter to Sanitised keg
3. Seal keg, attach charger release some Co2 into keg and purge Oxygen
4. Prime for 2 weeks at 20c, then chill
5. Christmas day - attach charger give a shot of Co2 and start drinking


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## redlegger (24/2/10)

under said:


> Ok so my steps are -
> 
> 1. Mix 50g (Fermentation temp - 18c, Volume 18L at 2.3 Volumes Co2)Dextrose with 100ml of water, bring to boil - cool and tip into keg
> 2. Syphon wort from fermenter to Sanitised keg
> ...




under -how did this method work for you on christmas day?


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## redlegger (25/2/10)

Kleiny said:


> Around 2 weeks with warmer weather is fine i do this regularly and always push the O2 out with CO2 everytime i keg. I use my CO2 line to push the O2 out.
> 
> Priming the keg also leaves you with the first few glasses being cloudy but it will clear up.
> 
> Kleiny




Does it make any difference if you purge thru the gas in or beer out post? What post do you guys use?


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## under (25/2/10)

Hey mate,

Never ended up doing it. I got a mate down the road to carb them for me


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## ledgenko (25/2/10)

Guys , the gas law is quite simple really it is just determining who wrote it that is the problem.... LOL... it was Henry or Dalton .. I can never remember..

L


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## skilbys (22/4/16)

Bump! Digging up an old post. Kegging for the first time, not worried about having to use extra gas to carb and am too impatient to let it condition for another couple of weeks. My main question is it necessary to prime kegs in order to get the extra 0.2 or so alcamohol points as in bottling? Cerveza already cc'd for a week
Cheers Steve


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## Mr B (22/4/16)

Its an either or thing.

Either carb from the gas bottle (forced or otherwise), or

Prime and carb with dex etc in the keg.

Only the latter will add ABV as the extra fermentation to produce the co2 also produces a little alcohol.


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## technobabble66 (23/4/16)

I'd definitely agree you need to carb to half what you would for bottles. I carbed a friend's keg with, ~3/5ths the normal amount of Dex i would use for bottles, thinking i was being conservative. Massively, massively overcarb'ed. I'd definitely go half or less!

Also, the Dex method will produce more yeast sediment compared to force carbing; as the Dex will cause the yeast floating in the beer to multiply, do a secondary fermentation, then settle out. Whereas force carbing the keg will produce no more than what's already there.

FWIW, i'll be doing this in my own kegs - i'll soon have 1x 9L, 2x 4L, 2x 2L kegs, carb'ed using Sodastream bulbs. So i'll use Dex to produce the basic carb'ing of the kegs, then use the SS to push it out. 

Yes. I'm a cheapskate.


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## roo_dr (19/1/17)

Damn wish I'd read this before bulk-priming a keg for the first time - reckon I'll be able to blow the doors off with the amount of dextrose i dropped in it!

19L x 158g Dextrose. I might just go and vent elsewhere for a while...


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## JDW81 (19/1/17)

Don't worry too much, you'll be able to blow off the extra CO2 with a bit of patience.

Disconnect it from the gas and pull the pressure relief valve until no more gas comes out. Let it sit for a few hours then repeat etc, etc.

It will take a few days or a week, but you'll eventually get the excess CO2 out. If you blow a bit too much off, then just hook it up at serving pressure and let it sit for a week to equalise.

JD


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