Filling kegs

[Bonenose]

Hi,

Have read up on filling kegs and I am going to have a crack at filling my first keg early next week. Everything I have read on filling is with the fermenter having been chilled and I do not realy have any way of achieving this, other than in a tub full of ice which would be fairly rough I think and expensive.
Is there any issues with filling at 18-20 degrees which I run my fermentation fridge at? Currently have other brews in the fridge so can't really drop temp.

Cheers

 

[mattyh77]

From my early opinion, no. Just keg and either sit or carbonate.

 

[mtb]

Can you just wait for an opportunity to cold crash? Leaving your beer on trub cake for 1-2wks won't do it any harm.

 

[Bonenose]

Work FIFO so have limited window, have a 150 clone in fermenter that will get dry hopped as soon as I get home then probably bottled at the end of the week. Want to get this brew, which has been in fermenter about two weeks, out and then can put another brew in before I fly out again.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

All good I keg at room temp.

You may get a few cloudy pours to begin with, but after that it will sort itself out.

 

[Bonenose]

The purpose of the cold crash is just clarity, is this correct?

 

[Tony121]

The purpose of the cold crash is just clarity, is this correct?

Pretty much.

Time in the keg will achieve the same thing. Kegging at any temp works.

 

[manticle]

Main reason for kegging chilled is if you want to force carb quickly. CO2 is absorded better at cold temps.

 

[Grott]

Just keg at room temp, purge with co2 and let it sit until ready to fridge. If you leave in the fridge for a few days it will settle out the yeast etc. and you'll have a top drop.
Cheers

 

[Goose]

My kegs are at room temperature but I fill them with chilled fermented wort.

I fill through the liquid out head with the lid sealed into the keg which has been prior sanitised and purged with C02 in an attempt to be as "closed system" as possible.

the reason I fill with chilled beer is so that I can see watch the condensation mark on the keg, it tells me quite accurately where the level is considering I can't see it directly.

 

[Rocker1986]

I fill my kegs with chilled beer but they don't go on tap straight away so they come back up to room temp anyway.

I see nothing wrong with kegging beer at ferment temp though, in essence it's just a really big bottle.

 

[Bonenose]

Cool cheers guys.
I assume leak testing ones keg before filling is a good thing. Put some gas in and hit with spray bottle of soapy water?

 

[Grott]

Put some cleaning solution in, eg sodium percarbonate and pressurise. Check for leaks and run some through keg posts.
Prior to filling with beer use keg lube on the lid flange, put on sealing ring and put some lube on that for sealing against the inside flange of the keg.

 

[Bonenose]

Keg lube, crap did not know there was such a thing, any substitutes?

 

[DU99]

Keg Lube
most good LHBS shops sell it

 

[Tony121]

KY jelly works too if you're in a hole, the water based stuff.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

My kegs are at room temperature but I fill them with chilled fermented wort.

I fill through the liquid out head with the lid sealed into the keg which has been prior sanitised and purged with C02 in an attempt to be as "closed system" as possible.

the reason I fill with chilled beer is so that I can see watch the condensation mark on the keg, it tells me quite accurately where the level is considering I can't see it directly.

That's exactly the same way I do it.

I also have a gas out connect on, which allows the air to escape and when beer starts coming out of it, I know it's full.

 

[Coodgee]

I never use keen lube it's not essential.

 

[SBOB]

KY jelly works too if you're in a hole, the water based stuff.

if you're in a hole, its probably too late

 

[Bonenose]

Righto best drop into the LHBS and check it out see what else I can get conned into buying at the same time