Lagering in the keg...but how do I get it out?

[Mr. No-Tip]

Doing two lagers at the moment, and decided to use kegs for the lagering process. That was a pretty late breaking decision and they do not have shortened diptubes.

For my schwarzbier, I put ~19l into the keg and ~5l into a glass demi. The glass demi has a good couple cm of lager sediment built up after just a couple weeks - way more than I was expecting.

So now...how to get it out? One batch will be going to bottles entirely, the other to a few bottles and another keg.

The way I see it, I have two options:

Use the bev out as planned, probably dumping the first litre or two due to sediment.

OR

Open the top and siphon out, potentially risking oxidation.


I would be inclined to go with option one, but I am not sure how much the action of the diptube will disturb the sediment as it goes? Any experience with this?

 

[Black n Tan]

I would go with option 1. I lager (some may argue I just cold condition) in the keg and only find the first few glasses have sediment, although I use gelatin and cold crash prior. I also don't use a shortened dip tube. That said I have only brewed about 8 lagers, so bow to those with more experience.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

Anyone else? I am happy to ditch the first couple pints worth, but I am pretty sure that the trub must be well over the dip tubes. I wonder if the suck up will just unsettle the pack?

 

[chefeffect]

You could pull the dip tube out from the top and shorten it? Then buy a new one?

 

[barls]

Hook up bronco tap and pour off till clear then transfer

 

[Byran]

Dont lager in kegs?

 

[slcmorro]

^ helpful.

 

[Florian]

^unhelpful

 

[Fents]

you can transfer keg to keg very easily all you need is beer line house with two black disconnects on each end, read the below thead

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/16907-keg-transfer-made-easy/

I used to do it all the time from an 80L keg into a 20L, wont matter that the beer is not carbed.

but the above is onny keg to keg and not keg to bottle, theres another million ways to do that.

 

[Byran]

Soz, just thinking about the best way to do it and that was all i could come up with. Not trying to be a pain........
Maybe just rack off the top, option 2, thats how I transfer some of my beers to secondary.
You shouldn't oxidise it too much just dont splash it about.
Bottle the clearer batch straight away and purge the kegged batch?

 

[Silver]

You could pull the dip tube out from the top and shorten it? Then buy a new one?

My thoughts too. :super:

 

[slcmorro]

^unhelpful

Twas sarcasm, boss. I shall lather it up entirely in future to ensure the page is read as intended.

 

[booargy]

Do not cut the dip tube I have done it and it is not the smartest thing. Pull the dip tube out and bend it.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

Thanks guys. I might try the bronco tap on one and the shortened tube on the other - probably by bending as suggested.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Easy - just hook a short piece of tube up to a disconnect (all sanitised) and push the sediment out into a cup. You may need to push it with some CO2 if its not already presurised. It wont disturb things too much and you can always do it again later. In fact my lagering keg is the same as my serving keg. No advantage in additional transfers.
Don't need mess with the dip tube at this stage. No point exposing the beer to oxygen. Next time you could cut it with a hacksaw - I use a corny as a primary fermenter and this works a treat. However - I may go back to a full dip tube so I can suck yeast out for repitching (using technique I described for your situation).