Oops! Forgot To Purge Keg Before Beer Went In!

[Aus_Rider_22]

I could be worrying over nothing here! I just sat down and started sipping away after filling a keg up with a basic Coopers Lager/Cluster recipe and just realised I didn't pump Co2 into the keg to purge the air. Do I have much to worry about? I curled the racking line along the bottom of the keg so the beer shouldn't have splashed at all when it was transferred. I purged it at the end 3 times. Should this be sufficient?

 

[marksfish]

it should be o.k as long as it is kept cold.

 

[jyo]

I could be worrying over nothing here! I just sat down and started sipping away after filling a keg up with a basic Coopers Lager/Cluster recipe and just realised I didn't pump Co2 into the keg to purge the air. Do I have much to worry about? I curled the racking line along the bottom of the keg so the beer shouldn't have splashed at all when it was transferred. I purged it at the end 3 times. Should this be sufficient?

As long as you didn't splash while transfering, which sounds like you didn't, then you should be right mate.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

As long as you didn't splash while transfering, which sounds like you didn't, then you should be right mate.

Yeh hopefully that part is fine.

it should be o.k as long as it is kept cold.

I am conditioning it in the keg so it will be kept at 25-30. Bit early to drink it.

How come you say it would have to be kept cold?

 

[marksfish]

the main reason to keep your beer cold is the lower temp the effects of possable oxidisation will take longer to show.

 

[Pete2501]

I could be worrying over nothing here! I just sat down and started sipping away after filling a keg up with a basic Coopers Lager/Cluster recipe and just realised I didn't pump Co2 into the keg to purge the air. Do I have much to worry about? I curled the racking line along the bottom of the keg so the beer shouldn't have splashed at all when it was transferred. I purged it at the end 3 times. Should this be sufficient?

Transfer beer while cold - Check
Avoid splashing - Check
Purge with CO2 - Check

Relax, stress less and have a home brew - Pending.

As my beer is cold when I transfer to a keg I don't worry so much about purging before transfer. Stop stressing so much dude.

 

[Greg Lawrence]

I think you should be OK as long as the keg was sterile.
I have never purged a keg with C02 before filling and havent had a problem so far after close to 80 kegs.
Most of the time they only get quick rinse between fills and a good clean every 3 or so fills.
I have even filled a few kegs witout cleaning them out 1st (by mistake) without a problem, but there were full of C02 from serving the last beer.

Thats just my experience, Im sure someone will shoot me down in flames and tell me Im an idiot.
Maybe my methods will change after my 1st infection.

 

[chappo1970]

Oh crap your beers prpably buggered. Better send to Chappo Manor for immediate evaluation! Stat! Don't waste time getting into the post ASAP!

RHAHB!

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

haha sorry fellas. I was just worried. I see alot of threads and think some people overstress but this time it was me!

I always rinse the keg out after she runs dry and leave it upside down. Gave it a good wash out this arvo, took out poles and dip tubes and StarSanned it all. Was a bit of froth on the internals but I've read that's not a bad thing.

I have never purged a keg with C02 before filling and havent had a problem so far after close to 80 kegs.

That's awesome to hear! I haven't had an infection yet (knocks on wood!) It's probably inevitable that I will one day but hopefully not in this keg. I am currently polishing of the last of LCBA clone and this month is going to painful to wait! Shame on me for not being better prepared and having enough beer ready!

 

[peas_and_corn]

I've never purged with CO2. It just strikes me as being a waste of CO2.

 

[MarkBastard]

I've never purged with CO2. It just strikes me as being a waste of CO2.

I've only started doing it recently since using Starsan. I use co2 to push the Starsan out so it's in there anyway. Not a bad way to do it.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Your beer will have more dissolved oxygen than it would if you had purged the keg - therefore it will go stale faster than it would if you had purged the keg.

Will that be before you have drunk it all??? depends on how long you take to drink it.

Oxygen in your finished beer is about rate of decline - lots of oxygen and it will probably be knackered in a few weeks, very good practice & low oxygen and you might get 6 or 8 months out of it before it really starts to show its age (talking light lagers here)

Its not about "oh I have ruined it", its about how long till it starts to head south.

 

[Fourstar]

Your beer will have more dissolved oxygen than it would if you had purged the keg - therefore it will go stale faster than it would if you had purged the keg.
Will that be before you have drunk it all??? depends on how long you take to drink it.
Oxygen in your finished beer is about rate of decline - lots of oxygen and it will probably be knackered in a few weeks, very good practice & low oxygen and you might get 6 or 8 months out of it before it really starts to show its age (talking light lagers here)
Its not about "oh I have ruined it", its about how long till it starts to head south.

Well said Thirsty.

The way i transfer to the keg with minimal O2 uptake is:

- Purge the keg entirely via the beer out ppost and bleed the PRV and gas in post.
- I then connect a beer disconnect which has also been purged with CO2 to the beer out post.
-This has a length with a length of line to a JG fitting with some silicone hose attached and plugs onto the fermenter tap (fermenter connector from craftbrewer for filter).
- Open PRV and then open tap.

Problem solved.

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Your beer will have more dissolved oxygen than it would if you had purged the keg - therefore it will go stale faster than it would if you had purged the keg.

Surely purging the keg with co2 once filled (before force carbing) would overcome this problem.
I dont think the beer would absorb too much oxygen when filling the keg as it is not under any pressure.

Gregor

 

[mxd]

if you are going to "naturally" carbonate in a keg should you purge the Keg with CO2?

I had one keg, I filled with CO2 then burped and naturally carbonated and when I put it in the freezer (3 weeks later) it was seemed as though it had not carbonated.

The one I did a couple of weeks ago I didn't purge or burp and when I put it in the fridge the carbonation level seemed great.

So I am now more confused about to do.

Fortunately my risk mitigation is to finish kegs in 3 weeks

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I've never purged with CO2. It just strikes me as being a waste of CO2.

Agree

 

[Tony M]

I'm far too stingy to purge a keg with CO2 but I make sure the fill hose goes right to the bottom of the keg. That way, there is no splashing or turbulence after the first litre or so and that is the biggest culprit when it comes to oxygen uptake.

 

[Fourstar]

I've never purged with CO2. It just strikes me as being a waste of CO2.

Agree

Considering i got 40 odd batches, force carb, serving and purging from a large size mykegonlegs i dont think i lost all that much c02 down the drain. 5 bucks worth? if that?!

 

[Greg Lawrence]

This is getting to be like a fold or scrunch debate. Both methods work, neither side can be convinced that the other way is better.
Im a folder by the way.

Edit: I dont purge before filling and am not too concerned with wasting C02. Its one of the cheapest parts of brewing.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Consider that with the method Thirsty Boy describes you get a completely sanitised system that is guaranteed to be purged of any atmospheric oxygen. If you're filtering, that gets sanitised into the bargain. It does cost you money, but so does almost everything you do as part of brewing. I guess it is up to the individual brewer to decide if it is a reasonable expense for them.

Kegged beer is for drinking at my house, so I don't bother. But I do so with the filtering unit if I am using it and on special occasions - such as if I am going to take it to a party or something. But, it also goes into the fridge almost as soon as it has been filled, so although it has probably absorbed some oxygen, the effects will be slowed - hopefully enough that it isn't noticed until after the last glass is drained.

If I am naturally carbonating in any sized vessel, I would have thought that doing so with yeast in their anaerobic state is best and therefore reducing available atmospheric oxygen remains a good idea.

Clearly what is needed is to make the brewery completely air-tight but for a small PRV in the roof/ceiling so the CO2 produced by fermentation expels all other gas in the brewery. The brewer then simply needs to don a small aqualung to safely conduct any packaging tasks. :lol: