Total brewing newbie. Do not want to hassle with bottleing, am getting
cornelius keg system. Have several questions for ale keg brewing.
1. Do I need a secondary fermentor? I have one 6.5 gal carboy (and can get
another one if needed.)
2. If yes, can I do the secondary fermentation in the keg?
3. After fermentation is it better to add the corn syrup and then keg & wait
for the yeast carbonation step, or do I not add corn syrup and then keg and
force carbonate the beer wth CO2? Will the latter produce a lower level of
alcohol level in the final beer?

Thanks in advance.
ehines [email]ehines@cableone.net[/email]

[email]ehines@cableone.net[/email] wrote:
[color=blue]
> Total brewing newbie. Do not want to hassle with bottleing, am getting
> cornelius keg system. Have several questions for ale keg brewing.
> 1. Do I need a secondary fermentor? I have one 6.5 gal carboy (and can get
> another one if needed.)[/color]

You don't need it, but you will have a clearer beer by doing so.
[color=blue]
> 2. If yes, can I do the secondary fermentation in the keg?[/color]

I think so, but I wouldn't if you have another carboy.
[color=blue]
> 3. After fermentation is it better to add the corn syrup and then keg & wait
> for the yeast carbonation step, or do I not add corn syrup and then keg and
> force carbonate the beer wth CO2? Will the latter produce a lower level of
> alcohol level in the final beer?[/color]

I would not add corn syrup to the keg. Just force carbination and be done with it.
Now my question is, after first and second fermantation in the glass carboys, and
the beer be racked to the keg and left at room temp for any length of time? Does it
have to be refridgerated immedately?

--
Dan

Thanks for the info. I think I am going to get the secondary fermentor because
what I have read is that in the secondary most of the coagulated yeast has
been removed which can add off flavor to the beer. Also in the secondary the
good flavors all come together. I will then keg and force carbonate. As to
your question after kegging should the beer be at room temp for any length of
time or refrigerated, I think the kegged carbonated beer should then be
refrigerated. Because the beer is forced carbonated and not primed for
carbonation, it does not require room temp for the yeast to create co2 for 2
weeks as with beer in the bottle. Hopefully my logic is correct.

ehines
[color=blue]
>ehines@cableone.net wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Total brewing newbie. Do not want to hassle with bottleing, am getting
>> cornelius keg system. Have several questions for ale keg brewing.
>> 1. Do I need a secondary fermentor? I have one 6.5 gal carboy (and can get
>> another one if needed.)[/color]
>
>You don't need it, but you will have a clearer beer by doing so.
>[color=green]
>> 2. If yes, can I do the secondary fermentation in the keg?[/color]
>
>I think so, but I wouldn't if you have another carboy.
>[color=green]
>> 3. After fermentation is it better to add the corn syrup and then keg & wait
>> for the yeast carbonation step, or do I not add corn syrup and then keg and
>> force carbonate the beer wth CO2? Will the latter produce a lower level of[/color]
>[color=green]
>> alcohol level in the final beer?[/color]
>
>I would not add corn syrup to the keg. Just force carbination and be done with
> it.
>Now my question is, after first and second fermantation in the glass carboys,
> and
>the beer be racked to the keg and left at room temp for any length of time?
> Does it
>have to be refridgerated immedately?
>[/color]

[wild]

[QUOTE=ehines@cableone.net]
1. Do I need a secondary fermentor? I have one 6.5 gal carboy (and can get another one if needed.)[/QUOTE]
No, but your beers will not be as clear or as aged as you may want them to be. I have one beer that takes six days from kettle to mug. It tastes fine but tastes better over time and as the beer clears.

[QUOTE=ehines@cableone.net]
2. If yes, can I do the secondary fermentation in the keg?[/QUOTE]
Yes you can. Many homebrewers do this now by cutting one inch off the end of the dip tube so that the beer can be pushed, by CO2, to the tapping keg and leave the trub behind.

[QUOTE=ehines@cableone.net]
3. After fermentation is it better to add the corn syrup and then keg & wait
for the yeast carbonation step, or do I not add corn syrup and then keg and
force carbonate the beer wth CO2? Will the latter produce a lower level of
alcohol level in the final beer?[/QUOTE]
You either keg condition your beer by adding the corn sugar, displacing O2 with CO2, and then leaving the keg to condition at room temperature over a two-three week period or force carbonate with CO2 and refrigeration over a one-week period. But not both.
Note: There will be trub left over when conditioning just as that left over from bottle conditioning. The corn sugar will not be producing any measurable alcohol in the conditioning stage.

Good luck,
Wild

The colder your brew the more CO2 can be dissolved and quicker. There
are charts that you can find as to what pessure and temp you need to
reach a desired corbonation level. I find that after kegging i put
directly in my fridge and hook the CO2 up at around 20 psi for several
days. If i need it sooner i roll the keg on the floor. You can hear the
CO2 seeping into the keg. Hook the CO2 up to the out dip tube while
carbonating. There is all kinds of literature on this. Just google
force carbonating.

Mike