Primary to Keg? Kegging Noob needs advice!

[Kazi the Younger]

I've been listening to a lot of Jamil's steaming audio shows and I've gotten the distinct impression
he's anti-secondary. I understand the reasons for this now--yeast needs times to reabsorb fermentation by-products, finish out, etc.

What I need is a run-down of how and when to go from Primary to Keg. I am fermenting in either a plastic pail or in a glass carboy. I don't have the option to "drop my yeast" the way some of you lucky people do in your stainless conicals. So what can I do if I can't drop my yeast after primary fermentation is complete?

My understanding is beer is fininshed Primary fermentation when you hit your Terminal Gravity. Right now I have an English Special Bitter that is about a day away from hitting TG. When it hits TG, what should I do?
Right now I've been letting it sit a few more days just to let it finish anything else, reabsorb Diacetyl, etc.
After this I would usually rack it to a bottling bucket, then bottle.

What do I do now that I have kegs? Should I rack from Primary right into the keg?

[Bugeater]

At the point where you would normally rack to a bottling bucket, just rack to a keg instead. Cool it down and carb it up and you are ready to go. Congrats on going to kegs!

Wayne

[Kazi the Younger]

Thanks Bugeater...I just read another post of yours about "bright tank" rather then secondary. Do you rack your beer to a "bright tank" before kegging? Or do you "Crash cool" it? It seems like you need to do something to make sure all the yeast Flocculates out. Or do you just rack it to the keg and pour a pint or two of trub before getting clear beer?

[Bugeater]

Thanks Bugeater...I just read another post of yours about "bright tank" rather then secondary. Do you rack your beer to a "bright tank" before kegging? Or do you "Crash cool" it? It seems like you need to do something to make sure all the yeast Flocculates out. Or do you just rack it to the keg and pour a pint or two of trub before getting clear beer?

If I am going to enter the beer in competitions, I will rack it to another carboy and crash it down to the upper 30's for a couple days before kegging. If it's for general drinking, I cool the fermenter down into the 40's for a day or so then rack directly to the keg. The keg is my bright tank since I usually have enough beer kegged up that it won't go into the kegerator for a couple weeks. I generally only have to dump less than a pint to start getting clear beer out of the keg. I do let the fermentation go for 3-4 weeks before moving it, so everything is already settled out pretty tight anyway.

Wayne

[Kazi the Younger]

So when you "cold crash" a carboy, you just put it right in the chest freezer for a few days, just so yeast and other stuff precipitates out of suspension, right?

Do you have any tricks of the trade in regards to racking from primary to secondary and/or keg? Right now I use an auto-siphon. I just let it sink to the bottom of one side of the carboy--so it does pick up a little yeast initially.

Also, how long do you let your english ales go in Primary after they have reached their Terminal gravity? Is it ok to leave them there a week after they are done fermenting as Autolysis is unlikely to begin in less then a few weeks? Or do you prefer to cold crash them as soon as they are at Terminal Gravity?

Sorry, I'm really new to this stuff.

[huskerbrew]

I let all my beers sit for a minimum of 2 weeks in primary and then rack to a keg. Like Bug, I usually have enough beer kegged that the new ones sit in cold storage for a few weeks. They always come out crystal clear without any fuss. I just dump the first pint and forget about it. Beer judges have even commented on the clarity of my beers. As far as siphoning goes, I use a plastic bucket with a bottling spigot and a length of tubing and just open the valve and let 'er rip. You can keep beers in a plastic bucket for up to about 4 weeks without having to worry, from what I've read.

[Bugeater]

So when you "cold crash" a carboy, you just put it right in the chest freezer for a few days, just so yeast and other stuff precipitates out of suspension, right?

Do you have any tricks of the trade in regards to racking from primary to secondary and/or keg? Right now I use an auto-siphon. I just let it sink to the bottom of one side of the carboy--so it does pick up a little yeast initially.

Also, how long do you let your english ales go in Primary after they have reached their Terminal gravity? Is it ok to leave them there a week after they are done fermenting as Autolysis is unlikely to begin in less then a few weeks? Or do you prefer to cold crash them as soon as they are at Terminal Gravity?

Sorry, I'm really new to this stuff.

1. Yes
2. I use the auto-siphon too. Lower it gently. It will still pick up a little yeast. Put the fermenter wherever you plan to have it during racking at least an hour before you rack. This gives the yeast a chance to settle again after you moved it.
3. I go at least a week after reaching terminal gravity. I usually have plenty of beer around so I'm in no rush. I wouldn't worry about autolysis unless you are leaving it on the yeast cake for 6 weeks or more. Also, if you are using an english ale yeast like 002 or 007, it will floculate hard enough that you most likely don't even need to cold crash.

Wayne

[Kazi the Younger]

Thanks for the advice. I will wait about a week or so after the beer has hit TG before I cold crash and rack to keg.

About Cleaning/maintaining taps and beer lines
how often and with what do you clean them? I've heard of people pressurizing a keg with hot water and onestep, and one by one pumping that through each beer line and tap. How often would you do something like this? Weekly? How long does it take for Bacteria and baddies like that to build up in the lines?

One more thing about Serving
My understanding about carbonation is that once a beer has reached the appropriate carb level, you should shut off the gas completely, and just leave it there. When you go to serve, turn on just a little pressure to gently push the newly carbonated beer out of the lines.