Can I Lager in a corny keg?

[Marcus Roper]

Hey guys I was just wondering is instead of lagering in a carboy just put the beer right away into a keg to lager. And a month or two later just hook up the gas and Carb?

 

[Lawrence22]

This is what I do. Transfer beer to corny and purge. I've started to hook it up to the co2 straight away and just leave it for 4 weeks or so, haven't noticed any difference.

 

[The Baron]

The answer is yes just put it in the corny purge any oxygen out with CO2 and either carb up or not as you can carb once lagered but make sure it has the CO2 blanket over it and lager in your usual place i.e fridge or other cool place. I am just about to do the same as I have just kegged my Kolsch

 

[Hoppyland]

Excellent plan - I always worry that beer in a plastic drum/carboy might get a bit oxidised if left too long.
The obvious downside is that lagering takes a while, so doing it in cornies means that you will need quite a lot of cornies - potentially expensive!

 

[Marcus Roper]

Hi Guys
Many thanks, your comments been very helpful I was just a bit worried some of the yeast being left in contact for a more prolonged time. Brew day tomorrow so here we go...

 

[peebee]

I'm glad of all these positive replies: It's what I intend to do with the current brew (1 day in, fermenting, 12C) and I hadn't thought it might be a wrong thing to do. Negative replies would have put me in a bit of a pickle.

The "lager" (first I've ever done) will be fermented out at 12C, temperature raised to 17C for a day ("di-acid-Al" rest or sumit) then keg in Corny. Carbonate (from priming sugar) and later in to 'fridge for "lagering" at 4C for a month.

As for yeast. When I was in Spain a few months ago I was drinking what was described as a "premium craft lager". As I tipped in the last of the bottle into my glass (glass was smaller than bottle!) I got a surprise. Cloudy? The stuff was bottle conditioned (the cloudiness was my lack of care holding back what turned out to be yeast - well I can't read Spanish)! My estimation of "lager" went up many fold! BTW, the stuff was very good and prejudices quickly put on hold so that now I find myself brewing the stuff.

 

[Marcus Roper]

Hi Guys, It looks like there is so much experience here. Well just ended my first lager brew day... Bit of a disaster did not calculate correctly my sparge water so lots and lots of of boiling but got there in the end. I don't know if it is me but no matter how I plan I misplace simple things on brew days I'm like a headless chicken.
Clean up took ages, I better get a lot better its embarrassing. Lager put to bed now.

 

[Brew_DD2]

It can be a steep learning curve but you will get there. Do you write anything down? I found it really helped me before it just became routine. So easy to forget a step.

 

[Marcus Roper]

It can be a steep learning curve but you will get there. Do you write anything down? I found it really helped me before it just became routine. So easy to forget a step.

Hi There, yes I try to use a brew day plan but it all goes up in the air with apps and refractometers ect easy to miss mash water additions.

 

[Brew_DD2]

I find the Beersmith brewday sheet very helpful. Once you get all of your numbers and methods dialled in, your brew days will become more consistent and reproducible. We have all been there and it can be frustrating as hell.

 

[Marcus Roper]

I'll give that a try.

 

[Crappyfish]

Hi
I am reletively new so I can relate to your predicament. Like it as been said write it all down, when you look back you will wonder why you had to write it down but that's good cos it shows you have learnt from it. I use a app from Brewshop I found on the Play Store it allows me to document everything from ingredients used to notes for the recipie ie amount of water needed to get your final wort quantity etc. This has helped me I record bought AG kits recipies on it as well.
Best of luck and keep at it till it becomes second nature.

 

[-Bezza-]

Clean up took ages

^^This.

No matter what, I just end up with sticky wort everywhere. I'm seriously thinking of investing in a very large rubber mat to stand on whilst I'm brewing!

 

[Marcus Roper]

Hi Guys
Just a big thank you to everyone who made comments to help me in my first all grain lager. Here she is is a Czech pilsner 4.2% so no falling over when cutting the lawn, just refreshing with a bit of a kick. Thanks again

 

[Marcus Roper]

 

[BeerCat]

If you ferment your beer correctly and don't mind using finings a week at 0c should give a clear beer. Then you can keg and Lager (or drink) without worrying about it clearing.

 

[Drunkula]

No matter what, I just end up with sticky wort everywhere.

Yep yep yep. The other day I had a completely clean brewday and thought wow, then when I was transferring wort the handle broke off the container and I had the biggest spillage ever. I had grain in my clothes right up to my chest. I might have done an eff and a jeff, maybe not in that order.

 

[foxbat]

View attachment 19471 Hi Guys
Just a big thank you to everyone who made comments to help me in my first all grain lager. Here she is is a Czech pilsner 4.2% so no falling over when cutting the lawn, just refreshing with a bit of a kick. Thanks again

Fine looking lager. Well brewed mate!