Mixing 2 half full kegs

[gonch26]

Hi all, I have 2 half full kegs which I would like to blend. One of them is a very nice wherry and the other is a Geordie winter warmer, whilst both are good beers I brewed the winter warmer with a kilo of brewing sugar and a beer kit enhancer. It brewed a nice strong beer but it has no body at all, I did an experiment and poured half a pint of each into a single glass and the result was excellent.

I would also like to start another coopers stout and need the kegspace. My question is this.

If I let off the pressure by tilting the kegs back then carefully syphoning one into the other, then immediately gas back up for a second will my beer be safe from oxidising? Or would I be better to be on the safe side purging the air from the keg with co2 before putting the lid back on then regassing?

Or am I just being daft and should leave well alone. I know I would need to resettle the beer again for a couple of weeks probably, but don't mind the sacrifice.

Any advice or suggestions welcome.

Cheers.

 

[RobWalker]

yeah, it will be safe. there's no reason this wouldn't work, I've done it myself - BUUUTTT...

don't do it until you NEED the keg space - just drink one of them and not the other, I wouldn't be surprised if you were nearly finished by the end of the 2-3 fermentation on the stout. before you do so as well, blend them half and half in a glass and see if you like the taste. if you're near the bottom when the time comes, you could bottle into pop bottles and reprime, you can drink them at your leisure then. people suggest against this, I've never had any problem, even when using the tap to bottle.

your carbonation might suffer a little too from letting the pressure out, co2 and sugar carbonation are not quite the same, but it won't be bad. maybe you'd consider repriming with 80g sugar, if you have the patience.

good luck!

 

[LeithR]

I very frequently mix beers from my 3 PB's as I tend to brew a beer, a stout and a cider together - always externally. I see nothing wrong in what you say about mixing them in one keg, as you say you will have to re-pressure and wait for the mix to settle, as long as you are gentle in doing the transfer and don't over agitate the mix you should have no problems with oxidization.

Having said that if you are just about to start a new batch, that's going to take a couple of weeks or so to ferment out so you have time yet to continue enjoying the beers mixed together in the glass. Who knows you may even finish one or both of the beers before the new kit is ready to be put into the PB.

 

[Jeltz]

wouldn't it risk oxidisation?

 

[gonch26]

Thanks for the responses folks, good to know I'm not thinking like a madman. I would wait a while but I have a few mates coming round in a couple of weeks and will need the beer to have settled out by then. Also if the coopers goes off like the last one did it will be going into the keg next weekend.

I will take the re priming advice, its a good idea that I hadn't even thought about.

I'll let you know how it tastes in a couple of weeks, I've already done the taste test and its a good mix so fingers crossed.

 

[RobWalker]

wouldn't it risk oxidisation?

maybe in wine or cider at this point, but not really in beer. syphon it out and id be shocked if it went pear shaped, not least mentioning that the repriming will push any oxygen out of the keg again.


coopers stout, mine was drinkable in a week, it tastes wonderful young and ferments super fast! one of thr best stouts ive had.

 

[gonch26]

Agreed Robwalker, the coopers stout is excellent. This will be my second batch of it, the 1st was drinkable in about a week. I did try to save it back but once my mates had a sample that was it, was gone in about 3 weeks after starting in the primary :

 

[troutie]

Can you put a tube on both taps and release the pressure in one barrel and the pressure in the other will push the beer across
I have done this with 2 of my cornies and the beer was good

 

[gonch26]

Good idea troutie but the job is done, I'm afraid I didn't get to this post before the transfer. I released the pressure in both then re-primed and syphoned. I then gave a quick burst of co2 into the top of the keg to give a cushion, then sealed in the goodness. I'll post the results back in a couple of weeks, or sooner if I can't keep my mits off.

Appreciate all the responses though folks. Cheers again.