Priming in a cornie

[_jon_]

Does anyone prime in a cornie keg?

I've only force carbonated in the keg, but wondering whether priming in the keg and thus conditioning would enhance the flavour somewhat? I've been struggling with carbonation. My recent west coast IPA (the best beer I've made I must add), is simply delicious! But, it's a touch too carbonated. It tastes great, but serves with a large head (even at 5psi on the gas). The head settles fairly quickly, and the beer tastes great once it's settled.

But it just got me to thinking... should I prime a keg and see if it tastes any different.

If I were to prime 19L, is there a guide for how much sugar to use?

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
What diameter and length of serving hose are you using?

 

[Jakeyboi]

You can reduce the amount of carbonation, vent of all pressure, the beer will release co2 into the head space. Repeat until you get your desired levels. If you let the beer warm up it will release the co2 quicker.

 

[_jon_]

Hi!
What diameter and length of serving hose are you using?

This is something I am going to address, as I don't think it's long enough. I'm using the regular stiff beer line, and I think it's about 3 meters. But I think I may move to PVC pipe, and calculate the length leaving some looped at the top of the fridge.

I'm not overly concerned about the over carbonation due to the line.. It's more that someone told me the beer would taste better if I primed in the keg as opposed to force carb.

 

[_jon_]

You can reduce the amount of carbonation, vent of all pressure, the beer will release co2 into the head space. Repeat until you get your desired levels. If you let the beer warm up it will release the co2 quicker.

Yeah, not too fussed about the 02 in this beer. I've taken it right down to 4psi, and leaving it to fizz out. As above, a master brewer told me that you get more flavour out of priming as opposed to for carbing.

 

[Davemc]

I can't really say if it improves flavour as I have never done a comparison to test it out but I regularly prime the beers in the Corny, I started mainly as an experiment to see how it compared to force carbing. It works for me, you do find the first pour is cloudy as it's pulling the sediment up the dip tube but after that its fine.

 

[chewie]

As Dave says you will get cloudy beer from priming in a corny, ensure that the beer is as sediment free as you can get it before you rack to the corny otherwise you risk blocking the dip tube. The first couple out you can expect to be trublesome.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I have read that some homebrewers have shortened the dip tube by about 2 cm to avoid pulling up the sediment.
The Clear Beer Draught System draws beer from the surface rather than the bottom of the corny - I don't know whether it's available in the UK.
One further idea - Mason's have a delivery system for traditional casks, part of which is the float that takes beer in from the surface, This float is available separately. Replace the dip tube with a gas out tube and attach the float by means of a length of silicon tubing and you should be drawing beer from the surface.
However, at the cost of a couple of pints discarded it may be going a little too far.

 

[Davemc]

Hi!
I have read that some homebrewers have shortened the dip tube by about 2 cm to avoid pulling up the sediment.
The Clear Beer Draught System draws beer from the surface rather than the bottom of the corny - I don't know whether it's available in the UK.
One further idea - Mason's have a delivery system for traditional casks, part of which is the float that takes beer in from the surface, This float is available separately. Replace the dip tube with a gas out tube and attach the float by means of a length of silicon tubing and you should be drawing beer from the surface.
However, at the cost of a couple of pints discarded it may be going a little too far.

To be honest I personally don't think it's worth the effort or cost. If you think about it shortening the dip tube just creates more ullage so you are loosing a couple of pints, which you can pull off and pour away if you want to anyway. I can see the float allows you to start drinking as it clears even before all the sediment has settled but I am patient enough to leave the corny to prime and then clear down.

As Chewie says the key is to putting it in the corny when its pretty clear, I have never had a dip tube block with sediment (I hope that's not going to come back and haunt me as I put a very nice Citra IPA in a corny last night!). I discard the first half pint which is very cloudy then I am happy to dirink the next couple which are about as cloudy as wheatbeer and after that its all good. You find sediment in the very bottom of the corny after its empty so once you have pulled off the first few pints you dont want to be moving the corny too much or you will disturb this but it settles out below the dip tube if you do have to move the corny.

If I was brewing for a party or something where there are people who are not familar with homebrew (i.e. think it is still all like the 70s cheap Boots kits) or who would be put off by seeing some cloudy beer (unless you can get the corny there in advance and allow the sediment to settle again) I would force carb. For my own brews at home I am happy to prime. I have bought more cornys so I migt well do 2 brews and compare forec carbing v priming at some point.

 

[Kman]

I prime mine, a 9litre as I don’t have a big co2 canister and use SodaStream to dispense, works great for me