Simple Qs re: preparing for kegging/bottling

[drf]

I have my first ever brew on the go at the moment (Youngs Harvest Yorkshire Bitter kit w/ DME rather than cane sugar & S-04 yeast). Day 4 at the moment and still bubbling once every minute or two. I intend to bottle & keg on day 11. I'll dissolve 80g sugar in 100ml or so of boiled water and put it in a keg prior to transferring the beer. My intention is to bottle about 1/2 of the beer and leave the rest in the keg. I'll gas & vent the keg a couple of times after bottling in an attempt to remove as much oxygen as possible. The questions...

Is 80g sugar an appropriate amount for this bottling & kegging approach?

I'll grease the O-ring of the keg with a bit of vaseline to improve the seal - should I grease both faces of the O-ring or just the one that'll contact the body of the keg.

Similarly, should I grease the thread and/or seal of the little bottler?

I'll have a dry run with some just water and a test gassing of the keg to check I'm not springing a leak!

Thanks in advance.

 

[evanvine]

When you buy a new keg the instructions tell you to grease with Vaseline.
It's a moot point whether it helps the seal or not, but it definitely helps the top from freezing on.
I grease the threads in the cap and the"O" ring.

 

[tubby_shaw]

I'll gas & vent the keg a couple of times after bottling in an attempt to remove as much oxygen as possible.

Gas it, leave it for a couple of minutes, vent it, leave it alone :thumb:
As CO2 is heavier than air the couple of minutes wait will allow the CO2 to sink below the air, when you purge it the vast majority of air will then be ejected any small amounts of O2 left will be scavenged by the yest as they consume the primings so save your gas

Is 80g sugar an appropriate amount for this bottling & kegging approach?

Yes that'll be fine, it will give adequate carbonation in the bottle and give plenty of CO2 in the keg, which given that it will be 1/2 full, should be enough to dispense it all :thumb:

'll grease the O-ring of the keg with a bit of vaseline to improve the seal - should I grease both faces of the O-ring or just the one that'll contact the body of the keg.

Just give a "very,very" light smear of Vaseline on the neck of the keg. The idea is to allow the O ring to distort without pinching to allow a good seal to form.

Similarly, should I grease the thread and/or seal of the little bottler?

If it screws together and operates OK I wouldn't bother.

I'll have a dry run with some just water and a test gassing of the keg to check I'm not springing a leak!

Just remember that the CO2 will be readily absorbed into the water, so don't be too surprised that if you gas the keg up with water in and leave it overnight, that there will be no pressure in the keg in the morning :wha: A brush and a 50:50 solution of washing up liquid will find any leaks, gas up the empty keg, paint the solution around any seals, such as cap and tap and check for bubbles :thumb: