Keg as Secondary Fermenter: Overview of steps...

I find that I'm more efficient if I go through the steps and write them down before I actually start. I don't always use the written list, but, it helps me memorize to write them down. Again, this is just how I do it. It seems to work. If you have suggestions, I'm all ears. So here it goes.

Equipment I'll be using...

• two 5 gallon cornielius kegs
• tubing for siphoning
• auto siphon
• B-Brite
• iodophor
• two carboys filled with ~5 gallons fermented beer
• 5 lb CO2 canister (regulator, fittings, etc.)
• container to hold 1 - 2 gallons of sanitizing solution
• paper towels
• carboy brush

Steps I'll probably go through...

• Clean two kegs with B-Brite (1 gallon warm water, 1 tblsp B-Brite) helps get the rough stuff out. May not be necessary if your keg is clean. I usually take the valves off and clean all the pieces I can. ( I should probably have some keg lube, but, I've never used it)
• Save B-Brite solution for use with other equipment. Put it in a container big enough to hold the equipment you are cleaning.
• Sanitize first keg with BTF Iodophor (2.5 gallons of cold water, 1 tsp water)
• Sanitize second keg with BTF Iodophor (2.5 gallons of cold water, 1 tsp water)
• Sit kegs right side up for a few minutes with iodophor solution (sanitize bottom half)
• Sit kegs upside down for a few minutes with iodophor solution (sanitize top half)
• Bring carboys, primary fermenters, upstairs.
• Use saved b-brite solution to clean/sanitize siphon and racking tube.
• Put primary fermenters on table to prepare for siphoning. (surface higher than the kegs)
• Dump iodophor solution from one keg and don't rinse just let it drip.
• Hook up the CO2 to the gas in port.
• With regulator set to 5-10 lbs fill up the keg with CO2. The idea here is to transfer the beer into the CO2 filled keg where O2 probably won't touch it. Not sure how much this helps, but, hey who am I to argue at this point. Only takes a few seconds and seems to make perfect sense.
• Siphon the beer from the primary to the keg. Less splashing the better, but, since it is just CO2 in there it doesn't matter much ;-)
• Leave as much of the sediment in the primary as you can.
• Siphoning is complete.
• Put the top back on the keg.
• Hit it with CO2.
• Use the pressure release valve to evacuate gases from the keg.
• Hit with CO2.
• Use the pressure release valve to evacuate gases from the keg.
• At this point there should be very little air left and only CO2 in the headspace.
• Hit with CO2 enough so that the keg seals.
• Store where you would normally store a secondary fermenter @ 60 - 75 degrees.
• Rinse the siphon and tube in B-Brite solution.
• (repeating the above steps for second keg)
• Dump iodophor solution from one keg and don't rinse just let it drip.
• Hook up the CO2 to the gas in port.
• With regulator set to 5-10 lbs fill up the keg with CO2. The idea here is to transfer the beer into the CO2 filled keg where O2 probably won't touch it. Not sure how much this helps, but, hey who am I to argue at this point. Only takes a few seconds and seems to make perfect sense.
• Siphon the beer from the primary to the keg. Less splashing the better, but, since it is just CO2 in there it doesn't matter much ;-)
• Leave as much of the sediment in the primary as you can.
• Siphoning is complete.
• Put the top back on the keg.
• Hit it with CO2.
• Use the pressure release valve to evacuate gases from the keg.
• Hit with CO2.
• Use the pressure release valve to evacuate gases from the keg.
• At this point there should be very little air left and only CO2 in the headspace.
• Hit with CO2 enough so that the keg seals.
• Store where you would normally store a secondary fermenter @ 60 - 75 degrees.
• clean equipment using B-Brite solution (carboys, siphon, tubing, stoppers, air locks)put it all away so other people can use the kitchen ;-)