How to pressurise & purge keg using CO2 from fermentation

Once you dive into the world of pressure fermentation, it opens the doors to loads of options and possibilities for ways of achieving things when brewing and fermenting.

As we all know, the process of fermentation works by yeast consuming the sugars made available in wort, which then converts the sugar to alcohol. The byproduct of this process is carbon dioxide (CO2). If you are using a pressure capable fermenter, you can capture and harness this CO2 (there is lots of it) for other purposes. 

Such purposes may include pre-pressuring one or multiple kegs so it is purged of oxygen, and is full of CO2 and ready for your pressure transfer of beer after fermentation has completed.

Another common technique is to have your keg filled (or partly filled) with sanitising solution - and then use the CO2 from your fermentation to purge, or push this sanitiser out of the keg and into another keg, or another vessel such as a bucket. Here's how it's done.

What you'll need

• A pressure capable fermenter (eg. Kegland's Fermzilla) with fermentation happening or about to happen
• Gas line and disconnects to connect the gas output/post on your fermenter to the gas post on your keg
• Beer line and disconnect(s) from your keg to your other keg (if transferring to another keg), or otherwise, another vessel for the sanitising solution to be displaced into
• Your keg, with sanitising solution in it
• A spunding valve
  
  

How to do it

1. Put the sanitising solution in your keg and seal it shut. We typically use 1 or 2 litres of solution - you can use as much or as little as you like. Some people fill the keg completely, we just use a couple of litres and shake it in the fermenter to cover and sanitise all parts of it.
   
   
2. Connect the gas outlet on your fermenter (1) to the gas/in post of your keg (2)
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Connect the liquid/out post on your keg (3) to the other vessel you will purge the sanitising solution into (4). In our example photo above, we're using a soft drink/soda bottle with a carbonation cap attached so we can use a liquid disconnect . Alternatively, you can opt to have the end of the hose sitting loose in a bucket, or you can use a disconnect and attach it to another keg
   
   
4. As the gas from the fermentation is transferred via the line into the keg, the sanitising solution will be forced out (slowly). If using a pressurised bottle as we are, you will need to periodically release the pressure in the bottle to keep the transfer flowing.
   
   
5. As an added bonus, this process sanitises the liquid/out post and dip tube on your keg, as well as the disconnects and line/hose it is being transferred through.
   
   
6. Another option is to leave the liquid/out post (3) disconnected and let the pressure build in the keg. You can then attach the disconnect and have all the sanitiser pushed out at once, and more quickly.

Once your keg has been purged of sanitising solution you should ensure it is completely purged of oxygen. For the step phase, we'll essentially replace the connection at number 3 with a spunding valve

1. Connect the gas/out post on your fermenter (1) to the gas/in post of your keg (2).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Connect your spunding valve to the liquid/out post of your keg (3)
   
   
3. Set your spunding valve pressure
   
   
4. You can leave this connected for the entire fermentation period if necessary. The pressure within the keg will continue to build until it reaches the pressure set on the spunding valve. Once this pressure is reached it will constantly vent excess pressure as required to maintain it's set pressure. Since carbon dioxide (CO2) is more dense than oxygen, the oxygen will always be forced to the top of the keg and out through the spunding valve first.
   
   

The best thing about this entire process is it's essentially using 'free' carbon dioxide that is created by your fermentation, so reduces the amount of CO2 you would otherwise use from your bottle.

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Sydney Brewery - Pyrmont Rye IPA - Beer Review

Review Date: 26/11/2021 
Brewery Name: Sydney Brewery
Beer Name: Pyrmont Rye IPA (definitely a missed opportunity - why is it not called a "Rye-PA"!?)

"Crafted with three varities of U.S hops, a bitter spiciness of pine & savoury malt, our Pyrmont Rye IPA presents itself as a beautiful dark amber, perfectly balanced with a sweet, fruitful aroma. Pyrmont Rye IPA really is a ripper!"

Sydney Brewery - Pyrmont Rye IPA

General

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 6.5% (High Strength)




Label/Design: 3/10 - plain & simple design
Serving Style: Can - 355ml
Region of Origin: Pacific (Australia, New Zealand)
Style Family: IPA
Malts/Adjuncts: Rye, Unknown
Hops: 3 US Varieties (Unspecified)
IBU's: Unknown

Appearance

Colour: Deep Amber

Clarity: Slight Haze
Collar of Foam & Head Retention: Good (more than 60 seconds)
Foam Texture: Fluffy

Carbonation (Visible): Slow
Alcohol Aroma: Mild

Aroma

Esters Aroma: None
Phenols: None

Flavour & Aftertaste

Alcohol Taste: Noticeable
Hop Bitterness: Aggressive

Malt Sweetness: Medium
Astringency: Low
Palate/Mouthfeel: Full Bodied (Round, Rich & Creamy)
Palate Carbonation: Medium
Length/Finish: Medium (15 to 60 seconds)

Oxidative/Aged Qualities: None

Overall

Sydney Brewery Pyrmont Rye IPA in the Craftd Alpha glass

Drinkability: 7/10
Overall Impression: 7/10

Notes: Overall an enjoyable beer and a good example of an American IPA. It has strong flavours - the unmissable classic American hop flavours always pair well with the caramel notes, presumably from crystal malts being used. Enjoyable but not sessionable with plenty of flavour and alcohol content.

What is Hop Creep and How to Prevent It?

Introduction

Hop creep is a phenomenon that refers to beer becoming over-attenuated due to additional diastaste enzymes being introduced to the wort/beer when quantities of hops are added for dry hopping. These enzymes can cause the conversion of long-chain unfermentable dextrins into fermentable sugars. 

Coconspirators Brewing Co - Who Put Their Hand In The Kooka's Jar - Beer Review

Brewed By: Coconspirators Brewing Co (Brunswick, Victoria, Australia)
Beer: Who Put Their Hand In The Kooka's Jar? (Pastry Stout)
ABV: 9%
Malts: Pale, Munich, Rolled Oats, Roasted Barley, Crystal
Adjuncts: Lactose, Cacao Nibs
Hops: Bravo
IBU: Unknown

Coconspirators Who Put Their Hand in the Kooka's Jar in the Craftd Alpha glass

"We've teamed up with Kookas to raid the cookie jar and bring you this 'monster' beer. Chewy chocolate and refreshing raspberry come together for a delicious midnight snack. A perfect pastry stout so decadent, you won't care how the cookie crumbles."

Review

Who Put Their Hand in the Kooka's Jar is a fun-sounding dessert beer with a really cool and enticing can label design. Released by Coconspirators Brewing Co, we came across this one as part of a mixed variety pack of craft beers.

As you can see from the overview above - there's a large variety of malts involved in making this beer which leads to a mixture of complex flavours, however, it really seems to miss the mark in terms of enjoy-ability and balance.

From the can we get a very dark - deep brown or perhaps even black hue, that has also seeped and dirtied the colour of the thick foamy head that sits on top.
First impressions on the nose are predominantly raspberry, but very slight hints of lactose sneak through as well.

In terms of mouthfeel, the term "chewy" used by Coconspirators themselves is accurate and apt and really sums it up well.



Initial taste with each sip is sweet - very sweet. The malt combination works well to provide a thick and robust platform, but "zingy" was a word that quickly came to mind to describe the harsh tartness that followed - and this is where the problem lies with this beer. The initial sweetness is very quickly overwhelmed by this tart raspberry flavour and really sticks around on the tongue - leaving a tangy and astringent after taste that diminishes the enjoyment. This is most likely from the raspberry's - which seem to have imparted more of their bitter notes than sweetness - and combined with the tart flavours of cacao nibs - it all becomes a bit much.

Coconspirators Who Put Their Hand in the Kooka's Jar Can

We found the flavours did mellow a little as the temperature of the class rose a few degrees so was closer to the recommended serving temperature for a stout beer like this - or perhaps our senses were just dulled a little from the 9% ABV.

Unfortunately this one was not particularly enjoyable, especially when compared to another dessert beer we reviewed recently - Deed's Brewing Double Imperial Brown Ale - which although is a different style of beer, uses similar ingredients in lactose and raspberry which have been combined for a much nicer and more "dessert-like" beer.

Rating

5.5/10

Ocean Reach Brewing - Hazy IPA - Beer Review

Brewed By: Ocean Reach Brewing (Phillip Island, Australia)
Beer: Hazy IPA
ABV: 6%
Malts: Unknown
Hops: El Dorado
IBU: Unknown

Ocean Reach Brewing - Hops to Home - Hazy IPA Can

"A single hop Hazy IPA packed with bold tropical fruit flavours, reminiscent of pineapple and mango. So ride, boldly ride, to the end of the haziness. Rise, boldly rise, till you find El Dorado"

Review

Another special release beer in partnership with Hops to Home - Ocean Reach Brewing's Hazy IPA is another tasty example within the Hazy IPA genre.

The timing of this tasting was excellent - with our latest SMaSH brew using the same single hop variety, El Dorado, as what this Hazy IPA has.

The can design itself is pretty cool, with it's elements giving a subtle nod to the South American myth of El Dorado.

Opening the can and pouring into our Craftd Alpha glass, and unsurprisingly we have a light straw coloured beer with the slightest of golden tinges poking through. A prominent white fluffy cloud-like head settles on top and slowly dissipates away.

Ocean Reach Brewing Hazy IPA in the Craftd Alpha glass

As you'd expect, we've got lots of fruit notes - we picked up alot of stone fruit and melon flavours and not so much of the pineapple and mango that were claimed in the tasting notes. But in any case, the flavour is good and surprisingly complex considering there's only a single hop variety involved (hence why we wanted to test this hop for ourselves in our own beer).

There were some slight piney and dank undertones, and the bitterness tended to linger in the mouth. We also picked up a noticeable alcohol taste which is not entirely surprising given the 6% ABV, but perhaps seemed a little more pronounced than in other hazy IPA's we've had.

Mouthfeel is nice and light, making for an overall enjoyable beer and an excellent example of what can be achieved with a single hop variety like El Dorado.

Rating 

7.5/10

How To Test Hydrometer Accuracy

Hydrometers are a simple but incredibly important piece of equipment for professional brewers and home brewers alike. They are used to measure the specific gravity of a fluid - which gives a reading on the density of that fluid. In the brewing world - there are two (2) main reasons to take hydrometer readings;

1. By taking gravity readings before and after fermentation, we are able to tell the alcoholic content of the beer (by using the figures in a specific formula)
2. By taking gravity readings over consecutive days, we are able to verify when fermentation has finished/completed (once there are no more changes to the gravity reading)

For these reasons, it's important your hydrometer is reading accurately. The process for testing their accuracy is very simple.

Fill the hydrometer test/sample tube with tap water - as close to the hydrometers calibrated temperature as possible. Our hydrometer is calibrated for 20c, so we're using water close to this temperature.

Place the hydrometer into the test/sample tube and check the reading. As per the photo below, it should be right on 1.000. Remember if the water temperature you are testing isn't close to the calibrated temperature then the reading will likely be out by a few points (or more).

Testing your hydrometer in water should give a reading close to 1.000

Most hydrometers will come with a correction scale that you can use to adjust the reading based on any temperature difference/deviation from the calibrated temperature.

Unfortunately if you're testing at the right the temperature and the reading is still out - hydrometers can't easily be recalibrated. In this case you have two (2) options;

1. Make a note of the difference in the reading and adjust future readings accordingly
2. Purchase a new hydrometer

Thankfully hydrometers are not particularly expensive so if you find your hydrometer isn't accurate, it's definitely worthwhile considering a replacement to ensure your gravity readings are correct.

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Lallemand Verdant IPA - Yeast Overview

LalBrew® Verdant IPA was specially selected in collaboration with Verdant Brewing Co. (UK) for its ability to produce a variety of hop-forward and malty beers. Prominent notes of apricot and undertones of tropical fruit and citrus merge seamlessly with hop aromas. With medium-high attenuation, LalBrew® Verdant IPA leaves a soft and balanced malt profile with slightly more body than a typical American IPA yeast strain. This highly versatile strain is well suited for a variety of beer styles including NEIPA, English IPA, American Pale, English Bitter, Sweet Stout and Sours.

We've used this yeast recently for the first time so wanted to compile details on some of it's unique and interesting aspects. It's a new yeast variety, released in 2020 so it's good to get some more information about this 'new kid on the block' to help those who already are, or may be looking at using this particular yeast variety in their next brew.

As outlined in the blurb above (taken directly from Lallemand's website), Verdant IPA is a specialty ale yeast, made in collaboration between Verdant Brewing Co in the UK and Lallemand.  "Collaboration" is an interesting term - the story appears to have started with Lallemand approaching Verdant Brewing Co (along with other breweries) to trial a new strain of NEIPA yeast back in 2017. The results of this trial aren't exactly known (but it was potentially what is now the Lallemand American East Coast ale yeast). Presumably not entirely happy with the yeast provided by Lallemand, Verdant went back to them suggesting they instead look at their house strain of yeast - which had recently been 'banked' in a laboratory.

Verdant had been using this particular house yeast strain for years - originally derived from the English ale strain -  London Ale III, it had been harvested and re-pitched several times which caused changes/mutation of the yeast to occur. This mutated version was comprised of three (3) separate yeast strains, and the specific yeast strain used to make Verdant IPA was captured and isolated from this original culture. The specific strain was chosen as it was the domainant strain in the culture, but also because of it's unique properties - throwing notes of apricot and creamy vanilla. You would suspect this particular strain to be somewhat similar to London Ale III, and it probably is, but Lallemand insist it is "genetically different".

Although the name Verdant IPA indicates it's a dedicated IPA yeast - it can certainly be used in other styles of beer - from English Ales all the way to Stouts, Porters and even Sours. Verdant Brewing Co themselves tend to focus on hop forward styles like IPA's so it's no surprise that these are the sorts of beer styles this yeast is suited to. 

Lallemand Verdant IPA Yeast package (11g)

We do feel though that having "IPA" in the name was perhaps misleading, since it's definitely suitable for other styles and may lead people to negate it as an option if they're looking at yeasts to use for non-IPA beers - like those previously listed.

The flavour profile is described as clean with slight fruity esters. Common flavour descriptors are most notably apricot, slight peach undertones and some sweeter notes such as creamy vanilla. 

Some of the general properties of the Verdant IPA yeast is that it's a top cropping yeast which generally creates a large, fluffy krausen. Fermentations tend to start quite fast after pitching yeast, with minimal lag times and usually signs of fermentation being underway within 24 hours. Fermentation generally completes quickly, sometimes in as little as five (5) days. This of course varies depending on a number of factors such as fermentation temperature, pitching rates, wort gravity/fermentability etc.

Pale Ale with Verdant IPA yeast fermenting - note the fluffy white krausen

Verdant IPA yeast differentiates itself from existing Lallemand yeast strains because of it's attentuation rate. Whereas other Lallemand yeasts such as their New England American East Coast, BRY-97 American West Coast or Nottingham have attentuation rates over 81%, Verdant IPA only has an (average) attentuation rate of 78%. Although this is only a few percent points of difference, it does lead to a noticeable difference in the finished beer. It also has notably different biotransformation properties when compared to other ale yeasts in the Lallemand range.

Fermentation Schedule 

James Heffron from Verdant Brewing Co outlines the fermentation schedule they use for this yeast, which is to pitch at 18c, hold the fermentation at 19c, then when there's about 10 gravity points left let the temperature "free rise" up for a diacetyl rest - usually to somewhere around 22-23c. It is known for producting diacetyl but does a good job of cleaning it up at the end of fermentation. He also mentions that for low gravity beers they pitch at 19c, then let the temperature from fermentation ramp up to 22c where it is capped and controlled/maintained.

They then typically perform a soft crash, which involves dropping the temperature of the fermenter down to 15c to help the yeast drop out of suspension, and then dry hop at this temperature. This is to help avoid hop creep and the over attenuation associated with it. The dry hops are added at 15c, and this temperature is maintained for about 24 hours after which point the hops are roused (presumably with CO2) and the cold crash is started. The total contact time for dry hops is quite low, at around 72 hours total time before being transferred to the bright tank.

Dry hopping during active fermentation to achieve biotransformation is of course possible but not something James recommends and is not something they do at Verdant Brewing Co. James argues that you inevitably lose some of the hop flavours and aromas when dry hopping during fermentation due to the CO2 being created and expelled from the fermenter that can carry the desirable aromas from the dry hops out of the fermenter and beer.

In relation to yeast pitching, James suggests pitching the yeast directly into your wort and that prior rehydration is not necessary - even for higher gravity beers. Lallemand do recommend though that you consider yeast stress levels when making higher gravity beers by adjusting pitching rates and ensuring sufficient nutrients and oxygen levels are present in the wort to ensure a healthy fermentation.

With regards to pressure fermentation, Verdant don't ferment their beers under pressure, however Lallemand advised that a number of tests performed by other breweries were done under pressure so it is definitely possible to do with this yeast. It is well known though that pressure fermentations tends to suppress ester formations which may not be desirable with this particular yeast. James does note that they "cap" or seal their fermenters right at the tail end of fermentations to build some positive CO2 pressure in the headspace (and beer) to help prevent oxidation from occurring during the dry hopping phase.

Key Stats/Information

Beer Styles

New England IPA (NEIPA), English IPA, American Pale, English Bitters, Sweet Souts, Sours

Attenuation

Medium to high (~78%)

Pitching Rate

0.5-1g/L of wort to achieve a minimum of 2.5 - 5 million cells/mL
Verdant Brewing Co pitch at 0.75g/L for all their beers according to James Heffron

Floculation

Moderate

Recommended Fermentation Temperature

18-23c (64-73F)

Alcohol Tolerance

10% ABV

Source: Youtube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNVWwSjIOEY

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Inkbird ITC-308 Wifi Temperature Controller - Review

Temperature control is a very important aspect of a successful fermentation. Since fermentation is an exothermic process (ie. creates heat) - temperature control is vital to ensure off flavours associated with high fermentation temperatures are suppressed - leading to a better tasting final product.

BrewZilla Brew Day - El Dorado Smash

Here's a run down of our recent El Dorado SMaSH brew day! Our first attempt at a 30 minute boil, and our best result in terms of hitting efficiency targets.

Here is the link where you can view the full recipe

Check our review and tasting results for the El Dorado Smash

Water Additions

We keep our water additions minimal by using four (4) simple ingredients for making adjustments to water chemistry. Campden tablets for removing chlorine, and magnesium sulphate, calcium chloride and calcium sulphate for making other adjustments to key minerals. Calculations are all done using BrewFather software - for this brew we went with the standard Pale Ale water profile in BrewFather.

The calculated numbers from BrewFather are below;

Ca2+ (Calcium): 126
Mg2+ (Magnesium): 18
Na+ (Sodium): 16
Cl- (Chloride): 55
SO42- (Sulfate): 299
HCO3- (Bicarbonate): 46

Digiboil Sparge Water Heater

Our recently purchased sparge water heater, the Kegland Digiboil also got it's debut run and worked incredibly well. Being able to set the desired sparge water temperature then leave it until it was time to sparge was incredibly convenient - no more messing around with hitting and maintaing the right water temperature with a pot on the stove top.

35L Digiboil Sparge water heater

Since we were doing a smaller batch (23L) - we needed less than 7L of sparge water. Was disappointed that the Digiboil volume markings only started at 10L, so we just estimated where the 7L mark was. We more than likely filled with closer to 8L but better off having too much than not enough sparge water. Turns out we were pretty close as there wasn't much extra sparge water left over at the end.

The Mash

Mashing in and the mash itself all went well and without incident. This was our first time using the pro screen for the BrewZilla which removes the overflow centre pipe. It was much easier to stir the mash without having to deal with the centre pipe in the middle.

BrewZilla 35L with pro screen (no overflow centre pipe)

After doughing in our 5.5kg of Maris Otter malted grain we left the grain bed to settle for 10 minutes before starting the pump for wort recirculation.

Grain bed - 5.5kg of Maris Otter shortly after doughing in

In order to try and hit and maintain a more accurate mash bed temperature, we utilised a long probe thermometer through the glass lid opening of our BrewZilla. The long probe allows us to measure the temperature a few inches into the grain bed. As is well known with the BrewZilla's - there is a noticeable temperature difference between what is displayed on the screen since the temperature probe is located at the base of the unit, and the temperature at the top of the mash. It certainly takes some time for the temperature to normalise and stabilise throughout the mash - but we were eventually able to hit and maintain a reasonably constant 66C as called for in the recipe.

66c on the long probe thermometer through the lid of the BrewZilla

Recirculation flow was good with the flow control almost set to fully open. We stopped the pump and gave the mash bed a good stir 3 or 4 times through the 60 minute mash. There was a noticeable foam on top of the mash bed throughout so we weren't really able to see or capture the improved clarity of the wort - but it definitely got there in the end.

Wort clarity at the end of the mash

Mash Out

This is the first time we actually remembered to perform a mash out - which is where the temperature of the mash bed is raised from 66c to 76c. It took a good 10-15 minutes for the temperature to raise throughout the entire mash bed, and once it did we left it for a further 10 minutes. This definitely seemed to help with the flow of water when sparging.

We also encountered some difficulty with removing the malt pipe. As you'd expect - it's pretty heavy when full of wetted grain - and the metal handle that fits in the two holes on either side of the malt pipe only just fits. The handle slipped out a couple of times when attempting to lift the malt pipe - thankfully before it was too high above the wort which would have lead to hot wort being splashed everywhere.

Pre Boil Gravity

After taking a pre-boil gravity sample/reading we were pleased to hit our expected number of 1.053 exactly. We've previously fallen short of expected  efficiency numbers - most likely because of forgetting to complete the mash out step. We don't normally get too concerned with hitting numbers exactly - as long as we make good beer - but it's always reassuring to know your processes are working well and improving.

Our pre-boil wort sample for gravity reading

One thing to note when taking pre-boil gravity readings is to make sure the wort is properly stirred before taking a sample. Due to the nature of sparging - the wort at the bottom of the vessel may contain more sugar than the sparge water sitting on top until it is thoroughly stirred through. We made sure to give it a good stir, and actually took several samples from the tap the bottom and poured them back into the top to try and get as accurate a reading as possible.

Pre-boil gravity reading - 1.053 - right on target

The Boil

We had a slightly lower pre-boil volume due to opting for a smaller batch size. Boil time was reached quickly - noticeably quicker than previous, larger batches. There was a large amount of hot break that formed too so we were constantly stirring and breaking the surface tension of the wort as it came to a boil to prevent the dreaded and messy boil over.

Recirculate the wort through the hop spider to filter any grains out of the wort

Tip - when waiting for the wort to come to a boil - put your recirculation arm into your hop spider and run the pump at full speed. This will help to filter out any grains that escaped the malt pipe and made it into the wort - and also aid with bringing the wort up to boil temperature more quickly

Plenty of hot break at the beginning of the boil

Chilling the wort

We use the included immersion chiller to bring the wort down to yeast pitching temperature at the end of the boil. The lower boil volume meant once again that this process went a bit quicker than it had for previous larger batches.

Chilling the wort

We use the recirculation arm during chilling to help move the wort around against the chiller to improve the cooling efficiency. We also jiggle the immersion chiller every few minutes to help agitate the wort which also assists with cooling.

The old shirts are over the connections on the chiller to help prevent any leaks from the hose connections from spraying into the wort.

The spent water from chilling is used to water the garden.

Transferring from BrewZilla to FermZilla

Once our wort was at pitching temperature, we use the BrewZilla pump to transfer the wort into our FermZilla fermenter. We hold the output hose high above the FermZilla opening to create splashing and aid in aerating the wort prior to pitching the yeast. Who knows how much benefit it actually gives, but it's got to be better than nothing, right?

Transferring wort from BrewZilla to FermZilla

Original Gravity Reading 

Our original gravity reading (OG) was a pleasing 1.055 - only 1 point below our expected target. A new efficiency record for us - which we also attribute to remembering the mash out step that has been previously forgotten in past brews.

Original Gravity (OG) reading - 1.055

Yeast Pitching and Active Fermentation

Our Verdant IPA yeast was pitched at 22.5c and fermentation was well underway by the next morning.

Once fermentation was underway the temperature was dropped to maintain a constant 19-20c

Nice fluffy white krausen showing fermentation is well underway

Gravity readings were taken on Day 6 and Day 7 showing a constant 1.015 - a couple of points higher than the expected 1.013, but indicating the final gravity (FG) had been reached

1.015 on consecutive days - FG reached

Test tasting at this stage was promising - very prominent nutty taste from the malt - good bitterness, slight alcohol taste but no trace of any green or off flavours.

At this point we started the 'soft crash' by dropping the temperature of the fermenter to 15c in preparation for dry hopping. We use a soft crash to avoid hop creep.

Our 80g dry hop was measured and put into the fermenter - left for 24 hours at 15c before cold crashing to 2-3c

80g El Dorado dry hop

Here is the full chart/log of the fermentation temperature

Check our review and tasting results for the El Dorado Smash

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How to convert a fridge into a kegerator

Most people start out homebrewing and bottle their beers for consumption. It's almost inevitable that at some point down the track, most will start looking into options for kegging their beer - to save time and the hassle of endlessly cleaning bottles.

Our custom made Kegerator

You can of course purchase ready-made Kegerators - but it can be much more cost effective to buy a used/second hand fridge (or you may have one already as a dedicated beer fridge) and 'convert' it into a kegerator - that is, a refrigerator that has been converted to server from kegs.

This is something we've done ourselves so we thought we'd share what was involved and some hints and tips we've learned along the way.

What you need

Here's what you'll need to begin your kegging journey

• A fridge (obviously)

• Beer keg(s) - the 19L cornelius "corny" kegs are the most popular, but you can also use commercial kegs. For the purpose of this post we'll be focusing on corny kegs.

• A carbon dioxide (CO2) gas bottle

• A CO2 gas regulator

• A beer dispenser - usually a tap and shank which you can mount to the fridge door, or otherwise you can use a handheld pluto/beer gun

• Line/tubing to connect your gas regulator to your keg(s)

• Line/tubing to connect your keg to your tap(s) and/or pluto/beer gun(s)

• Gas and liquid disconnects (these are used to attach the beer and gas lines to your keg on the keg posts)

• Stepless clamps or push in fittings - used to secure the hose connection to your gas/liquid disconnects and/or CO2 regulator
  
  

A basic overview

If you're new to the concept of kegging - here's a high level overview of how all the above listed parts work together.

CO2 gas bottle and regulator

The CO2 gas in your system is used for two (2) primary purposes. Firstly, for carbonating the beer in your keg(s). The second is to provide pressure to dispense the beer out of the keg. The pressure inside a CO2 bottle is incredibly high, so a regulator is used to set or control (regulate) the pressure coming out.

A CO2 gas regulator attached to a 6kg CO2 bottle

Cornelius "corny" keg

Probably the most common type of keg used in home brewing and kegerator setups. They typically hold 19L (but other sizes are available) and have two (2) posts on the top. One is for connecting gas to the keg, and the other is for connecting/dispensing beer. The gas post will typically be labelled with 'In', and the liquid post will be labelled with 'Out'. The 'Out' post will have a long metal tube that reaches to the bottom of the keg which is where the liquid/beer is drawn from. The gas post will have a much shorter tube attached (generally a few cm's) to avoid liquid coming into contact with it.

Quick disconnects and lines/tubing

Disconnects are used to 'clip' onto the two (2) posts on your corny keg. They are colour coded with grey being for gas, and black being for liquid. The disconnect attaches to the corny keg post, and then your plastic line/tubing attaches to the disconnect.

A grey (gas) disconnect with dutotight push in fitting

The internal diameter (id) of the gas lines is not important, but the internal diameter of the beer/liquid lines are important - the smaller the diameter line, the shorter length you will need to 'balance' your system to avoid constantly pouring super foamy beer. We'll cover this in more detail later.

Push in fittings or stepless clamps

Push in fittings are a great solution to make connecting beer and gas lines to disconnects quick and easy. Some people do find them problematic with leaks but they have not caused a problem in our experience with them. There are plenty of brands/options available.

Taps and shanks

Most people know what beer taps are - but you will also need a 'shank' to attach the tap to. The shank is a long piece of metal that will go through the fridge door that the beer passes through. The tap attaches to one end, and the beer line attaches to the other.

Pluto/beer gun(s)

These are an alternative to beer taps and allow you to dispense beer from a handheld device or gun style apparatus. This avoids the need for drilling holes into the fridge door if you can't or don't want to. We initially went with this option but got tired of having to open the fridge door to access the gun - we'd recommend going straight for taps - it's just better, but you do have this as an alternative option.

Drilling holes in your fridge

This is always an area of concern for people - the last thing you want to do is put a drill bit through a coolant/gas line in your fridge, but with some careful consideration and research you can minimise the risk of this happening. There are plenty of videos on YouTube with details on how to look for pipe outlines when defrosting the fridge, or drilling small pilot holes to check.

Firstly, never drill a hole in the rear of the fridge - this is where all wiring and plumbing for your fridge will be. 

Drilling holes in/through the door is generally safe to do - as long as you have a standard/basic fridge without any electrical features on the inside of the door (like lights or water dispensers etc). However, make sure you use a drill bit designed for metal. We found that drill bits designed for wood did not work well for cutting through the thin metal outer skin of the fridge door.

Inside door of fridge with beer lines connected to shanks

The size hole you need will be determined by the size of the shank you use. We used the Kegland 100mm shank which specifies a 22mm hole.

We also drilled a hole in the side of our fridge for the gas line to feed through - we initially had the gas line running through the door but got sick of the door not closing and sealing properly.

8mm hole drilled in side of fridge to feed 8mm gas line into fridge

Putting it all together

So you've got all your parts, drilled the hole(s) you need/want in your fridge, so now it's time to piece it all together.

Attach the CO2 regulator to the CO2 bottle

Attach the regulator to the bottle, and tighten well with a spanner. Check out our other post here on how to set and adjust the pressure on your regulator.

Attach your gas output line to your CO2 regulator

Connect your gas tube/line onto the output of the CO2 regulator. Feed the length of the cable into the fridge. You can use T-pieces if necessary to split the line so you can have multiple disconnects to be able to connect gas to multiple kegs.

Attach your disconnect(s) to the other end of your gas line(s)

Attach your gas disconnect(s) onto the other end of the gas line(s) and the fit them to the keg(s).

Insert the tap shank through the hole(s) in the door

If you're using taps, then fit the tap shank through the hole(s) you've drilled in the door. Fit the tap to the outside end of the shank, and attach your beer line to the other end of the shank.

Attach your disconnect(s) to the other end of your beer line(s)

Attach your liquid disconnect(s) to the other end of the beer line(s) and fit them to the keg(s)

Turn on your gas - check for leaks and test pouring

Now for the fun part - turn on your gas at the gas bottle and check for any leaks. Big leaks will be audible (hissing), smaller leaks may be more difficult to diagnose. A good way to tackle leaks is to spray connections and fittings with a soapy water solution and looking for bubbles forming/popping.

Balancing your kegerator system

A common term you may hear when talking about kegerator and draught beer systems is "balancing" them. This refers to getting the right amount of resistance in the beer flow to prevent excessive foaming when pouring. Too little resistance and you'll get loads of foam. Too much resistance and your beer will lose fizz/carbonation.

There are loads of calculators online to help work this out - but the easiest method is to increase the length of your beer lines, and decrease the internal diameter of the line itself. We've found around 2 - 2.5m of 4mm internal diameter beer line works well for us - serving at 2-3c and 10-12psi of pressure.

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