India Pale Ale Kegging...

[TheMiller]

Hi - I put an India Pale Ale on last Tuesday (18th) and am hoping to have it kegged and ready by new years (I'm know I'm rushing it!) would I be best to move it from the primary to the secondary for a couple of days in between kegging or to leave it in the primary and move it on the 29th so that I can have it force carbed by evening on the 31st?

thanks again for all advice!

[BrewDog]

Either way will work, but it's less work to skip the secondary.
The "crash cooling" in the keg will floc out most of the yeast. Your first couple beers off the keg will have a bit of a cloud in them, but after that they should be fine.

Good luck. It is tough to speed-carbonate and get the right carbonation levels. I always screw it up and end up under or over carbonated.

[TheMiller]

So - after a week and half in the primary I moved to the keg - just tried to draw off one pint this morning after leaving in the fridge all night (prior to carbonation) and it has a sulfur smell to it - so I guess that means it was still working ... I moved it into a carboy, so that I can clean the keg out - what are the chances I can keg it again tonight and force carb in the morning to drink tomorrow night? Should I try to filter it?

Thanks again! Looking forward to when I can actually offer advice!

[BrewDog]

Go for it. There's nothing you can do at this point that will make it more ready than it is right now by tomorrow night.

For carbonating, I suggest you keg it, purge the headspace air out several (5-7) times, then lay the keg on its side with the co2 connected and on (at about 15 psi instead of the normal 12 or so), and then you sit down in a chair in front of the TV and start rolling the keg back and forth with your foot. All the shaking will help get more CO2 into solution. After about an hour of this, lower the pressure to 12psi, and continue for another hour, then set it in the kegerator overnight with the pressure on 12 and the temp at about 38F.

In the morning, try the keg roll again and see if it takes any more co2 (you'll hear it if it does). If so, do the foot roll again until it stops.

Be careful about using too much pressure, or you will overcarbonate it and then you'll have a tough time getting the pressure down in time for your party. That's why I only suggest going with no more than 15 PSI.

HTH-

[TheMiller]

Thanks - I'll give it a shot tonight!

[TheMiller]

I moved it back into the keg - still smells like sulfur!

I read somewhere that aerating it will help remove the sulfur smell, so I have been shaking it and releasing the pressure. Seems to be releasing sulfur gas.

Should I continue on with carbonation?

Should I just give up on having this ready for tomorrow and go to the beer store?

thx again.

[BrewDog]

Play the backup card. Get some beer from the store, but serve the IPA. A lot of times, a sulphur smell will go away in the glass.

Depending on your guests, you may or may not need to backup store bought stuff.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good luck with this. Let us know how it goes tonight.

[ClaudiusB]

I read somewhere that aerating it will help remove the sulfur smell,

Did you read aerating after the fermentation?
The German term is Gaswäsche = gas scrubbing, inject CO2 and open the lid.
If you follow BrewDog's advice For carbonating, I suggest you keg it, purge the headspace air out several (5-7) times, you are on your way.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

[TheMiller]

I did follow Brew-dogs advice - purged a bunch of times, aerated it, etc. - still smells.... given up on it for now - hopefully it'll be better in a week or two!