Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Have a question on how to keg your beer or just want some tips on bottling! Don't stick a cork in it until you ask the Borg!

Moderators: BlackDuck, Beer-lord, LouieMacGoo, philm00x, gwcr

User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by BlackDuck »

I kegged my Session Simply Simarille yesterday. Finished around 1 in the afternoon. Later in the evening, as I was was all snug in my bed, and just about to fall asleep, it popped in my head....damn, I forgot to bleed the keg. So I get up and head down to the basement and pull the release valve a couple of times.

So the keg sat in the fridge at 12 psi for about 9 hours before I bled the oxygen out and replaced it with CO2. I wonder if the 9 hours of being on gas would force the O2 that was in the head space of the keg into suspension? Hope it doesn't do anything to my beer. :(
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
John Sand
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4310
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:01 pm
Location: Long Island NY

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by John Sand »

I think you'll be fine.
Do you flush the keg with CO2 first? Or use it to pressure sanitizer through? I do that, then fill, pressurize and chill. I don't vent and don't get oxidized beer.
Making beer and stew for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Never mind, there it is.
User avatar
Gymrat
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2155
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:49 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Gymrat »

bleed the keg? What is this "bleed the keg" of which you speak?
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by BlackDuck »

John....I kind of pressurize first. After the keg kicks, I clean and sanitize, then pressurize. But for some reason this time, I sanitized again right before filling. So whatever Co2 that was in there was probably removed when I dumped the sanitizer out.

Gymrat...After I fill the keg and hook up the gas and open the line up to start the gas flow in, I open the pressure release valve a couple of times to replace the oxygen in the headspace of the keg with Co2. Thus, removing all O2 from the inside of the keg.

We shall see. I'm sure it will be fine, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has done this. Just wanted to hear what you all thought.
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
Gymrat
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2155
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:49 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Gymrat »

BlackDuck wrote:John....I kind of pressurize first. After the keg kicks, I clean and sanitize, then pressurize. But for some reason this time, I sanitized again right before filling. So whatever Co2 that was in there was probably removed when I dumped the sanitizer out.

Gymrat...After I fill the keg and hook up the gas and open the line up to start the gas flow in, I open the pressure release valve a couple of times to replace the oxygen in the headspace of the keg with Co2. Thus, removing all O2 from the inside of the keg.

We shall see. I'm sure it will be fine, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has done this. Just wanted to hear what you all thought.
Do you do anything to remove the 02 from the beer itself? If not wouldn't that eventually work it's way out and into the head space?
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by BlackDuck »

No I don't. Not sure how that would work.
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
Gymrat
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2155
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:49 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Gymrat »

I saturate my beer with C02 by taking the out post "off" and putting the "in" post in it's place, then putting my CO2 on very low pressure and letting it bubble for about 30 seconds or so. I am sure this would force the 02 out as well. I just started doing this as a way to carbonate my beer faster.
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by BlackDuck »

I see....I've never done that before.
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
bpgreen
Uber Brewer
Uber Brewer
Posts: 1966
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by bpgreen »

Gymrat wrote:
BlackDuck wrote:John....I kind of pressurize first. After the keg kicks, I clean and sanitize, then pressurize. But for some reason this time, I sanitized again right before filling. So whatever Co2 that was in there was probably removed when I dumped the sanitizer out.

Gymrat...After I fill the keg and hook up the gas and open the line up to start the gas flow in, I open the pressure release valve a couple of times to replace the oxygen in the headspace of the keg with Co2. Thus, removing all O2 from the inside of the keg.

We shall see. I'm sure it will be fine, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has done this. Just wanted to hear what you all thought.
Do you do anything to remove the 02 from the beer itself? If not wouldn't that eventually work it's way out and into the head space?
There shouldn't be any oxygen in the beer at the end of fermentation. The yeast use it at the start to synthesize sterols and unsaturated fatty acids during the reproductive phase, but one they use up the oxygen, fermentation takes off.
User avatar
Kealia
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 5588
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:52 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Kealia »

Don't lose any sleep Chris. I've forgotten to do that a few times that I can recall and never had any issues. You have nothing to worry about.
User avatar
Whamolagan
Braumeister
Braumeister
Posts: 936
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 3:13 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Whamolagan »

You will be fine, as for using the dip tube for a co2 injector, I can see that working a low PSI, but without a stone at higher psi, the co2 just goes to the headspace and force carbs from the top. A carb wand uses a step PSI schedule to speed up carbonation. But if it works for you, it works for you. As stated before, there will be no o2 left in the beer after fermentation. The yeast will have used that up within the first 24 hours.
User avatar
Inkleg
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 4582
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:44 pm
Location: Lilburn, GA

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Inkleg »

Kealia wrote:Don't lose any sleep Chris. I've forgotten to do that a few times that I can recall and never had any issues. You have nothing to worry about.
^This^
Naked Cat Brewery On Tap
Yazoo Sue Smoked Porter
Octoberfest
Le Petite Saison
Czech Pale Lager
A Toast to Big Fuzzy Russian Imperial Stout at 10%
Belgian Blond
Flower Power IPA
4 Kilts Clueless Belgian Strong
One Wort Two Yeast with Wyeast 2206
One Wort Two Yeast with WLP940
Shipwreck Saison
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by BlackDuck »

Thanks everyone...I appreciate all the comments.
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
Gymrat
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2155
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:49 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Gymrat »

bpgreen wrote:
Gymrat wrote:
BlackDuck wrote:John....I kind of pressurize first. After the keg kicks, I clean and sanitize, then pressurize. But for some reason this time, I sanitized again right before filling. So whatever Co2 that was in there was probably removed when I dumped the sanitizer out.

Gymrat...After I fill the keg and hook up the gas and open the line up to start the gas flow in, I open the pressure release valve a couple of times to replace the oxygen in the headspace of the keg with Co2. Thus, removing all O2 from the inside of the keg.

We shall see. I'm sure it will be fine, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has done this. Just wanted to hear what you all thought.
Do you do anything to remove the 02 from the beer itself? If not wouldn't that eventually work it's way out and into the head space?
There shouldn't be any oxygen in the beer at the end of fermentation. The yeast use it at the start to synthesize sterols and unsaturated fatty acids during the reproductive phase, but one they use up the oxygen, fermentation takes off.
User avatar
Gymrat
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2155
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:49 pm

Re: Oops, Forgot to Bleed the Keg

Post by Gymrat »

bpgreen wrote:
Gymrat wrote:
BlackDuck wrote:John....I kind of pressurize first. After the keg kicks, I clean and sanitize, then pressurize. But for some reason this time, I sanitized again right before filling. So whatever Co2 that was in there was probably removed when I dumped the sanitizer out.

Gymrat...After I fill the keg and hook up the gas and open the line up to start the gas flow in, I open the pressure release valve a couple of times to replace the oxygen in the headspace of the keg with Co2. Thus, removing all O2 from the inside of the keg.

We shall see. I'm sure it will be fine, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has done this. Just wanted to hear what you all thought.
Do you do anything to remove the 02 from the beer itself? If not wouldn't that eventually work it's way out and into the head space?
There shouldn't be any oxygen in the beer at the end of fermentation. The yeast use it at the start to synthesize sterols and unsaturated fatty acids during the reproductive phase, but one they use up the oxygen, fermentation takes off.
You will get some oxygen in your beer as you transfer from fermenter to keg. It is unavoidable.
Post Reply