Can you save a half-full keg?

[ridglens]

It makes sense to me that since you re-fill with pressurized CO2 that you could unhook a keg that you'd been working on and store it for a while? I'm anticipating a slightly faster oxidation rate since the exposed-to-air surface area might be higher, but other than that i think it would work for a relatively robust beer.

anybody tried this?

Cheers!
Nathan

 

[stupac2]

Someone mentioned having done this in the cellaring FAQ, I don't have time right now to look it up though. Maybe Dunt?

 

[Adam Jackson]

I had never heard of this until I saw a video on YouTube about beer cellars and a guy formerly at Goose Island that has an old Anchor Christmas keg that he only taps for his once a year christmas party. He throws it on, drinks and then puts it back in the cellar. Says he's been doing that for years and every year, it gets better.

I've been doing that with a few high ABV stouts in kegs and it's totally fine so far.

 

[Adam Jackson]

Also ISO Expedition Stout Keg.

I actually went to a few of my favorite beer stores yesterday and put in requests for some high ABV kegs. We'll see if they can come through. Managed to get a 2013 BCS Keg..still on the search for a Barlweywine Keg and a Founders Imperial Stout.

Finally on my list is Allagash James Bean which was keg only and is delicious. It's been hit or miss but I'd like to have a nice bit of stout kegs for special occasions.

 

[duketheredeemer]

For any normal, cylindrical keg, the surface area won't change, though as the volume of liquid goes down, the surface area to volume ratio goes up. The volume of CO2 will also increase, so if there's some O2 mixed in there, you might see more oxidation as the limiting reagent, the O2, increases in total amount. With the long time frames involved, everything should be pretty well at equilibrium, so if you had some O2 in the head space initially, the dilution by CO2 shouldn't really change anything, though it might still slow reaction rates a little bit.

All that said, I doubt you'd have much O2 (or other oxidizing gasses) in your CO2, and I don't think much of anything in the beer will be reducing CO2 any time soon, so it shouldn't matter. It also sounds like people have successfully kept partially-drank kegs for years without ill effects, so you should be fine.

 

[Sinister Bastard]

It should be needless to say, but just in case it isn't for someone: the above posts assume a CO2 system. If ypu use a party pump, **** goes south fast.

 

[Brez071]

Also ISO Expedition Stout Keg.

I actually went to a few of my favorite beer stores yesterday and put in requests for some high ABV kegs. We'll see if they can come through. Managed to get a 2013 BCS Keg..still on the search for a Barlweywine Keg and a Founders Imperial Stout.

Finally on my list is Allagash James Bean which was keg only and is delicious. It's been hit or miss but I'd like to have a nice bit of stout kegs for special occasions.

Maybe I am reading this wrong, but James Bean is not a stout. It's Curieux (triple aged in Beam barrels) with coffee added. Did you mean Bourbon Black?

Also, side note on James Bean - it's been my experience the coffee falls off kinda quickly

 

[claaark13]

Boombazz in Westfield is clearly doing it, if that helps.

 

[tehzachatak]

Isn't this what Chris Lively did with that '83 Dirty Horse keg at Eb's for a bunch of years?

 

[ridglens]

Isn't this what Chris Lively did with that '83 Dirty Horse keg at Eb's for a bunch of years?

ISO: Dirty Horse keg...

 

[Brez071]

ISO: Dirty Horse keg...

A couple of years back, Chris invited my tasting group to Eb's for a tasting. At one point while down in the basement, I realized that I was standing next to the DH keg. Totally should have just taken it when Chris took one of his many "breaks" haha

 

[Michigan1]

Isn't this what Chris Lively did with that '83 Dirty Horse keg at Eb's for a bunch of years?

I want to be Chris Lively's friend...

 

[user 306809]

Places around these parts that do verticals do this all the time.

 

[Boilerfood]

Boombazz in Westfield is clearly doing it, if that helps.

Twenty Tap does this as well. Not for extended periods of time, but if there is an event with a few stragglers, they will take all but 1 or 2 off and not clog up line space.

 

[Timmush1]

I have a 2010 keg of Founders imperial Stout that is crazy good everytime I tap it (twice a year).
The way I see it, it is better than a bottle for keeping out O2 and keeping in CO2.

 

[Bill2]

This is a legitimate way of storing and aging beer.