Fermenting in a sealed corney keg?

Northern Brewer General
1

I got my corney kegs, 4 pin locks and 1 ball lock. Don’t have any connectors or such yet though.

I know I can use them for a secondary fermenter if I put an air lock on them.
Just wondering if anyone had tried using one without an airlock? Just let it build pressure.

Would that kill the yeast, like suffocate it with too much CO2 in the wort? How much pressure would you think a secondary ferment would build in a sealed keg?

Just an odd curious thought since I want to brew up more beer than I have containers to ferment in.
I’ll be gone for about 2 weeks for holiday travel and I figure if I brew beer now it should be well fermented and ready to bottle when I get back about Jan.

I’m thinking I could probably remove the gas popit and install an airlock on there maybe if needed?
Then I got curious wondering what would happen with just letting the pressure build a few weeks once the primary ferment was done?

2

I wouldn’t let the pressure build. Remove a post a fix an airlock to it.

3

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Closed-system_pressurized_fermentation

4

Thanks, I thought I was maybe onto some strange oddball thought as I often have and I find others are doing something similar with good results.

I guess there are really NO stupid questions after all LOL

5

Fermentation should be complete before moving a beer to a second vessel. You don’t want to remove it from the yeast before it’s done.

If you have left the beer for 2 weeks, fermentation should be complete. You can transfer it to a keg for bulk aging.

The kegs are rated for 130psi. You don’t need to worry about excess pressure if the beer has completed fermentation. If you are worried about it, get a couple of “gas” disconnects. Attach some tubing to them and an air lock.

Because you have both pins and ball locks, get the threaded disconnects instead of the barbed.