I did a couple batches over the weekend, and now have two very full carboys fermenting a IIPA and Vanilla Bourbon Porter (Thanks Denny!). I’d like to not waste any hard-brewed beer, but know it all won’t fit into my two kegs. Anybody have any tricks on what to do with the extra beer? Having never bottled a portion of a batch before, and I’m just looking for the easiest way to package the extra volume. Thanks
If they are two very full 5gal carboys, I don’t see why the beers wouldn’t fit into two 5gal kegs. Remember also that you’re going to leave some volume behind racking it off of the sediment.
The amount of sugar to add to prime scales linearly so if you want to bottle a gallon just rack that off into a bucket, add the appropriate amount of priming sugar, and bottle way. Then transfer the rest to the keg.
I’m not sure of the size of your carboys or the number of kegs that you have, but when I brew on my small system, I end up with around 12 gallons finished. I rack four gallons each to three kegs and purge the headspace with CO2.
Bottle the extra and carb with carbonation caps.
Put the extra in sanitized growlers with some sugar, honey, syrup, whatever.
Fill empty seltzer water bottles and use a carbonator cap. you can force carb just like you do with your kegs. I’d fill the soda bottles first since pully any junk on the transfer will be more noticable in a 2 liter container then in a 5 gallon keg.