[txk54]

I'll be attempting my first spund soon and have a few questions. If it matters I mostly brew American ales that tend to be hop forward. I use Omega's hothead yeast.

I'm planning on doing my transfer with about 5 points left from the fermenter to a keg that had sanitizer pushed out with CO2 and then attach the spunding valve. Do I need to seal the keg with a shot of CO2 at this point? I assume the valve will let me know if I have a leak when I don't see pressure going up.

What's the best way to check if the beer is done? I can attach a picnic tap a pull a sample. Would the carbonation mess with a hydrometer reading? Should I even bother with a reading?

Anybody dry hop in the spunding vessel? What's your process? I typically keg hop and would like to continue with that.

Thanks for the help.

[brewinhard]

I'll be attempting my first spund soon and have a few questions. If it matters I mostly brew American ales that tend to be hop forward. I use Omega's hothead yeast.

This does not matter. Spunding can be beneficial for all styles of beer and yeast strains.

I'm planning on doing my transfer with about 5 points left from the fermenter to a keg that had sanitizer pushed out with CO2 and then attach the spunding valve. Do I need to seal the keg with a shot of CO2 at this point? I assume the valve will let me know if I have a leak when I don't see pressure going up.

Yes you should seat the lid with about 10 psi to avoid potential leaks. Then put on your spunding valve and set it to about 30-35  psi (will get you close to 2.5 volumes around 68F)

What's the best way to check if the beer is done? I can attach a picnic tap a pull a sample. Would the carbonation mess with a hydrometer reading? Should I even bother with a reading?

After spunding, I typically allow the beer (ales) to sit at ferment temps (68-70F) for about 3-4 days just to be sure they are fully done. You can then hook up a picnic tip and take a sample for a hydrometer reading to check your gravity. Be sure to do your best to degas the sample. I usually stir the crap out of it with a spoon 4-5 different times scooping out the foam created in between each stirring round. This at least gets out most of the CO2 for a close reading.

Anybody dry hop in the spunding vessel? What's your process? I typically keg hop and would like to continue with that.

I have not dry-hopped with a spund yet, but Hoosierbrew recommends utilizing hops in a paint strainer (5 gallon sack at LHBS) inside of another paint strainer that is ziptied. Be sure to sanitize bags and zip. He also suggests to weigh it down with about 4 sanitized marbles so the bags can stay submerged but not all the way down by the diptube for clearer pours. This hop sack would be added after purging your keg of sanitizer by quickly popping the lid while keeping a low psi (2-4) pushing gas into your keg's headspace as you add the bags in. Then fully purge a few times before racking your beer on top for spunding.
I am going to try this in a couple weeks with my next IPA.

Thanks for the help.

[tommymorris]

Is there a spunding valve that won't stay open once it reaches its pressure set point? I have read that if you set to 30PSI once it gets there the valve will open and then all pressure will escape. Is that true? If so, what is the work around?

[txk54]

My understanding is that the pressure release valve closes once pressure goes back down below 30 psi, or whatever it is set to. 

I'll be putting together something like this

http://seanterrill.com/2015/06/25/build-a-better-spunding-valve/

[narcout]

What's the best way to check if the beer is done?

For ales I don't even worry about letting pressure out, I just close the PRV all the way and watch for the pressure to stop increasing.

[DockDogsBeer]

I'll be attempting my first spund soon and have a few questions. If it matters I mostly brew American ales that tend to be hop forward. I use Omega's hothead yeast.

Not to take this off topic, but...how do you like the Hothead yeast? I am interested in trying that one out. My plan was to do a cream ale first to see how I liked the flavor of the yeast, and then maybe try an APA with it and some Mosaic hops.

[txk54]

Not to take this off topic, but...how do you like the Hothead yeast? I am interested in trying that one out. My plan was to do a cream ale first to see how I liked the flavor of the yeast, and then maybe try an APA with it and some Mosaic hops.
[/quote]

I really like it. I initially tried it in a blonde, similar to your cream ale idea. I use it in all my beers now, minus saisons. I've fermented anywhere between the high 60s and low 80s with no noticeable difference, to me at least. I find it very clean. It usually finishes in 3 or 4 days for an average strength beer.

Just to help me stay on topic, I'm still tracking down a few pieces for my spunding valve.

[txk54]

Finally tracked down the last piece for my spunding valve and am currently spunding an APA. Fermentation was a little further along than I wanted so added a bit of priming sugar along with the dry hops. It was up to about 20 psi after 36 hours or so in the keg.

[brewinhard]

Finally tracked down the last piece for my spunding valve and am currently spunding an APA. Fermentation was a little further along than I wanted so added a bit of priming sugar along with the dry hops. It was up to about 20 psi after 36 hours or so in the keg.

Good call on adding back some priming sugar to gain back the extra points in a late spund. Just missed my spund for my American Brown a couple days  ago and added a few oz of sugar back to the keg along with the beer. Already up to 20 psi as well.
Let us know how it finishes up for you.