Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?  (Read 663 times)

Offline DillyDilly

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 22
How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?
« on: April 17, 2022, 11:47:18 am »
Newbie here to this forum and brewing. Gathering equipment and have a couple corny kegs with the straws just off the bottom. I plan to gravity transfer my extract brewed beer from my fermenter after cold crashing but just thinking their will still be sediment (for lack of proper verbage, please correct if I am wrong) and the straw should be off the bottom by "x" so as not to draw the sediment up the tube when serving and worse case clog the straw. Thoughts?

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2022, 12:14:13 pm »
Ideally, you want to get as little of that sediment (trub) in your keg as possible.  That can be done by cold crashing or even by simply letting your fermenter sit for a few days before kegging.  Some people cut the diptube (what you call a straw) but I prefer not to, so I get all the bout.  You'll get sediment for the first glass or 2, but after that you'll be fine.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline kramerog

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2262
    • My LinkedIn page
Re: How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2022, 03:03:04 pm »
I've cut mine about 1/2" so as to reduce yeast pickup but not leave much beer in the keg at the end. If your keg has a round bottom with a small indent in the center, I would definitely shorten the dip tube if it goes all the way to the bottom. Otherwise, I am ambivalent whether I would I do it again.

narvin

  • Guest
Re: How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2022, 03:23:48 pm »
If you get hop sludge into the keg, it can clog the poppet valve  even if the diptube is elevated off the bottom.  Otherwise it doesn't matter since yeast will settle on the bottom and form a cake.  The first pour of two will be cloudy but then it will clear. 

Offline Bob357

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 895
  • Consensus means nothing to me. I am who I am.
Re: How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2022, 05:14:11 pm »
Most corny kegs have a small depression bottom center. The dip tube is normally at the top of it or extends slightly into it. Some people cut of the end, but it's not necessary. As others have said, once it settles out, the first pint or 2 will be cloudy.
Beer is my bucket list,

Bob357
Fallon, NV

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4882
Re: How far should corny keg straw be off the bottom?
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2022, 04:57:56 am »
Consider a floating diptube as a replacement, if you want to get the clearest beer off the top at the earliest point in time.  I don’t use them in kegs (only in the primary fermenter to transfer clearer beer to the keg.)
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"