[gmac]

I made a wit for a friend and I put it into a free keg, added sugar to it and then used the CO2 to push the beer out and slowly fill the bottles.  But, I ran out of bottles.  I have about a gallon left in the bottom of the cornie and it has priming sugar added to it.  I'm gonna leave it warm for a few days to use up the priming sugar but will this be enough to carbonate the beer given all the headspace?  I'm assuming no but should I just stick the CO2 on at regular pressure or will the CO2 in there screw up the pressure somehow?
Thanks

[tschmidlin]

No, there won't be enough sugar to carbonate that much headspace.  I would let it ferment out, then force carbonate it.  Adding CO2 early could prevent the priming sugar being fermented, leaving it too sweet.

[gmac]

So Tom, would venting it help?  I really don't want any leftover sweetness and if having CO2 in there could reduce fermentation, what's the danger of venting it daily until it stops building pressure and then force carbing?

[tschmidlin]

There probably won't be enough CO2 generated to make much of a difference in pressure with 4 gallons of head space.  If you're super paranoid I would leave the PRV open and covered with foil or just vent it like you mention, but I really don't think it will be an issue - you don't get residual sweetness from bottling, right?  Let it sit warm for a couple of weeks like you would to carb a bottle, then chill and force carb it.