Racking under co2

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Brian-d

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Does anyone have a good set-up with detailed explanation and pictures to rack from fermentor to keg under co2 pressure to avoid oxidation? Thanks.
 
I do this all the time:

IMAG0486.jpg


IMAG0487.jpg


You need:

Carboy Cap
Racking Cane
Tubing
Swivel Nut and Barb (and clamp for barb)
Threaded Barbed Fitting for CO2 Swivel Nut (and nylon washer)
Threaded Beer Fitting for your Corny
Gas Fitting for your Corny (if you don't have working pressure relief valve in lid)

Hook all your s#!t up as you see in the first pic. You can purge your keg with CO2 by turning the gas on BEFORE you plunge your cane into the beer. This will force CO2 into the carboy, through the racking cane and tubing, through the dip tube which will direct it to the bottom of the keg and push all the air out of the keg from the bottom up. After running the gas for a few minutes, push your cane into the beer and let 'er rip. Make sure your pressure relief valve is open, or pop a connector onto the gas post of the keg to let air out and keep pressure normal.
 
I may be mistaken but I won't think it would need to be
under "much" pressure (maybe a zip tied carboy cap) I think
just purged with Co2 would be enough.
 
I've been doing pretty much what waddsworth posted for several batches now. I have a double barb fitting on the long post on the cap, for the CO2 in side of things. I don't clamp the CO2 or the tubing to the cane. Since we're only talking about a couple PSI, you should be safe. Just be sure to put the cap on well (fully seat it).

One of my alterations is since I serve from 3 gallon kegs, and have about 6 gallons in primary/fermenter, I need to watch to make sure I don't go too far with the fill. Still, the blanket of CO2 is covering the beer as it flows in from the bottom.

I always clean, sanitize (StarSan) and then hit the keg with CO2 (releasing most of the pressure before storing it). On filling day, I just get the rest of the sanitizer out (if I left any in), release the pressure from the lid fitting, and then fill via the liquid post. As long as you see CO2 vapor in the keg before you start filling, you're safe there. I also usually leave some StarSan in one of the kegs, to run through the liquid side of the racking gear (into a bucket). This means the insides of that part are safe.

I'll be doing this all tomorrow evening (brewing and kegging). If I can remember, I'll take some pictures of my setup/method. It does closely match what waddsworth does though.

BTW, it works REALLY well. It uses a tiny amount of CO2 too. The bonus of the brew not touching any air in transit is priceless. :rockin:
 
I don't know. This seems like a solution looking for a problem. You guys really get oxidized beer transferring the old fashioned way?
 
I don't know. This seems like a solution looking for a problem. You guys really get oxidized beer transferring the old fashioned way?

Well...you've heard the old saying...ignorance is bliss...watch and learn is all I can say
 
I wonder if drawing a vacuum through the keg would do
the same thing ?

Besides probably being much more difficult, and having to keep the keg sealed, you mean?


Exbeerienced said:
I don't know. This seems like a solution looking for a problem. You guys really get oxidized beer transferring the old fashioned way?

IMO, it's easy to do it this way, especially since we already have CO2 bottles/tanks and regulators on hand. Plus, it really removes a large amount of the oxidation potential/risk. I actually did it as more of an easier way to rack to keg. I wanted to use the liquid post for the beer in side of things (didn't want to have the siphon tube in the keg). I only needed to get the caps and the stainless racking cane. Everything else I pretty much had already. It will only work, though, if you're going from either a carboy or sanke keg. Well, unless you ferment in another (larger) corny keg. I'm fermenting in sanke kegs, so it makes more sense to me.
 
Yeah its really not much more trouble, honestly. And for me it wasn't so much oxidation that concerned me as much as general contamination. From flame-out to tap pour I try to keep the beer in a closed environment and under the protection of CO2 as much as possible. The only exceptions are yeast pitching and dry hop additions - but I simply don't see any way around that. The other nice thing about using the carboy cap and stainless racking cane is that you don't have to stand there then entire time holding the siphon in your hand, hovering over the opening of the carboy - the cap keeps the cane fixed in place.
 
Are you guys still doing this?

I have been looking for a way to not have to lift the fermenter back out of the ferm chamber because after cold crashing, moving it around stirs up some trub...
 
I ferment in 1/4bbl Sankes (tall skinny ones), and have a custom cap that accepts gas-in ball-lock, has a compression fitting/racking cane with quick disconnect, and also has an adjustable pressure relief valve.
I keep a cobra tap on the quick disconnect for taking samples.
As the beer ferments and builds pressure, it is released via the relief valve, but has enough pressure to take samples.

When I want to transfer, (after purging my corny) I attach my liquid ball-lock onto the racking cane, attach it to the liquid side of the corny, attach my Co2 bottle via gas-in ball-lock to the fermenter, and slowly transfer.
I mainly do it this way so I never have to disturb the fermenter once it's in the chamber.
 
Seems like alot of work for not much if any benefit.

I fill my keg with like 5psi of gas, purge it pop the top and rack to the bottom of the keg with a siphon...CO2 is heavier than air so it doesnt come out when you open the lid, so its entirely full of CO2.
 
Seems like alot of work for not much if any benefit.

I fill my keg with like 5psi of gas, purge it pop the top and rack to the bottom of the keg with a siphon...CO2 is heavier than air so it doesnt come out when you open the lid, so its entirely full of CO2.

This is what I usually do. I also do this when racking to secondary, but without pressure, just push the co2 hose down and turn it on for a fewseconds.

Not even sure it's worth it, but I like the peace of mind it gives me.
 
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