How do you transfer beer from a 5 Gal Keg to a 2 1/2 Gal Keg

I've got a Kegerator with two 5 Gal Corneys for my brew. I also have a portable 2 1/2 gal corney with the picnic tap and small C02 for portability and to take with me when I go camping or go on long motorcycle trips (overnight type).

My question is how can I transfer some carbonated beer from the 5 gal to the 2 1/2 gal keg? I thought I saw somewhere that I could transfer it with a special connection but cannot find any information about it.

Has anyone done this?



Dave

Get 2 liquid disconnects and ~5ft of beer line. Put a disconnect on each end. Hook line up to the liquid out posts on each keg. Lower regulator pressure on sending keg to 5psi. Open relief valve on receive keg. Done.

Yep, I do it all the time!

It's two black QDs, and a length of beerline.

Purge the first keg, and put the regulator at 2-4 psi. Put the first black QD on the "out" of the 2.5 gallon keg, and put the second black QD on the "out" of the original keg. The beer will start to flow. Pull the pressure relief valve on the small keg every 10 seconds or so, when the beer slows.

What I like to do is put the smaller keg in a warmer spot on the side of the kegerator, so I can see the line of condensation so I know when it's getting full.

That sounds GREAT! So, it will retain the carbonation and not get oxygenated or flat- which was my main concern. Can't wait to try it out....

Let's call the small keg the 'target' and the large one the 'source'.

Sanitize the target, put the lid on and pressurize it to about 30 psig with CO2. Bleed this down to atmospheric and then re-pressurize to just a bit above the pressure in the source. Buy or make a 'keg filling device'
http://www.pbase.com/agamid/image/122950815
Attach this to the gas port of the target. Jumper the target to the source with a piece of tubing with liquid connectors at each end. Be sure the tubing, connectors and posts have been sanitized. Hook up only one end at this point. Open the bleed valve on the filling device and bleed CO2 until the pressure in the target is a couple of psig below that in the source. Close the bleed valve and connect the as yet unconnected end of the jumper. Beer will flow from source to target (unless the gas pressure in the target is highe because of gauge inaccuracy). As it flows the pressure in the target will rise and eventually level off. Now crack the bleed valve to let CO2 escape the target. Beer will flow in at the same rate that gas is flowing out. Keep the pressure within a couple psig of the max you observed. This will keep the beer from foaming (you are transferring against counter pressure). Put your hand on the side of the target. You will feel the cold level rising. When the target is as full as you want turn off the bleed valve and let the pressure return to the max. Now disconnect the jumper.

If you are going to drink the beer within a day or 2 a single purge with CO2 is adequate. If you think you will be keeping for longer than that purge multiple times.

When I make wheats for my wife I tend to ferment in 5 gallon Corny's, and they're 3 gallon batches. On transfer day I use some of the residual fermentation pressure that's in the 5 gallon keg to push into the 3 gallon serving keg. Note, I don't use a spunding valve- I just pull the pressure release on the fermenter 2-3 times a day.

During this process I set the fermenter on steps above the serving keg. If I run out of headspace pressure on the fermenter, siphoning will continue filling the 3-gallon (once the 5's lid is removed). This whole process is via the 'two-black-connectors' method described by Yooper.

(I hope this all makes sense. I'm sipping an Arrogant Bastard clone which is a year and 12 days old. Quite tasty!) Kyle

I wish I was as smart as AJ, and I totally agree with his post!

I'm not that smart, though, and just do what I do. I don't have a spunding valve or anything, but our process is really pretty much the same.!