Need Advise - 1st Closed Transfer

[terrypratt1]

I've just brewed my first batch in a new All Rounder, Cold Crashing now, and will be doing my first closed transfer. I am also doing my first cold crash and the combination of the All Rounder, Cold Crash, and transfer leaves me with questions.

The fermenter sits in my chest freezer, and with some pressure in the fermenter I also have condensation on the inside of the fermenter. This makes it pretty much impossible to see the transfer progress (i.e. the floating dip tube and when it gets to the trub). I'm wondering what I should do - do I let it cold crash for 3 days (38 degrees) and then try and lift the fermenter out of the freezer so I can get it onto a surface where I can see how the transfer progresses? Would this work against the cold crashing by stirring everything up - or do I simply let it settle a bit and the cold crash took care of getting most of the yeast and hops out of suspension.

I really can't see how to effectively transfer while in the chest freezer. All the video i've seen on transfers of course either have water or a crystal-clear view into the fermenter - and I don't want to go thru the effort and then have it suck in all the trub or waste too much of my brew.

Any advise on handling a similar situation?

Thanks,

Terry

 

[VikeMan]

If you transfer at a reasonably slow/moderate rate, you'll see the beer in the line cloud up before it reaches the keg, with plenty of time to disconnect. You may even hear it before you see it.

 

[terrypratt1]

If you transfer at a reasonably slow/moderate rate, you'll see the beer in the line cloud up before it reaches the keg, with plenty of time to disconnect. You may even hear it before you see it.

Thanks --- that is one line of sight into the transfer I did not really consider. All the videos seem to bypass some of the real life views into a freezer transfer.

 

[IslandLizard]

I guess you want to leave the fermenter inside the freezer and push the beer out under some (low) pressure, yes?

It's difficult to lift out and move a full fermenter without inadvertently re-suspending some of the yeast/trub. Especially with those All-Rounders, due to their round bottom and very slick surface inside.

 

[wsmith1625]

do I let it cold crash for 3 days (38 degrees) and then try and lift the fermenter out of the freezer so I can get it onto a surface where I can see how the transfer progresses? Would this work against the cold crashing by stirring everything up - or do I simply let it settle a bit and the cold crash took care of getting most of the yeast and hops out of suspension.

I cold crash in a mini fridge for 24-48 hours and then I remove the fermenter from the fridge for the closed transfer. My mini fride is pretty tight so it just gives me more room to work by taking the fermenter out. I also like to tilt the fermenter as the floating dip tube gets to the bottom which allows me to get every ounce of the clear liquid. This would also be a challenge in the fridge. I've never has a problem with the yeast of hops getting stirred up. Just be gentile when you move it.

 

[Broken Crow]

Do you have a mirror that'll fit alongside it? Or if you know the amount you want to stop at, a scale for monitoring your keg as you fill it?

 

[terrypratt1]

Do you have a mirror that'll fit alongside it? Or if you know the amount you want to stop at, a scale for monitoring your keg as you fill it?

Not really .. and the scale in the chest freezer would not be very practical i think.. but thanks for the thoughts
.

 

[terrypratt1]

I cold crash in a mini fridge for 24-48 hours and then I remove the fermenter from the fridge for the closed transfer. My mini fride is pretty tight so it just gives me more room to work by taking the fermenter out. I also like to tilt the fermenter as the floating dip tube gets to the bottom which allows me to get every ounce of the clear liquid. This would also be a challenge in the fridge. I've never has a problem with the yeast of hops getting stirred up. Just be gentile when you move it.

Seems 2 choices -- watch the line or if i can be gentle the yeast/trub cake may hold if I can be gently lifting. Neither is perferct ... will need to decide in the next day or so after crashing is done.

 

[Broken Crow]

Not really .. and the scale in the chest freezer would not be very practical i think.. but thanks for the thoughts
.

Scale goes outside the freezer with the keg you want to fill on top of it. I put my recieving keg on a scale and do my measurements in metric because 1kg of water = 1L of water, and yeah, beer is heavier based on gravity, but it's close enough for me to know to stop before it hits 19kg for a 5 gallon keg. If you know what volume of clear beer you have in your fermenter, you can calculate what weight to fill your keg to.

 

[wsmith1625]

Seems 2 choices -- watch the line or if i can be gentle the yeast/trub cake may hold if I can be gently lifting. Neither is perferct ... will need to decide in the next day or so after crashing is done.

Even though I remove the fermenter from my mini fridge, I still watch the transfer line as @VikeMan suggested. Once the cloudy beer enters the transfer line you stop transferring. It will work fine with the fermenter in the freezer.

 

[richard_1]

If the beer is very cold and the keg is room temperature, then you can usually see a line of condensation rising up the outside of the keg as it fills. Just stop before you hit the gas dip tube.
Just don't transfer too quickly at the beginning to prevent the beer foaming up inside the keg.

 

[terrypratt1]

If the beer is very cold and the keg is room temperature, then you can usually see a line of condensation rising up the outside of the keg as it fills. Just stop before you hit the gas dip tube.
Just don't transfer too quickly at the beginning to prevent the beer foaming up inside the keg.

Thanks All for the advise! Did the transfer today - followed to general guidelines (equal pressure in Fermenter and Keg - then drop keg slightly using spunding valve.). At first thought the dip tube filter was the issue (sitting on side of fermenter in Krausen line). After a bit of trying (switched lines to slightly larger ID line - no help) - found that one of my ball locks was the issue. Switched the Ball Lock and began to flow great - really nice once that solved the no flow issue.

Like everything else in home brew - first time is a lot of learning - expect my next round to be much smoother. I did Lift gently out of freezer this time but was able to see the clear flow easily and expect next time I'll transfer while in the freezer although the trub/yeast cake was pretty well set in the bottom of the fermenter. I'll also look to get an accurate scale to be able to really have a good handle on how much beer has transferred.

Thanks to all who replied and helped make my 1st closed transfer generally successful!