2.5 gallon keg

[johnsonbrew]

So here is a silly question that I think I know the answer to, but would like someone to chime in. I recently got a 2.5 gallon keg and was wondering if there is anyway of filling it with existing kegged and carbonated beer without makine a huge mess or losing a lot of beer. I don't generally do small batches like that and got it for portability purposes, but now am thinking I wont be able to do what I wanted to do with it. Am I going to need to just carbonate 2.5 gallons of beer in my new small keg or can I fill it with carbonated beer already?

 

[antony]

you want a keg jumper http://www.austinhomebrew.com/Keg-Jumper_p_5869.html

I jump beer from 5g kegs to my 2.5g keg all the time...works great.

 

[johnsonbrew]

So are those two liquid disconnects? I have pin lock kegs so I could just build my own....correct?

 

[johnsonbrew]

does it stop flowing when the keg is full?

 

[mongoose33]

So are those two liquid disconnects? I have pin lock kegs so I could just build my own....correct?

Yes, you can. I did.

does it stop flowing when the keg is full?

No--think about it for a second. If you run the beer into the OUT post, you'll fill the keg until the pressure equalizes. You have to have some way to vent the keg so the air will exit as the beer enters.

I unscrew the pressure release valve a bit for a vent, but then I pay attention to how full the keg is by cracking the keg lid and seeing how full it is.

 

[TWAL]

I pay attention to how full the keg is by cracking the keg lid and seeing how full it is.

Or better yet weigh it filled w/ water then fill it on a bathroom scale.

 

[SanPancho]

dont forget to fill the 2.5 with co2 before you fill with beer, otherwise you'll oxidize the beer and lose the flavor. if you have a large container, its easy to keep it filled with starsan, at least 2.5 gals worth. then you can put starsan in keg filled up to top, then push starsan back into container with co2. now your 2.5 is filled with nothing but co2 and ready for beer.

 

[ba-brewer]

If the beer is chilled, you can also watch the sweat line on the keg as it fills, not precise but gives you a good idea of the level.

 

[mongoose33]

dont forget to fill the 2.5 with co2 before you fill with beer, otherwise you'll oxidize the beer and lose the flavor. if you have a large container, its easy to keep it filled with starsan, at least 2.5 gals worth. then you can put starsan in keg filled up to top, then push starsan back into container with co2. now your 2.5 is filled with nothing but co2 and ready for beer.

That's what I do.

Tomorrow I cold crash a beer that's been in the fermentor for 17 days, then I'll keg it on Saturday. I'll feed the beer from the fermentor right into the keg, after purging the Star-San w/ CO2. I have tubing that fits the spigot on the fermentor (no siphoning) and feeds directly into the keg via the OUT post.

With the keg full of CO2, and the beer filling the keg through the dip tube, no oxygen!

 

[Jwin]

Everyone needs 4-5 ft of bare high temp hose to mfl swivel nut for just this.
I push with co2 fron my spiedel to the keg with mine as well as auto siphon to keg. Also works great on a recirculating pump for draft line cleaning(with brewhardware mfl to mfl nuts)
Need to jumper kegs? throw a barbed disconnect on the bare end.

Not a single piece of my equipment gets used in as many aspects of the brewing process as that hose.

 

[JohnSand]

A jumper is the best way.
I have used a picnic tap lowered into the bottom of the empty keg, after sanitizing and purging it. Low pressure to avoid foam. Just rinse and flush the line after.