Anvil Bucket Fermenter Closed Transfer

[Airborneguy]

Anyone out there doing closed transfers from the Anvil bucket fermenter? How do you do it?

I am considering ordering extra gaskets to double up, hopefully increasing the seal. Then using a drilled stopper to push CO2. But I was hoping there is a better way and google hasn’t been much help so far.

 

[Somesaymybeerisdrinkable]

I would do closed gravity transfers with my fermonster with tubing between the spigot and keg liquid out post, and tubing from the gas in to the bung at the top of the fermenter. As beer fills the purged keg CO2 is pushed out into the fermenter headspace.

 

[Airborneguy]

I would do closed gravity transfers with my fermonster with tubing between the spigot and keg liquid out post, and tubing from the gas in to the bung at the top of the fermenter. As beer fills the purged keg CO2 is pushed out into the fermenter headspace.

The Anvil just has an open hole in the top. I can use a drilled stopper with a tube running into it, but its not ideal.

I’m hoping there’s some specific lid I am not finding online, or a parts kit or something.

 

[Somesaymybeerisdrinkable]

I am taking about using the stopper you use for the airlock just with tubing connecting the keg gas post. It doesn't need to hold much pressure, but with some of the CO2 coming out of solution as you transfer the pressure will rise slightly.

If you can get another lid that doesn't have the hole for an air lock you can drill it to add keg posts or carb caps. The lid doesn't need to hold much pressure to transfer only a couple PSI so I would not add extra gaskets.

 

[rmr9]

I use a cold crash guardian, which I’ll top up with CO2 if I need to. I disconnect it so I’m sure it’s not 100% closed but it’s worked so far

 

[Nagorg]

Yes, I do it.

I picked up a ball-lock carbonation cap like this one:

And a rubber stopper with a hole like this one:

Put them together, attach your CO2 line and press the whole thing into the hole in the Anvil lid.

Set your CO2 pressure to ~2 lbs/psi and start your transfer.

Works like a champ.

 

[Airborneguy]

Yes, I do it.

I picked up a ball-lock carbonation cap like this one:
View attachment 842699

And a rubber stopper with a hole like this one:
View attachment 842700

Put them together, attach your CO2 line and press the whole thing into the hole in the Anvil lid.

Set your CO2 pressure to ~2 lbs/psi and start your transfer.

Works like a champ.

No tube? I’ll have to try it that way.

 

[Nagorg]

No tube?

Nope, no tube.

Another tip.... The Anvil spigot uses the same thread as NPT fittings.

So I picked up one of these 1/2" NPT to 1/4" MFL adapters and replaced the stock barb with it. This lets me use swivel nuts between the spigot and a keg disconnect which of course connects to the beer line of my keg for the transfer.

 

[redrocker652002]

I would do closed gravity transfers with my fermonster with tubing between the spigot and keg liquid out post, and tubing from the gas in to the bung at the top of the fermenter. As beer fills the purged keg CO2 is pushed out into the fermenter headspace.

That sounds like what I do minus the line from the gas to the bucket. I tried that but it shot the lid off a few times, so I just go with the gravity from the bucket to the waiting keg.

 

[sbro]

it shot the lid off

You only want 1 or 2 psi which would be tough to see on a gauge, so just turn the gas on and of during the transfer based on the flow you see in the liquid tubing. it helps to have the anvil above the keg, but I have done it with them sitting side by side. Patience is key because with the low pressure, it will take a few minutes to complete.

 

[FrankCazabon]

Anyone out there doing closed transfers from the Anvil bucket fermenter? How do you do it?

I am considering ordering extra gaskets to double up, hopefully increasing the seal. Then using a drilled stopper to push CO2. But I was hoping there is a better way and google hasn’t been much help so far.

This is what I use:

https://www.anvilbrewing.com/anvil-oxygen-free-transfer-kit

I do a quick swap out of the bung with the airlock replacing it with a bung with the line from the gas post off the keg. Put a few psi of pressure in the keg.

start from about 50 seconds in

 

[eshea3]

No tube? I’ll have to try it that way.

That's how I do it too. If you want to get really fancy and spend more money, you can get the tri clamp adapter for the Anvil and a tri clamp ball lock adapter.

 

[jerrylotto]

That sounds like what I do minus the line from the gas to the bucket. I tried that but it shot the lid off a few times, so I just go with the gravity from the bucket to the waiting keg.

If you don't connect the gas line of the keg back to a gas makeup on the anvil, how do you vent pressure build up in the keg during your gravity transfer? Gravity transfer should be liquid out to liquid in and gas out to gas in.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

The Anvil just has an open hole in the top. I can use a drilled stopper with a tube running into it, but its not ideal.

I’m hoping there’s some specific lid I am not finding online, or a parts kit or something.

I use a Chapman stainless steel fermenter that has no drain spigot. I debated adding a spigot, but decided against it. Instead, I added a sanke ball lock adapter to the hole in the lid. Using this required adding a tri-clamp adapter to the lid.

https://a.co/d/65IkaZr



I can either allow a little pressure to build at the end of fermentation, or apply a little CO₂ pressure through the balllock connector to push beer up through the pickup tube and out the connector on top. Then, I just use a gravity-siphon transfer to my keg.

By the way, this adapter also facilitates purging my receiving keg during fermentation.

I did have to enlarge the hole slightly for the tri-clamp adapter to fit. It was not a big deal, I just used a fined-toothed round file, (may have been a chainsaw file) and kept working around the hole until it was enlarged enough to accommodate the adapter. I’ve done two more since, and they work great.

I bet that you could also put one on a plastic bucket. You would just have to be careful with pressurizing so that you don’t blow the lid off.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Here’s a picture with the adapter installed. As you can see, I also added a temp twister for temperature control.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

I watched the video linked above. A couple points:
1) I will just give him credit for having a purged receiving keg. He made no mention of it, but other than an easy way to move the beer to the keg, it’s a bit pointless if you’re not using a purged keg.

2) He uses rather long hoses and does not purge them first. Even if he uses a purged keg, he’s putting O₂ back in the system via the hoses.

I keep my hoses short as possible by having the fermenter only a couple inches higher than the keg. I fill the hoses with starsan, attach the connectors, and purge them with CO₂ before using.

 

[scrap iron]

I have an Anvil bucket that I do gravity closed transfers. I usually purge the keg with fermentation gas. After it's purged, I'll hit it with a little co2 from the tank to check for leaks. I leave a little pressure in it and use that to purge the lines before hooking up. Lately I've been using EVA tubing with the fitting like the one in post#8 and flare Duo-tight fitting. Fermenter out to keg beer out and keg gas to top of fermenter. The EVA tubing won't fit in the drilled stopper on top of the fermenter but I've found that it will push down into the inside tube of a 3-piece air lock when the cap and little cup thing is left out. This allows for closed transfer with the better tubing instead of the old PVC type.
It takes around 25 minutes to transfer but if there is still a little pressure left in the keg [1-2 PSI] when hooking up it goes faster.

 

[Bobby_M]

Since it has a spigot, a "closed loop" transfer will work fine. The slight distinction in terminology is just that the CO2 that is venting out of the receiving keg gets hosed back to the headspace of the fermenter. The benefit is less CO2 use. Since the anvil fermenter really can't handle more than 1psi without leaking, the gravity drain is just easier anyway.

Make sure to do a full starsan displacement purge of the receiving keg first, When that's empty you'll have a keg full of CO2 at a few psi left in there.

1. Connect a hose from the spigot barb of the fermenter that has a black ball lock QD on the other end (use a swivel on that end that is also 1/2" barb). Temporarily disconnect the barb from the spigot, quickly snap the black QD onto the keg so that it pushes CO2 back through the hose to purge it. Disconnect and get the barb connected to the fermenter. Now this hose is full of CO2.

2. Connect a grey QD to a hose. You can stick the other open end into the drilled hole in a stopper that fits the lid of the Anvil but don't shove the stopper in there yet. Connect the grey QD to the keg so CO2 vents through that hose. As the pressure is nearing zero, push that stopper into the lid of the fermenter.

3. Open the drain valve of the fermenter. Beer should flow via gravity and as pressure builds in the keg, it pushes the CO2 into the headspace of the fermenter. That's the closed loop transfer.

 

[Airborneguy]

Thank you. This sounds like my best option. Looks like I’ll be by soon for some tubing and such.

 

[Nagorg]

While I get that the goal is zero O2 exposure, I really think that worrying about the O2 in a short length of tubing is a little overkill.

Don't get me wrong, if you can take an extra step to fill the tube with CO2 prior then my all means go ahead. I just wouldn't get wrapped around an axle trying to do this.

And I'm not sure I understand the concern for having the keg itself pressurized for a transfer. Maybe if you are transferring carbonated beer but most of us aren't doing that. I have a gas disconnect with a tube attached to it that goes into a pitcher in case of an overfill during transfer. The CO2 that's in my keg from my Starsan purge freely vents out as beer from my fermenter pushes it out.

Pretty simple and works like a champ.

 

[mac_1103]

I'm not sure I understand the concern for having the keg itself pressurized for a transfer.

You're just using that little bit of pressure in the keg to purge the lines. The gauge pressure will be zero when you do the transfer. You could just pull the keg PRV instead and use CO2 from your tank to purge the lines, but why throw away the CO2 you just put in the keg?

 

[Nagorg]

Here is a pic of my transfer before switched to the MFL setup from the Anvil spigot. That canister thing is a Bouncer MD that I use to filter any dry hop particles with since I have to dry hop loose in this thing.

 

[mac_1103]

That canister thing is a Bouncer MD that I use to filter any dry hop particles

Does the bouncer ever clog? I have a knock-off, but I shy away from using it for closed transfers.

 

[Nagorg]

Does the bouncer ever clog? I have a knock-off, but I shy away from using it for closed transfers.

I haven't had mine clog. But then I do cold crash before I transfer so most of the hops stay in the fermenter. I use the Bouncer to keep any stray particles out of the keg and away from the poppets.

Here's a pic of what was caught during a transfer...