Best ways to transfer beer from fermenter to serving keg without causing aeration

[DlALTONE]

Is using a pump a good idea? I imagine gravity would be the best. Any other methods I am not aware of? THanks!

 

[bdupree]

autosiphon

 

[drocu]

I haven't done this yet but have been tempted to do so to avoid oxygen: Ferment in a corny keg, draw the yeast off the bottom using a party tap, then transfer into your serving keg using a jumper that connects the "out" to "out" connections to minimize oxygen exposure.

 

[944play]

I imagine gravity would be the best.

I imagine pushing with CO2 or inert gas would be better.

 

[AnOldUR]

I imagine pushing with CO2 or inert gas would be better.

purge keg first . . .

 

[TwoGunz]

I autosiphon then purge the headspace. The live yeast clean it all up in the end anyways. I have thought about closed system transfers by fermenting in a keg-- don't think it's necessary tho so I'll probably KISS

 

[drocu]

purge keg first . . .

Out of curiousity, why is your CO2 tank insulated?

 

[day_trippr]

Out of curiousity, why is your CO2 tank insulated?

I'm gonna guess that's actually an anti-tip-over device

Cheers!

 

[AnOldUR]

I'm gonna guess that's actually an anti-tip-over device

Exactly, but I didn't know it had a technical name. I call it "the thing I put my CO2 tank in so it doesn't fall on the counter, chip the soap stone, get my wife pissed off and keep me from getting laid for a month."

 

[Yooper]

Exactly, but I didn't know it had a technical name. I call it "the thing I put my CO2 tank in so it doesn't fall on the counter, chip the soap stone, get my wife pissed off and keep me from getting laid for a month."

You're such a very wise man!

 

[shortyjacobs]

Exactly, but I didn't know it had a technical name. I call it "the thing I put my CO2 tank in so it doesn't fall on the counter, chip the soap stone, get my wife pissed off and keep me from getting laid for a month."

Ah, the venerable "TTIPMCTISIDFOTCCTSSGMWPOAKMFGLFAM". Long name, serious device.

 

[PseudoChef]

I'll purge the keg, then fill directly down the diptube of the keg. I just put a liquid QD onto the end of the siphon and voila, a rather closed system transfer.

 

[scottland]

I'll purge the keg, then fill directly down the diptube of the keg. I just put a liquid QD onto the end of the siphon and voila, a rather closed system transfer.

I've been thinking about doing that for awhile. How long does it take to transfer down the liquid out tube?

 

[redman67]

just timed this monday took 19 min

 

[Conan]

I like that idea. I usually just put the siphon tube through the oval lid hole on top the keg, and let it free fall from whatever height it is above the keg's bottom. Kyle

 

[shortyjacobs]

I still siphon, although I'd love the closed system.

On my siphon, I use TWO racking canes. One in the carboy, the other to reach down to the bottom of the keg.

 

[passedpawn]

I'll purge the keg, then fill directly down the diptube of the keg. I just put a liquid QD onto the end of the siphon and voila, a rather closed system transfer.

But isn't that the same as hanging the siphon tubing to the bottom of keg?

 

[TomSD]

I imagine pushing with CO2 or inert gas would be better.

This is how I do it.

 

[Dr. Francois]

On my siphon, I use TWO racking canes. One in the carboy, the other to reach down to the bottom of the keg.

Interesting...I never thought of this as a solution to wiggly hose syndrome.

 

[passedpawn]

I still siphon, although I'd love the closed system.

On my siphon, I use TWO racking canes. One in the carboy, the other to reach down to the bottom of the keg.

Same here. I've been doing it that way since I got my first autosiphon. Didn't occur to me until this moment that anyone did it differently.

 

[PseudoChef]

But isn't that the same as hanging the siphon tubing to the bottom of keg?

Somewhat. I don't have to open the keg up (which leaves a larger opening for any airborne dust to get in) nor do I have to worry about sanitizing the outside of my tubing since it will never touch the beer. Just some small things.

 

[passedpawn]

Somewhat. I don't have to open the keg up (which leaves a larger opening for any airborne dust to get in) nor do I have to worry about sanitizing the outside of my tubing since it will never touch the beer. Just some small things.

Ah. Both very good points. You've convinced me to give it a try

 

[BillyBeer]

I ferment in sankey kegs so I push the beer with CO2 into the corny that is sitting on a scale so I can shut it down when it is full - but not to full

Love this system been doing it for years - low risk and very easy.

 

[Coldies]

I'll purge the keg, then fill directly down the diptube of the keg. I just put a liquid QD onto the end of the siphon and voila, a rather closed system transfer.

Same thing I do. I leave the cap on with the blow off valve "Open" so air can escape and not stop my siphon, dont ask me how I know it wil do this, or why it took damn near a hour for me to rack to a keg, yes I was a little buzzed.

 

[TwoGunz]

Somewhat. I don't have to open the keg up (which leaves a larger opening for any airborne dust to get in) nor do I have to worry about sanitizing the outside of my tubing since it will never touch the beer. Just some small things.

I usually just stick my autosiphon and as much hose as i can stuff in into my keg filled with sanitized (you have to sanitize the keg anyways). I give it a few pumps to get the sanitizer into the tubing and leave it sit a little while. Lift, pump the sanitizer out, dump the keg, and then siphon the beer in.

 

[PseudoChef]

Same thing I do. I leave the cap on with the blow off valve "Open" so air can escape and not stop my siphon, dont ask me how I know it wil do this, or why it took damn near a hour for me to rack to a keg, yes I was a little buzzed.

Haha, yes. The first time, I held it open myself. Then I realized I could turn it and it would stay open. May have been drinking as well.

 

[mrgstiffler]

How many people have spigots on their primary? Connecting the spigot to tubing and a QD to the liquid out on the keg sounds really easy to me.

 

[Keith_Mahoney]

How many people have spigots on their primary? Connecting the spigot to tubing and a QD to the liquid out on the keg sounds really easy to me.

Speaking for myself, I would never ferment in anything with a spigot. There are too many cracks and creases for infections to hide in. Give me a nice smooth walled fermenter.

 

[BrewerDon]

I also transfer with two racking canes and a hose. I don't have an auto-siphon. Instead, I use a carboy cap with two holes/tubes coming out of it on the carboy like this one:
http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1093

The racking cane goes in the center hole. I use a $6 hand pump to push air into the other hole/tube. The pressure pushes the beer up through the racking cane and starts the siphon.

 

[jmf143]

I'll purge the keg, then fill directly down the diptube of the keg. I just put a liquid QD onto the end of the siphon and voila, a rather closed system transfer.

I filled a keg last night using this method. Worked great. Thanks Chef!

 

[kpr121]

I haven't done this yet but have been tempted to do so to avoid oxygen: Ferment in a corny keg, draw the yeast off the bottom using a party tap, then transfer into your serving keg using a jumper that connects the "out" to "out" connections to minimize oxygen exposure.

This is what I do, pressurized ferment, the transfer under pressure with spunding valve attached to the gas QD on the serving keg. Although I hate the idea of wasting CO2 (I use 20 oz tanks so they dont last too long when I am pushing beer all over the place).

I've been thinking about hooking up a spare corny to my pressurized ferment setup, then using the CO2 produced to push the beer. I'd imagine all I would need to pressurize the spare keg is to 2 volumes, is that correct?

I know, the easy answer to my predicament is to get a bigger co2 tank and call it a day. Waste not, want not I guess is my motto...