Close Transfer with Clear Beer Draught system

[oldsccorpio227]

Hi. I am thinking of doing NEIPA and it looks like I will need to do a close transfer. Never done a close transfer before and have a few questions.

1. Can it be done if I have a Clear Beer Draught system?
2. Is it better to switch to a dip tube?
3. If I decide to keep a Clear Beer draught system is it better to purge the keg with CO2 or do a StarSan solution?
4. If I do a StarSan solution to purge the keg, can I get all of it out or some will be left?
5. Do I really need a Clear Beer Draught System with NEIPA style beers?

TIA

 

[AlexKay]

Yes, if you’re fermenting in a keg, a floating dip tube is a good way to rack the beer off the trub. With a NEIPA, you might have enough floating hop matter to need a screen on the dip tube too, or you might be ok.

Do you need the floating dip tube? No, cutting a regular dip tube short (and perhaps also using a screen) is another way to go, but it’s not as good in my opinion.

If you haven’t bought a floating dip tube, in my opinion the FlotIt 2.0 is the way to go: great product, good price. But if you’ve already got the clear-beer, no worries.

If you hook the gas tube of your fermenting keg to the liquid tube of the serving keg, there’s enough fermentation gas to completely purge the keg without worrying about filling it with sanitizer. If you do fill it with sanitizer, a small amount remaining won’t hurt anything, though a larger amount will come with more dissolved oxygen than you want. Of course, use a blow-off tube attached to the gas tube of the serving keg, or a spunding valve, or some combination.

 

[oldsccorpio227]

Yes, if you’re fermenting in a keg, a floating dip tube is a good way to rack the beer off the trub. With a NEIPA, you might have enough floating hop matter to need a screen on the dip tube too, or you might be ok.

If I am not fermenting in a keg but stainless steel fermenter, would it work? Also if I read the recipe right I would need to dry hop so I have to open the fermenter, won't it add more oxygen?

 

[AlexKay]

Ah, you’re asking about a floating dip tube in the serving keg. That should cause no problems with the transfer. You don’t need it (you could use a regular dip tube) but it won’t hurt.

One approach is to put the dry hop charge in the serving keg, transfer on top of it, and just leave them in the keg as you serve. If you go this route a floating dip tube with a screen in that keg is probably the best option.

Another is to add a second closed transfer so you do this and then get the beer off the hops.

If you’re going to open the fermenter to dry hop, do it with some fermentation left to go, so you push out any oxygen.

 

[govner1]

Hi. I am thinking of doing NEIPA and it looks like I will need to do a close transfer. Never done a close transfer before and have a few questions.

1. Can it be done if I have a Clear Beer Draught system?
2. Is it better to switch to a dip tube?
3. If I decide to keep a Clear Beer draught system is it better to purge the keg with CO2 or do a StarSan solution?
4. If I do a StarSan solution to purge the keg, can I get all of it out or some will be left?
5. Do I really need a Clear Beer Draught System with NEIPA style beers?

TIA

I do a closed transfer with the CBDS all the time. I purge my keg with CO2.

 

[oldsccorpio227]

I do a closed transfer with the CBDS all the time. I purge my keg with CO2.

How long do you purge it with CO2? Do you pressurize it to a specific psi? Do you get throb in CBDS after close transfer? I assume you have CBDS in the keg?

 

[govner1]

How long do you purge it with CO2? Do you pressurize it to a specific psi? Do you get throb in CBDS after close transfer? I assume you have CBDS in the keg?

I fill and vent the keg a few times to push out any air. Don’t forget to open the PRV before starting your transfer!
I have filter screens on my CBDS and when necessary a filter on the end of my transfer cane.

 

[Virus467]

I also do closed transfers into my serving kegs that have CBDS in them. I hook the fermenter outlet onto the keg beer post and run a line between the keg gas post to the lid of the fermenter to keep everything closed loop. I don't have a good means to cold crash the fermenter, so what I found was the screen on the CBDS was a hindrance. It would plug up from the inside when transferring into the keg. I just removed the screen, and haven't looked back since. I don't anticipate any issues unless I keg hop.

As far as your purging question, I use the fermentation gas. Hook up the fermenter lid to the empty, sanitized keg beer post. Then keg gas post gets a tube routed into a pitcher of starsan.

 

[oldsccorpio227]

I also do closed transfers into my serving kegs that have CBDS in them. I hook the fermenter outlet onto the keg beer post and run a line between the keg gas post to the lid of the fermenter to keep everything closed loop. I don't have a good means to cold crash the fermenter, so what I found was the screen on the CBDS was a hindrance. It would plug up from the inside when transferring into the keg. I just removed the screen, and haven't looked back since. I don't anticipate any issues unless I keg hop.

As far as your purging question, I use the fermentation gas. Hook up the fermenter lid to the empty, sanitized keg beer post. Then keg gas post gets a tube routed into a pitcher of starsan.

have you tried inline filter during transfer?

 

[Virus467]

I have not. Haven't really seen the need with the floating diptube and a week or two chilling in the kegerator

 

[oldsccorpio227]

I have not. Haven't really seen the need with the floating diptube and a week or two chilling in the kegerator

So you don't use screen for any beer or just NEIPA?

 

[Virus467]

I don't use it for any beers anymore. I'd definitely put it back on if I ever keg hopped though