Corny to oxebar - sanity check

[rmr9]

I recently bought a 4L oxebar keg and I’m planning to transfer from my recently tapped corny keg of schwarzbier into the oxebar to bring to a party to share with friends.

The corny is sitting at 12psi at the moment. Here is my plan:

Fill oxebar with starsan, push starsan out with CO2. Pressurize the oxebar keg to 10psi.

Connect keg jumper to out post on corny, connect other side to oxebar and let the beer flow. Bleed the PRV if flow slows down too much.

Does the method check out? I’ve never done this before so I’m looking for a sanity check to make sure I’m thinking right. Second question: I intend to use the oxebar essentially as a growler, so intend to remove the tap head when I want to serve it, and replace with the screw on cap once opened. Do I need to release any pressure so it doesn’t just explode all over? Thanks for any insights people may have!

 

[micraftbeer]

Should work as you describe. You'll definitely need to pull the pressure relief valve on oxebar a couple times.

Alternatively, you could loosen the tap head slightly, just enough to get a small CO2 leak. That way your headspace never goes to 0 which could make your transferred beer foam up and lose its carbonation. Then when satisfied with the transfer, tighten the tap head back on tight on the oxebar, and fill the headspace to 12 psi.

As for foam on opening, it will be just like opening a bottle of pop. If it's warmed up, it will foam like crazy. If you keep it cold, you should be fine.

 

[rmr9]

Thanks for the reply! Thats a good point on not allowing the headspace to go to 0psi, the last thing I want is a flat foamy mess. I’ll keep it nice and cold before opening.

Ah pop…now there’s a word I haven’t heard in a long time (in this context), since moving to Maryland!

 

[rmr9]

Does the length of liquid line for the keg jumper matter?

 

[micraftbeer]

Not in my experience.

 

[fluketamer]

Does the length of liquid line for the keg jumper matter?

the length doesnt seem to matter. shorter seems easier but make sure its long enough to reach the short height of the oxebars.

i do this all the time with oxebars to bring beer places. i have also done it with dry hops in a mesh bag for added hoppines. take a mesh bag and add x amojunt of hops i have added up to a whole ounce in 4 liters of beer. place in the starsanned oxebar and purge. then do the transfer.
it works very well. the transfers may be slower tho cause the hops can cuase foaming.

 

[pvpeacock]

If you expect the entire keg to be consumed at the party and you plan to transfer the beer shortly before the party (same day), there is no reason to worry about oxidation which means you can skip filling the Oxebar with starsan and pushing it out with CO2.

 

[mac_1103]

Yeah, if you plan to use it like a growler why not just fill it like a growler? Unless the party is really far away and you have to fill it days in advance.

 

[rmr9]

Those are good points - I will likely fill it Thursday evening but it won’t be cracked until late Friday afternoon so almost 24 hours. I would fill Friday morning but I plan to hit the road as the sun rises to avoid holiday traffic as much as I can.

Given that time I am a little concerned for both oxidation and loss of carbonation if I just use my growler filler.

 

[mac_1103]

Given that time I am a little concerned for both oxidation and loss of carbonation if I just use my growler filler.

So then you don't have any way to use the oxebar keg as a keg when you're on the road?

 

[rmr9]

So then you don't have any way to use the oxebar keg as a keg when you're on the road?

I do, I have a Pluto beer gun but if I want CO2 I have to lug my tank/regulator which I would prefer not to take on the road. My thinking is to fill the oxebar the night before minimizing oxygen exposure at that point and to bring it fresh the next day. I’m confident in going through it between a handful of guys quickly after opening.

 

[mac_1103]

One of these and some of these.

 

[rmr9]

I’ve had that saved in my Amazon cart for a good 6 months now! Should’ve pulled the trigger on it even for just this trip. Now that I have the oxebar and all I need is that I’ll have to order it.

 

[pvpeacock]

I strongly recommend spending the extra money for a Kegland mini-regulator for a number of reasons. See https://www.morebeer.com/products/k...yW4Auyg8h5Xm5xwKxjG8-5liRlK-od-hoC6GYQAvD_BwE
The quality is unmatched. It works with soda stream CO2 bottles which can be refilled and with threaded cartridges. You can thread a Quick Disconnect directly onto it or you can use a duotight connector with gas hose. The CO2 cannister/cartridge does not engage until you screw the top down on it AFTER it is already attached to the regulator. The pressure guage is more accurate than the cheap models.

 

[mac_1103]

I strongly recommend spending the extra money for a Kegland mini-regulator

Respectfully, the cheap amazon mini-regulators are fine for this specific use - dispensing already carbonated beer from a minikeg when traveling. I've been using them for a couple of years with no issues whatsoever. I do not, and would not, use them for anything more demanding. But I really don't see the point of using an $80 tool for a $25 job.

 

[pvpeacock]

No offense taken whatsoever. I had a fairly new mini-regulator I bought on either Amazon or E-Bay break on me on a trip with a 5 gallon keg and a jockey box. Obviously, that was a disaster. I consider the extra money I spent on the Kegland regulator insurance after that experience. But for insurance purposes, I guess you could buy two of the cheaper ones for less than the Kegland regulator.

 

[mac_1103]

But for insurance purposes, I guess you could buy two of the cheaper ones for less than the Kegland regulator.

I do have two, because I often bring two minikegs with different beers. I suppose if one broke I could move the one that was still good back and forth between the two kegs. I also have a couple of somewhat higher quality mini-regulators and sodastream cylinders. I use those with splitters for jockey box-worthy events.

 

[rmr9]

So I went ahead and filled the oxebar with starsan, pushed it out with CO2 and filled it to 10psi. Filled from keg slowly and vented when it came to a near stop and left the tap head in place until ready to open. Worked like a charm!