Filling sanke keg. Need advice please!

[Mpavlik22]

Ok I have searched but no one has detailed info on filling a sanke keg. A couple friends has a kegerator with sanke taps and asked to brew some homebrew for them. The only problem I have is filling the sanke & carbonating.

I have seen several threads about dissaembling the kegs, which I already kno how to do.

As far as Filling, here's my plan:
I am goin to keg from a corney ( may use a already kegged batch).
So I will pressurize corney to say 20psi, then pressurize sanke to 10psi.
I will hook up co2 to gas post on corney, then hook liquid post from corney to sanke beer tap. I possibly plan to cap the gas barb on the sanke to prohibit pressure loss.
Also I plan on using a sanke tap with a pressure relief valve.

So in theory, as I start to bleed a little pressure from the sanke (using pressure relief valve) the co2 should push the beer from the corney to the sanke. Does this make sense?

Then when full I will put sanke on co2 to carb up.

Thanks!

 

[enohcs]

Sound like it should work...in theory. I have zero experience filling a sanky keg...only emptying. But I'm definitely interested in step by step instructions if it works.
Keep us informed

 

[kpr121]

Yepp that makes sense. I follow a similar process for transferring from corny to corny for clarifying.

Why don't you just transfer from fermentor straight to the sanke? Then he can carb it up and serve in his kegerator and you dont have to worry about the rest.

 

[Mpavlik22]

Ya, I have heard there are check valves in both liquid & gas parts of the sanke coupler. I think these may need removed to be able to refill.

Anyone kno about the check valves?

 

[MazdaMatt]

I always just removed the tube, siphoned the beer into the sanke and put it together and carbed it up... why would you want to do something else?

I'm thinking if you put the beer in the gas-in port you're going to be spraying it into the keg. I think that yooper's method of transfering from keg to keg is to go in the beer out port so it travels down the dip tube and lets you push the air out the releive valve.

 

[Mpavlik22]

I always just removed the tube, siphoned the beer into the sanke and put it together and carbed it up... why would you want to do something else?

I guess my theory was I could carb In the corney, then that would minimize the carbing time in the sanke.

Does anyone kno how to purge the oxygen from a sanke. If I fill the sanke with beer and put co2 on it to carb, how do u release the oxygen but not the beer?

 

[kpr121]

I guess my theory was I could carb In the corney, then that would minimize the carbing time in the sanke.

Does anyone kno how to purge the oxygen from a sanke. If I fill the sanke with beer and put co2 on it to carb, how do u release the oxygen but not the beer?

The two sanke taps I have have a pressure relief valve. You hit in with gas, let sit for a minute or two, then relief pressure. Repeat. Same as with a corny.

 

[pcollins]

Your method will work just fine but be sure as MazdaMatt said that you fill through the beer out port on the sankey coupling head. Exactly what he said for the reasons.

For purging the oxygen from the keg once you've filled just switch around the lines so that they are set up properly i.e., gas on the gas in and beer on the beer out, then there should be a little ring on the side of the coupling head. Engage the coupling head on the keg and gas will flow into the top of the keg into the head space. Pull the ring on the side and that will purge the keg. I do it a couple of times just to be sure but YMMV.

Throw more questions out there if you like, I only have sankey kegs and fill and empty them regularly.

 

[JuanMoore]

All of my sankey couplers came with check valves in both the beer out and gas in sides. I've removed some of them for creating spunding valve set-ups for fermenting, but your friend may not appreciate you messing with thier coupler.

 

[Mpavlik22]

Your method will work just fine but be sure as MazdaMatt said that you fill through the beer out port on the sankey coupling head. Exactly what he said for the reasons.

For purging the oxygen from the keg once you've filled just switch around the lines so that they are set up properly i.e., gas on the gas in and beer on the beer out, then there should be a little ring on the side of the coupling head. Engage the coupling head on the keg and gas will flow into the top of the keg into the head space. Pull the ring on the side and that will purge the keg. I do it a couple of times just to be sure but YMMV.

Throw more questions out there if you like, I only have sankey kegs and fill and empty them regularly.

Ok thanks. I assume if I am filling through the beer out port (as mazdamatt suggested) I would have to remove the check valve from the beer out side?

 

[scottland]

Just remove the spear from the sanke, rack your beer straight to there, and force carb it in the sanke. Seem MUCH easier

 

[KYB]

I guess my theory was I could carb In the corney, then that would minimize the carbing time in the sanke.

Does anyone kno how to purge the oxygen from a sanke. If I fill the sanke with beer and put co2 on it to carb, how do u release the oxygen but not the beer?

It takes the same amount of time to carb in a 1/2bbl as it does a corny keg, naturally or forcefully.

Also, have you cleaned the sanke keg out? That is kind of important. After you clean you might as well just siphon all the beer in and start carbonating.

 

[TravisT]

After doing a little searching I found this thread to ask my question. So I have a keg-or-ator but its set up for a sankie keg. I plan on getting corny kegs but money is preventing me right now. I have a 7.5g sankie keg and was wondering if anyone has ever used it for home brewing?? i was planning on using this method (ps this is not my video) to open and close the keg. To clean the keg I was going to pressure wash the interior and let it set in oxi-clean for a day or two, then sanitize as normal before adding my beer... I might also boil some water in it just to make sure that it is sanitized (boiling the water without the cap thing).

I'm kinda just wondering if anyone has ever done anything like this. All my research has just come up with reasons not to do this.. If i do end up giving this the old "college try" i will document it and post it on youtube. any suggestion for or against trying this would be appreciated.

 

[JuanMoore]

I have a 7.5g sankie keg and was wondering if anyone has ever used it for home brewing??

People do it all the time. Sankes are a superior system IMO, and the main reason corny kegs are so popular for homebrewers is simply because they're much cheaper.

To clean the keg I was going to pressure wash the interior and let it set in oxi-clean for a day or two, then sanitize as normal before adding my beer.

I wouldn't let it soak in oxiclean longer than overnight, especially if you have hard water. It can form hard to remove deposits if you leave it soaking too long.

All my research has just come up with reasons not to do this.

I've never heard of anyone suggesting any valid reason not to keg in a sanke. If you search the threads here I'm guessing you'll find more talk of the benefits of sanke kegs than the other way around.

 

[TravisT]

I've never heard of anyone suggesting any valid reason not to keg in a sanke. If you search the threads here I'm guessing you'll find more talk of the benefits of sanke kegs than the other way around.

Thanks for the reply, i did a google search and most of the results came back with talk of not being able to properly cleaning the keg! not HBT. still havn't seen a report of a guy doing it on a regular basis!! as far a price goes i see a 7.5g kegs on craigslist all the time.

 

[pcollins]

Here's a report of a guy doing it on a regular basis: Me.

I have two 20L sankeys in my fridge and that's all. I don't use corneys only because when I was originally getting my fridge set up for kegs I was working at a craft brewery and was going to rotate their kegs into my fridge. I got everything set up and then got laid off.

Yes, corneys are easier to use but that doesn't mean you can't use sankeys. If you have all the equipment then go for it. You can practice up and remove the spear as the video shows but I find it a very tedious task to get the spear back in in a reasonable amount of time. I have cleaned my kegs this way and it's fine but usually I'm just filling them with some cleaner and letting it slosh around for a while.

The other issue is filling the sankeys vs corneys. Yes, corneys are easier but if you have the set up to dispense you have the tools to fill. You can either go in through the opening when you have the spear removed or set up your coupling head for filling as opposed to dispense. PM if you want more details.

It can be done, it's no problem.

 

[KYB]

I always have issues with my (old) corny kegs. Been very tempted to switch to 1/6bbls. I keg in 1/2bbl's here and there. Working with sanke kegs for years (managing draft systems at liquor stores for growler fills) I haven't seen one leak if properly secured.

 

[Philipjb]

Here's a report of a guy doing it on a regular basis: Me.

I have two 20L sankeys in my fridge and that's all. I don't use corneys only because when I was originally getting my fridge set up for kegs I was working at a craft brewery and was going to rotate their kegs into my fridge. I got everything set up and then got laid off.

Yes, corneys are easier to use but that doesn't mean you can't use sankeys. If you have all the equipment then go for it. You can practice up and remove the spear as the video shows but I find it a very tedious task to get the spear back in in a reasonable amount of time. I have cleaned my kegs this way and it's fine but usually I'm just filling them with some cleaner and letting it slosh around for a while.

The other issue is filling the sankeys vs corneys. Yes, corneys are easier but if you have the set up to dispense you have the tools to fill. You can either go in through the opening when you have the spear removed or set up your coupling head for filling as opposed to dispense. PM if you want more details.

It can be done, it's no problem.

which way do you recommend, Do you mind explaing a little bit about on how you force carb once you have siphoned beer through spear or poured through opening.

looking forward to using this method.


Philip

 

[pcollins]

which way do you recommend, Do you mind explaing a little bit about on how you force carb once you have siphoned beer through spear or poured through opening.

looking forward to using this method.


Philip

If you're talking about which of filling I recommend then I would suggest using the altered coupling head (check valves removed) and going in that way. I just don't have good tools or good luck for getting the spear/valve/locking ring back in place in good time. I really wouldn't want to do that with a full keg.

For carbing the beer I just use one of my dispense coupling heads with the ball check valve removed from the beer out port. I then switch the lines so that the gas is going in to the beer out port so right down the spear. I put a dime in between the gasket and tail piece on the beer line and attach it to the gas in port. Still with me?

Once the lines are switched I just put the coupling head in place, turn on the gas to serving pressure and THEN engage the coupling head. Not having the gas on first could cause beer to go back through the gas line and ruin your regulator.

Once everything is engaged and gas is flowing I will then let it sit for a bit and then shake it every hour for a couple of minutes each time. I end up with decently carbonated beer after about 6 hours.

PM if you have any questions.

 

[Philipjb]

Awesome, thank you.
i'll PM you