First Impression of Clear Beer Draught System (CBDS)

[jjw5015]

Has anyone used this as a seemingly cheaper and similar alternative to the CBDS?

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Top-Draw-Beer-Pick-Up-Tube-P4643.aspx

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

Has anyone used this as a seemingly cheaper and similar alternative to the CBDS?

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Top-Draw-Beer-Pick-Up-Tube-P4643.aspx

I think this was built for a fermentasaurus. Looks great. Just doesn't have the screen filter that the cbds has. Probably good for lagers or anything not dry hopped in the keg

 

[brew703]

I have the CBDS and the Fermentasarus one and both perform the same. Do not really notice any difference with the pour. These are much better then the steel dip tubes.
Will be getting one for each of my kegs.

 

[hezagenius]

Any screens or equipments you recommend that I could attach to a steel racking cane that can handle pellet hops and not get clogged?

Utah Biodiesel sells something called an Auto Siphon Filter. That's what I use on my diptubes/racking canes when I transfer out of my primary. They are stainless and can be trimmed down to whatever length works and then you can cinch it onto your racking cane with a SS worm clamp. If I am fermenting in a keg, I put that on the diptube before I sanitize the keg and fill it with beer. If I am fermenting in a plastic container, I put it over the racking cane when I transfer. They have a nice rigid feel to them and a flat sturdy bottom.

 

[eric19312]

$15 on Amazon. I dry hop in primary and then cold crash. I am fermenting in a 60L Speidel tank and can't dump trub/yeast/hops before racking.

Used to have terrible time with poppets clogging and the one time I tried doing it with a CBDS installed so much hop it plugged up the filter and when I tried to clear it I blew off the nipple and I had to open the keg to fix it. So much for a closed transfer. Now with this guy I've had three kegging days in a row with zero clogging issues. You can get it for different line sizes (I am using half inch) and there are different mesh screens available. I'm using the 50 mesh screen. I did find I needed to add hose clamps to the barbs to get a perfect seal (the point of closed transfer in first place right).

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

Utah Biodiesel sells something called an Auto Siphon Filter. That's what I use on my diptubes/racking canes when I transfer out of my primary. They are stainless and can be trimmed down to whatever length works and then you can cinch it onto your racking cane with a SS worm clamp. If I am fermenting in a keg, I put that on the diptube before I sanitize the keg and fill it with beer. If I am fermenting in a plastic container, I put it over the racking cane when I transfer. They have a nice rigid feel to them and a flat sturdy bottom.

Awesome!

 

[hezagenius]

Awesome!

Arbor Fab in Michigan is the place that makes them and they also sell them. Same price I believe. One might have cheaper shipping than the other to NYC.

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

@hezagenius just picked one of em up. Will attach to my steel racking cane for my next hoppy beer. Thanks again

@jjw5015

Looks like you can build a hop filter and attach to the fermentasaurus version. See link

https://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/blog/floating-filtered-siphon-tube/

 

[LittleRiver]

...$15 on Amazon....I'm using the 50 mesh screen...

Thanks for posting about this great little in-line strainer. Mine just came in the mail.

 

[ihavenonickname]

I’m Fermenting in a keg with the CBDS, crashed, added gelatin and now I’m serving from the same keg...and I’m having problems with foamy poors. Anyone else have foamy poors with the CBDS? It’s intermittent, like if I pour a pint the pur alternates clear ,foam, clear, foam. I’m imagining There’s some grub or yeast messing up the float or stuck to the CBDS filter?
it’s not more common issues for foaming: my beer lines are balanced and they pour finefrom if there kegs. It’s still a little under carbed

 

[jjw5015]

My guess is it isn't floating perfectly, and pulling air from the headspace too. This happens with my torpedo floating dip tube. Towards the end of the pour, seems like the dip tube is no longer in the liquid. I just give it a little shake and it's usually ok.

 

[ihavenonickname]

Alright thanks - I seem to have this issue more often than not which is pretty annoying - it has the effect of a creamer style tap which isn’t so great for my crisp lagers. I’m kinda surprised some people love these things so much they put them on every keg, am I doing wrong?

 

[jjw5015]

Alright thanks - I seem to have this issue more often than not which is pretty annoying - it has the effect of a creamer style tap which isn’t so great for my crisp lagers. I’m kinda surprised some people love these things so much they put them on every keg, am I doing wrong?

I don't know, man. Kind of wondered the same thing myself. I cut mine a few inches shorter to remove some of the extra slack, and I'm wondering if there is too much tension on the tube now to let it float loosely. Only thing I can think of.

 

[marc1]

Alright thanks - I seem to have this issue more often than not which is pretty annoying - it has the effect of a creamer style tap which isn’t so great for my crisp lagers. I’m kinda surprised some people love these things so much they put them on every keg, am I doing wrong?

There are special installation instructions about how the hose needs to hang to put the CBDS on. I have to look at a printout whenever I put one back in after cleaning. Are you following them?

 

[ihavenonickname]

oh I don’t know of some specific instructions about installing I thought it seemed straightforward. Could you point me towards his instructions I don’t see anything on the website?

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

I’m Fermenting in a keg with the CBDS, crashed, added gelatin and now I’m serving from the same keg...and I’m having problems with foamy poors. Anyone else have foamy poors with the CBDS? It’s intermittent, like if I pour a pint the pur alternates clear ,foam, clear, foam. I’m imagining There’s some grub or yeast messing up the float or stuck to the CBDS filter?
it’s not more common issues for foaming: my beer lines are balanced and they pour finefrom if there kegs. It’s still a little under carbed

I've never fermented in a keg with it. Only used it in a serving keg. Never had foaming issues

sounds like you've got some krausen floaties at the top.

 

[marc1]

oh I don’t know of some specific instructions about installing I thought it seemed straightforward. Could you point me towards his instructions I don’t see anything on the website?

You get a .pdf if you click on the "clear beer draught system instructions for use" on this page. There's a particular orientation you are supposed to install it that isn't necessarily obvious. I don't think I've ever installed it "wrong" so I don't know first hand if it actually makes a difference, but if you are having problems it's worth a shot.

http://www.clearbeerdraughtsystem.com/faq-and-tips.html

I hope this helps!

 

[gonefishin2]

I ferment in a Kegmenter (Kegland product) with a CBDS and filter screen. I will also use a CBDS in my serving kegs if I add hops in the keg.

I dry hop most beers, and the Kegmenter/CBDS combo allows for closed transfers of carbonated beer without any hop debris. Pretty darn convenient.

I have gone away from dry hopping my serving kegs recently because I cannot figure out a suitable process that minimizes O2 pickup.

 

[GlenF]

so I just tried to transfer from a corny keg to my serving keg through the CBDs. I dry hopped with 2 oz of pellet hops and got about a gallon transferred over until flow stopped. I had both gas lines to each keg at 10 psi and then slowly vented the receiving keg and removed the gas. I'm not sure if the PSI was too high, but it was 10 or less throughout the process. Fortunately I was able to hook the gas back up on the serving keg and force the beer back through the clear beer system. I will just leave the dry hops in the keg and serve through the system. I hope it was a volume issue during transfer and hope I'll be able to get through the keg on tap without additional clogging. Unfortunately I have to leave the Hops on for longer than the recommended 1 to 3 days and may pick up polyphenols or have a reduction in overall aroma. I'm happy with the CBDs for serving so far, but for transfer, it clogged.

 

[ChiknNutz]

I ferment in a Kegmenter (Kegland product) with a CBDS and filter screen. I will also use a CBDS in my serving kegs if I add hops in the keg.

I dry hop most beers, and the Kegmenter/CBDS combo allows for closed transfers of carbonated beer without any hop debris. Pretty darn convenient.

I have gone away from dry hopping my serving kegs recently because I cannot figure out a suitable process that minimizes O2 pickup.

I don't yet have my Kegmenter, but since it comes with a floating dip tube, why did you go to the CBDS? Is it that much better than a standard floating dip tube?

 

[gonefishin2]

I don't yet have my Kegmenter, but since it comes with a floating dip tube, why did you go to the CBDS? Is it that much better than a standard floating dip tube?

the floating diptube that comes with the Kegmenter does not have a filter. I wanted to be able to dry hop without clogging the kegmenter or serving keg poppets. CBDS made the most sense to me for this, but I am sure there are other solutions.

 

[gonefishin2]

so I just tried to transfer from a corny keg to my serving keg through the CBDs. I dry hopped with 2 oz of pellet hops and got about a gallon transferred over until flow stopped. I had both gas lines to each keg at 10 psi and then slowly vented the receiving keg and removed the gas. I'm not sure if the PSI was too high, but it was 10 or less throughout the process. Fortunately I was able to hook the gas back up on the serving keg and force the beer back through the clear beer system. I will just leave the dry hops in the keg and serve through the system. I hope it was a volume issue during transfer and hope I'll be able to get through the keg on tap without additional clogging. Unfortunately I have to leave the Hops on for longer than the recommended 1 to 3 days and may pick up polyphenols or have a reduction in overall aroma. I'm happy with the CBDs for serving so far, but for transfer, it clogged.

Did you cold crash first? That happened to me the first time I tried dry hopping w the CBDS, now I always cold crash before transferring.

 

[ihavenonickname]

I've never fermented in a keg with it. Only used it in a serving keg. Never had foaming issues

sounds like you've got some krausen floaties at the top.

Ya so after a week at 38F it’s pouring without issue. So I think you were right just some Krause floated that had hung around after a week at cold temps... I think I just needed that second week.

so I think I will continue to ferment, carbonate, and serve in the same keg using the CBDS going forward. It’s just soooo easy.

 

[GlenF]

Did you cold crash first? That happened to me the first time I tried dry hopping w the CBDS, now I always cold crash before transferring.

Yes, I had cold crashed prior to attempting the transfer. The only thing I can think of that may have disrupted that is that I have a liquid dip tube on the gas side. I used that to initially rack from the fermenter into the keg because I didn't want to go through the CBDS and catch trub/ hops from the primary fermenter inside the CBDS. Hooking up gas through a liquid dip tube may have disturbed the trub and dry hops after cold crashing.
But would it disrupt that layer that much that the CBDS at the top of the full keg would clog from gas in at the bottom?

My goal is to do a closed pressure transfer from primary (where I dry hop) into the "brite tank" keg for a second dry hop with the CBDS, and then transfer to my serving keg (no hops) after 2 +/- 1 days to put on tap. I won't be able to remove keg hops if the CBDS clogs, even after cold crashing. According to the Janish articles I've read, based on studies he's reviewed, the longer you leave the dry hops on the beer, the more unwanted polyphenols and plant matter get exposed to the beer which can adversely affect the final flavor profile, and additionally, the longer the dry hops are left on the beer, the more they reabsorb some of the aromatic compounds, effectively reducing the intensity of the aromas gained from dry hopping in the first place.

I'm looking for a filter set up like the ones from ArborFab and UT Biodiesel for my pickup tube in the fermenter so that I can go through the CBDS into the keg and leave a normal gas line on the brite tank keg. But I've heard of clogging into the CBDS and out of it, so I'm not sure what methods will accomplish my goals, especially considering I only dry hopped w/ 2 oz in the keg (for this pale ale) and intend to dry hop with at least double that for IPAs.

Any and all feedback, advice, tips, etc. is welcomed. Thanks!

 

[Wheelman]

Also interested in how this works in a ferment in a keg application. I'm interested to hear how your experiences are going

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

Ya so after a week at 38F it’s pouring without issue. So I think you were right just some Krause floated that had hung around after a week at cold temps... I think I just needed that second week.

so I think I will continue to ferment, carbonate, and serve in the same keg using the CBDS going forward. It’s just soooo easy.

only issue I see with fermenting in keg is smaller volume

I recently picked up a fermzilla all rounder you can ferment under pressure with this thing and even serve directly from it

I'm planning to do closed transfer to serving keg, but if feeling lazy no reason not to drink directly from it

https://kegfactory.com/products/fermzilla-all-rounder-fermenter-7-9-gal-30-l